1. Department of Agriculture & Environmental Science, Lincoln University
SOIL PHYSICAL PROPERTIES AS AFFECTED BY TWO YEARS OF TILLAGE, COVER CROP AND CROP ROTATION
Samuel Haruna
Department of Agriculture & Environmental Science, Lincoln University
Advisor: Dr. Nsalambi V. Nkongolo

2. Outline Introduction Major Agricultural Challenges
Response to Challenges
Objective of Study
Materials and Methods
Results
Summary

3. Introduction Study various “Treatments”.
“Cropping Systems Coordinated Agricultural Project: Climate Change, Mitigation, and Adaptation in Corn-based Cropping Systems” (USDA-NIFA).
Study various “Treatments”.
Effects of treatments on Agricultural Production.
Effects of treatments on environment.

4. The Challenge
How to manage soils for sustainability.

5. Response to challenges
Terrace Farming
Cover Crops

6. Cover Crops Why use them? Nitrogen fixation. Weed suppression.
Enhancing soil health (increasing infiltration, relieving compaction, addition of organic matter).

7. Cover Crops Why use them?
Prevent soil erosion (crusting, wind erosion).
Soil moisture conservation.
Protect water quality (nonpoint source pollution reduction, Nitrogen leaching).
Source: Modern American poetry: The Dust Bowl (

8. Cover Crops
Literature Review

9. Cover Crops
Trends with cover crops across the corn belt (Dr. Rob Myers).
10-11% increase in corn yield.
12-14% increase in soybean yield.

10. Cover Crops
“Cover crops lower soil temperature, thereby increasing soil water content” (Blanco- Canqui et al., 2011).
Improved infiltration of rainfall in cover crop plots has been observed when compared to no cover crop plots (Folorunsho et al., 1992; Joyce et al., 2002; Williams and Weil, 2004).

11. TILLAGE

12. TILLAGE
Tillage often increases bulk density partly as a result of compaction from heavy equipment (Eltaif et al., 2011; Hamza et al., 2005; Follet et al., 2009; D’Haene et al., 2008).
Higher macroporosity has been found in conventional tillage compared with no-till management. (Gantzer and Anderson, 2002; Golabi et al., 1995).

13. OBJECTIVE OF STUDY

14. Objective
To investigate the effects of tillage, cover crop and crop rotation management practices on soil physical properties

15. Study Site

16. Experimental Site
Location: Latitude 38058’16”N and longitude 92010’53”W
Soils Series: Waldron silt loam (fine, smectitic, calcareous, mesic Aeric Fluvaquents)
Land Area: 4.05 ha
48 Plots

17. Experimental Design and Treatments
Experimental Design: Randomized Complete Block (RCB).
Main Crops: Corn/Soybean.
Experimental treatments with three replicates:
Cover crop with tillage.
Cover crop with no-till.
No cover crop with tillage.
No cover crop with no-till.
Continuous corn
Continuous soybean
Corn/soybean
Soybean/corn

18. Experimental Design and Treatments
Sampling:
0-10cm.
10-20cm.
20-40cm.
40-60cm.

19. Experimental Design and Treatments
Crop Rotation (Corn / Soybean)

20. RESULTS

21. Bulk Density

22. GWC & TPS

23. Year

24. Cover Crops

25. Rotation

26. Cover crop*Tillage (BDY)

27. Cover crop*Tillage (TPS)

28. Summary
Cover crop has the ability to improve productivity by reducing bulk density and increasing porosity.
Tillage reduces productivity by increasing soil erodibility.
Crop rotation can reduce pest and weed activity through allelopathy.

29. Acknowledgement USDA-NIFA Dr. Nsalambi Nkongolo Research Team
Brandon Mebruer
Cole Griffith
Jason Williams
Stephanie Sale
Heraclithe Bikumbu

30. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
KIND ATTENTION!!!

31. QUESTIONS???