Summary
This four-field experiment conducted near Pontotoc, Mississippi evaluated how organic and inorganic nutrient sources, soil amendments (flue gas desulfurisation gypsum and lignite), and winter cover cropping interact to influence soil aggregate stability and erodibility in a no-till maize system. The study examined treatments at two soil depths, providing insight into subsurface as well as surface structural responses to management. The findings contribute to understanding how amendment-cover crop integration can be used to mitigate erosion risk and improve soil physical resilience in upland agricultural soils.
UK applicability
This study was conducted in Mississippi, USA, under a no-till maize system with specific regional amendments such as flue gas desulfurisation gypsum and poultry litter; direct transferability to UK conditions is limited, though the principles regarding cover crop and organic amendment effects on aggregate stability are broadly relevant to UK arable soils and erosion management strategies.
Key measures
Soil aggregate stability indices; soil erodibility; mean weight diameter (MWD); aggregate size distribution; soil depth (0–15 cm, 15–30 cm)
Outcomes reported
The study measured soil aggregate stability indices and erodibility at two soil depths (0–15 cm and 15–30 cm) under different fertiliser and amendment treatments. It assessed the combined effects of poultry litter, inorganic nitrogen fertiliser, flue gas desulfurisation gypsum, lignite, and winter cover cropping on upland soil physical properties.
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