Influence of Tillage Practices and Crop Type on Soil CO 2 Emissions

Darija Bilandžija, Željka Zgorelec and Ivica Kisić
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Darija Bilandžija: Department of General Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, Svetošimunska cesta 25, Zagreb 10-000, Republic of Croatia
Željka Zgorelec: Department of General Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, Svetošimunska cesta 25, Zagreb 10-000, Republic of Croatia
Ivica Kisić: Department of General Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, Svetošimunska cesta 25, Zagreb 10-000, Republic of Croatia

Sustainability, 2016, vol. 8, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Nonsustainable agricultural practices often lead to soil carbon loss and increased soil carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions into the atmosphere. A research study was conducted on arable fields in central lowland Croatia to measure soil respiration, its seasonal variability, and its response to agricultural practices. Soil C-CO 2 emissions were measured with the in situ static chamber method during corn ( Zea mays L.) and winter wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) growing seasons (2012 and 2013, n = 288) in a field experiment with six different tillage treatments. During corn and winter wheat growing season, average monthly soil C-CO 2 emissions ranged, respectively, from 6.2–33.6 and 22.1–36.2 kg ha −1 day −1 , and were decreasing, respectively, from summer > spring > autumn and summer > autumn > spring. The same tillage treatments except for black fallow differed significantly between studied years (crops) regarding soil CO 2 emissions. Significant differences in soil C-CO 2 emissions between different tillage treatments with crop presence were recorded during corn but not during winter wheat growing season. In these studied agroecological conditions, optimal tillage treatment regarding emitted C-CO 2 is plowing to 25 cm along the slope, but it should be noted that CO 2 emissions involve a complex interaction of several factors; thus, focusing on one factor, i.e. , tillage, may result in a lack of consistency across studies.

Keywords: soil respiration; tillage; winter wheat; corn; climate change; Croatia (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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