Abstract
Abstract. In Australia, stubble burning and tillage are two of the major processes responsible for the decline of soil organic carbon concentration in cropped soils, and the resulting soil degradation. However, the relative importance of these two practices in influencing the soil organic carbon concentration and the long‐term impact on soil quality and productivity are not clear. The effects of stubble burning as practised by farmers in southeastern Australia were evaluated in two field trials, one of 19 years duration, the other of 5 years. Conventional tillage (three tillage passes) led to greater loss of soil organic carbon than stubble burning. Loss of total soil organic carbon attributed to stubble burning in the 0–10 cm layer was estimated to be 1.75 t C ha −1 over the period of the 19‐year trial, equivalent to 29% of that lost due to tillage. In the 5‐year trial, no change in soil organic carbon due to stubble burning was detectable. Changes in soil quality associated with stubble burning detected in the longer trial included a reduction in macro‐aggregate stability, and increases in pH and exchangeable K + . Only the latter two were detected in the shorter trial. A higher mean wheat yield (average 0.15 t ha −1 ) following stubble burning was observed in the 19‐year trial but not in the 5‐year trial. Research to monitor the longer term effects of stubble burning is needed, and to identify conditions where loss of soil organic carbon is minimized.
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Claims 8
Claim · model-written summary
Conventional tillage caused greater soil organic carbon loss than stubble burning.
Verbatim
t0“crop”
e0“Conventional tillage (three tillage passes) led to greater loss of soil organic carbon than stubble burning”
Claim · model-written summary
Stubble burning caused an estimated 1.75 t C ha −1 carbon loss over 19 years.
- Taxon
- cropt0
- Treatment
- stubble burninge0
- Outcome
- total soil organic carbone0
- Direction
- Losse0
- Value
- 1.75 t C ha −1e0
- Qualifier
- 19‐year triale0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
t0“crop”
e0“Loss of total soil organic carbon attributed to stubble burning in the 0–10 cm layer was estimated to be 1.75 t C ha −1 over the period of the 19‐year trial”
Claim · model-written summary
The burning-associated loss was 29% of the tillage-associated loss.
Verbatim
t0“crop”
e0“equivalent to 29% of that lost due to tillage”
Claim · model-written summary
No carbon change from burning was detectable in the five-year trial.
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
t0“crop”
e0“In the 5‐year trial, no change in soil organic carbon due to stubble burning was detectable”
Claim · model-written summary
Burning reduced soil macro-aggregate stability in the longer trial.
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
t0“crop”
e0“Changes in soil quality associated with stubble burning detected in the longer trial included a reduction in macro‐aggregate stability”
Claim · model-written summary
Burning increased soil pH and exchangeable K in both trials.
Not reportedTreatmentComparator
Verbatim
t0“crop”
e0“increases in pH and exchangeable K + . Only the latter two were detected in the shorter trial”
Claim · model-written summary
Stubble burning increased mean wheat yield by 0.15 t ha −1 in the 19-year trial.
- Taxon
- wheat
Triticum aestivume0 - Treatment
- stubble burninge0
- Outcome
- wheat yielde0
- Direction
- highere0
- Value
- 0.15 t ha −1e0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“A higher mean wheat yield (average 0.15 t ha −1 ) following stubble burning was observed in the 19‐year trial”
Claim · model-written summary
Stubble burning did not increase wheat yield in the five-year trial.
- Taxon
- wheatTriticum aestivume0
- Treatment
- stubble burninge0
- Outcome
- wheat yielde0
- Direction
- note0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“A higher mean wheat yield (average 0.15 t ha −1 ) following stubble burning was observed in the 19‐year trial but not in the 5‐year trial”
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