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  • Title: Impacts of no-tillage management on nitrate loss from corn, soybean and wheat cultivation: A meta-analysis.
    Author: Daryanto S, Wang L, Jacinthe PA.
    Journal: Sci Rep; 2017 Sep 21; 7(1):12117. PubMed ID: 28935905.
    Abstract:
    Although no-till (NT) has been promoted as an alternative land management practice to conventional tillage (CT), its impact on water quality, especially nitrate (NO3-) loss remain controversial. We conducted a meta-analysis to compare NO3- concentration and load in NT and CT systems via two major transport pathways: runoff and leaching. Rainfall variability, aridity, soil texture, tillage duration, crop species, and fertilizer type were used as co-varying factors. In comparison to CT, NT resulted in an overall increase of runoff NO3- concentration, but similar runoff NO3- load. In contrast, leachate NO3- load was greater under NT than under CT, although leachate NO3- concentration was similar under both tillage practices, indicating that the effect of NT on NO3- load was largely determined by changes in water flux. Some deviations from these overall trends, however, were recorded with different co-varying variables. In comparison to CT, NT, for example, generated lower leachate NO3- concentration and similar (instead of elevated) NO3- leachate load from soybean fields (no N fertilizer applied). These results suggest NT needs to be complemented with other practices (e.g., cover crops, reduced N rate, split N application) in order to improve soil N retention and water quality benefits.
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