Impacts of no-tillage management on nitrate loss from corn, soybean and wheat cultivation: A meta-analysis.

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

SUBMITTER: Daryanto S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5608951 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature