Effects of tillage management on clay soil properties and erosion

Article: Response of boreal clay soil properties and erosion to ten years of no-till management

Authors: Honkanen, Henri et al.

Publication: Soil & Tillage

Year: 2021

This study compared the effects of conventional tillage and no-till management on soil properties and soil carbon at a clay soil site sown with spring cereal in southwestern Finland. Total soil erosion was 56% less in no-till than in conventional tillage, although the surface water discharge from the no-tilled fields was higher. In no-till, the topsoil had higher proportion of large macroaggregates and more organic carbon bound to them. Moreover, the earthworm density and their species number were higher. No-tillage is an effective method to reduce soil erosion and to increase the carbon content of topsoil, but also other means to increase carbon input especially below the topsoil layer of clay soils are necessary.