Chemical Properties of a Volcanic Soil Are Influenced by Eight Years of Crop Rotations with Different Levels of Residue Incorporation.

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of four cycles of six biannual rotations and four levels of incorporation of residues for each crop on the chemical properties of a volcanic soil from central-southern Chile.

Methods: After six biannual rotations (canola-bread wheat, bean-bread wheat, canola-durum wheat, bean-durum wheat, canola-corn, and bean-corn) and four levels of residue incorporation (0, 50, 100, and 200%), we evaluated the chemical properties of a volcanic soil through eight years of cultivation.

Results: The chemical properties of the soil were affected mainly by crop rotation and to less extent by the dose of residue incorporated. Beans showed a positive relation with soil pH, unlike canola with a negative effect (p < 0.05). Corn was also noticeably negative for available P. The application of increasing doses of residue positively affected the exchangeable K and Mg (p < 0.01). There were also positive correlations between pH and exchangeable Ca, exchangeable Ca and Mg, and available S and exchangeable Al and negative correlations between pH and exchangeable Al, pH and available S, and available S with exchangeable Ca and Mg.

Conclusions: Carrying out different crop rotations seems to be a boost for chemical properties of the soil, while the incorporation of residues allows higher concentrations of exchangeable K and Mg.