Effect of controlled drainage and tillage on soil structure and tile drainage nitrate loss at the field scale

Abstract

Research Article| August 01 1998 Effect of controlled drainage and tillage on soil structure and tile drainage nitrate loss at the field scale C. S. Tan; C. S. Tan *Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada, Greenhouse & Processing Crops Research Centre, Harrow, ON, N0R 1G0, Canada Search for other works by this author on: This Site PubMed Google Scholar C. F. Drury; C. F. Drury *Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada, Greenhouse & Processing Crops Research Centre, Harrow, ON, N0R 1G0, Canada Search for other works by this author on: This Site PubMed Google Scholar M. Soultani; M. Soultani *Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada, Greenhouse & Processing Crops Research Centre, Harrow, ON, N0R 1G0, Canada Search for other works by this author on: This Site PubMed Google Scholar I. J. van Wesenbeeck; I. J. van Wesenbeeck **DowElanco, Indianapolis, IN, 46268, USA Search for other works by this author on: This Site PubMed Google Scholar H. Y. F. Ng; H. Y. F. Ng ***National Water Research Institute, Environment Canada, Burlington, ON, L7R 4A6, Canada Search for other works by this author on: This Site PubMed Google Scholar J. D. Gaynor; J. D. Gaynor *Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada, Greenhouse & Processing Crops Research Centre, Harrow, ON, N0R 1G0, Canada Search for other works by this author on: This Site PubMed Google Scholar T. W. Welacky T. W. Welacky *Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada, Greenhouse & Processing Crops Research Centre, Harrow, ON, N0R 1G0, Canada Search for other works by this author on: This Site PubMed Google Scholar Water Sci Technol (1998) 38 (4-5): 103–110. https://doi.org/10.2166/wst.1998.0593 Views Icon Views Article contents Figures & tables Video Audio Supplementary Data Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Cite Icon Cite Permissions Search Site Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentAll JournalsThis Journal Search Advanced Search Citation C. S. Tan, C. F. Drury, M. Soultani, I. J. van Wesenbeeck, H. Y. F. Ng, J. D. Gaynor, T. W. Welacky; Effect of controlled drainage and tillage on soil structure and tile drainage nitrate loss at the field scale. Water Sci Technol 1 August 1998; 38 (4-5): 103–110. doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/wst.1998.0593 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Reference Manager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex Conservation tillage has become an attractive form of agricultural management practices for corn and soybean production on heavy textured soil in southern Ontario because of the potential for improving soil quality. A controlled drainage system combined with conservation tillage practices has also been reported to improve water quality. In Southwestern Ontario, field scale on farm demonstration sites were established in a paired watershed (no-tillage vs. conventional tillage) on clay loam soil to study the effect of tillage system on soil structure and water quality. The sites included controlled drainage and free drainage systems to monitor their effect on nitrate loss in the tile drainage water.Soil structure, organic matter content and water storage in the soil profile were improved with no-tillage (NT) compared to conventional tillage (CT). No-tillage also increased earthworm populations. No-tillage was found to have higher tile drainage volume and nitrate loss which were attributed to an increase in soil macropores from earthworm activity. The controlled drainage system (CD) reduced nitrate loss in tile drainage water by 14% on CT site and 25.5% on NT site compared to the corresponding free drainage system (DR) from May, 1995 to April 30, 1997. No-tillage farming practices are definitely enhanced by using a controlled drainage system for preventing excessive nitrate leaching through tile drainage. Average soybean yields for CT site were about 12 to 14% greater than the NT site in 1995 and 1996. However, drainage systems had very little effect on soybean yields in 1995 and 1996 due to extremely dry growing seasons. Nitrate, soil water, water table, mean weight diameter, wet aggregate stability This content is only available as a PDF. © IWA Publishing 1998 You do not currently have access to this content.