Summary
This 5-year field trial in West Texas compared soil properties under continuous cotton monoculture with an integrated crop-livestock system combining perennial pasture and crop rotation. The integrated system showed substantially higher soil organic carbon, microbial biomass, enzyme activity, and microbial community diversity than continuous cotton, suggesting improved soil function and sustainability despite no difference in total N. Findings support integrated crop-livestock systems as more sustainable alternatives to cotton monoculture under semi-arid conditions.
Regional applicability
The study was conducted in West Texas (semi-arid, Pullman soil) and may have limited direct applicability to United Kingdom conditions, which differ substantially in climate, soil types, and agricultural practice. However, the principles of integrating livestock and diverse cropping rotations to enhance soil health and microbial function are transferable to UK mixed farming systems, particularly in regions with lighter soils.
Key measures
Soil organic carbon (g kg⁻¹), microbial biomass C and N (mg kg⁻¹), soil enzyme activities, aggregate stability, phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA) as markers for protozoa and fungi, total soil N, and soil pH
Outcomes reported
The study compared soil microbial biomass, enzyme activity, organic carbon, and aggregate stability between continuous cotton monoculture and an integrated crop-livestock system featuring perennial pasture and crop rotation. Measurements were made at multiple soil depths (0–5, 5–10, 10–15 cm) on a Pullman soil in West Texas.
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