Soil-profile distribution of carbon and associated properties in no-till along a precipitation gradient in the central Great Plains

No-till (NT) farming is considered as a potential strategy for sequestering C in the soil. Data on soil-profile distribution of C and related soil properties are, however, limited, particularly for semiarid regions. We assessed soil C pool and soil structural properties such as aggregate stability and strength to 1 m soil depth across three long-term (≥21 year) NT and conventional till (CT) experiments along a precipitation gradient in the central Great Plains of the USA. Tillage systems were in continuous winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) on a loam at Hutchinson and winter wheat–sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench]-fallow on silt loams at Hays and Tribune, Kansas. Mean annual precipitation was 889 mm for Hutchinson, 580 mm for Hays, and 440 mm for Tribune. Changes in profile distribution of soil properties were affected by differences in precipitations input among the three sites. At Hutchinson, NT had 1.8 times greater SOC pool than CT in the 0–2.5-cm depth, but CT had 1.5 times greater SOC pool in the 5–20-cm. At Hays, NT had 1.4 times greater SOC pool than CT in the 0–2.5-cm depth. Differences in summed SOC pool for the whole soil profile (0–1 m depth) between NT and CT were not significant at any site. The summed SOC pool with depth between NT and CT were only significant above the 5 cm depth at Hutchinson and 2.5 cm depth at Hays. At Hutchinson, NT stored 3.4 Mg ha−1 more SOC than CT above 5 cm depth. At Hays, NT stored 1.35 Mg ha−1 more SOC than CT above 2.5 cm depth. Moreover, NT management increased mean weight diameter of aggregates (MWDA) by 3 to 4 times for the 0–5-cm depth at Hutchinson and by 1.8 times for the 0–2.5-cm depth at Hays. It also reduced air-dry aggregate tensile strength (TS) for the 0–5-cm depth at Hutchinson and Hays and for the 0–2.5-cm depth at Tribune. The TS (r = −0.73) and MWDA (r = 0.81) near the soil surface were more strongly correlated with SOC concentration at Hutchinson than at Hays and Tribune attributed to differences in precipitation input. Results suggested NT impacts on increasing SOC pool and improving soil structural properties decreased with a decrease in precipitation input. Changes in soil properties were larger at Hutchinson (880 mm of precipitation) than at Hays and Tribune (≤580 mm). While NT management did not increase SOC pool over CT for the whole soil profile, the greater near-surface accumulation of SOC in NT than in CT was critical to the improvement in soil structural properties. Overall, differences in precipitation input among soils appeared to be the dominant factor influencing NT impacts on soil-profile distribution of SOC and soil structural properties in this region.

► We assess soil carbon pool and soil structural properties to 1 m soil depth in long-term no-till and conventional till experiments in the central Great Plains of the USA.
► No-till increases soil organic carbon pool, increases wet aggregate stability, and reduces aggregate tensile strength near the soil surface.
► No-till does not store more soil organic carbon than conventional till for the whole soil profile.
► No-till management impacts on soil carbon storage vary soil structural properties with precipitation input, tillage equipment used, and cropping system.