902
Tillage Induced Changes in Biological Characteristics
of A Typic Haploxerert Soil
**Nurullah 1,*, 2, Mert ACAR2 3,
Zeliha BEREKET BARUT4
1 Ahi Evran University, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, , Turkey 2 ukurova University, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, Adana, Turkey
University, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, Tokat, Turkey
4 ukurova University, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Agricultural Machinery and Technologies
Engineering, Adana, Turkey
*Corresponding author: nurullah.acir@ahievran.edu.tr
Abstract
Tillage affect the composition and activities of microorganisms as well as other biological characteristics of soils due the impact on carbon cycle and soil structure. The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of different tillage practices which have been practicing from 2006 in a clayey soil on biological characteristics of soil. The experiment was conducted on the Arik Soil Series located at the Experimental and Research Station of Cukurova University. The tillage treatments are: Conventional tillage with stubble (moldboard plowing) (CT-1), Conventional tillage with stubbles burned (CT-2), Heavy disc harrow reduced tillage (RT-1), Rototiller reduced tillage (RT-2), Heavy disc harrow zero soil tillage (HZT), no-till or zero tillage (ZT) and ST on no-till treatment. Organic carbon (OC), total carbon (TC), total nitrogen (TN), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), potential mineralizable nitrogen (PMN) and -glucosidase of surface soils were determined as the indicators of biological indicators of soil quality. All biological characteristics have been significantly affected by the tillage systems. The highest OC was obtained in RT-2 (2.53%), and fallowed by HZT (2.41). ZT (2.35), ST (2.17%), RT-1 (1.91%), CT-2 (1.71%) and CT-1 (1.53%). The MBC in all treatments ranged from 0.16 mg C g-1 (in CT-2) to 0.33 mg C g-1 (in ZT) dry soil. The highest mean TN content was obtained in ZT (0.19%) and the lowest was in CT-2 (%0.14). The use of moldboard plow once in ZT treatment caused a significant decrease in TN concentration of soils. Total C concentration of soils showed a very similar trend as in OC with the highest concentration in RT-2 (5.65%) and the lowest in CT-1 (4.80%). High concentration of OC in ZT treatment resulted in higher TN, PMN, MBC and -glucosidase enzyme activity
Keywords: Organic carbon, Soil tillage, Microbial biomass carbon, Potentially mineralizable nitrogen, Soil biological properties
