No‐tillage Effects on Soil Properties under Different Crops in Western Nigeria

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

Five years of no‐tillage vs. the conventional method of tractor plowing significantly affected the physical and chemical properties of an Alfisol in western Nigeria. Continuous cropping of maize for 3 consecutive years was followed by 4 seasons of cultivation with cropping sequences of maize‐maize ( Zea mays L.), maize‐cowpeas ( Vigna unguiculata L. walp.), pigeon peas ( Cajanus cajan Millsp.)‐maize, soybeans‐soybeans ( Glycine max Merr.), maize‐soybeans, and cowpeas‐cowpeas. The no‐tillage plots had higher organic matter contents in the surface soil horizons and higher concentrations of nitrate‐nitrogen, Bray‐1 available phosphorus, and ammonium acetate extractable cations such as Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ , and K + than the plowed plots. The infiltration rates of no‐tillage plots were higher than those of the plowed plots and, thus, runoff and erosion losses were minimal. Although maximum soil temperatures were higher in the plowed plots, the no‐tillage plots had higher soil moisture contents throughout the growing seasons. Greater earthworm activity in the no‐tillage plots reduced compaction and crust formation. Yields equal to those from the plowed plots were harvested from the no‐tillage plots under suitable crop rotations.