Tillage impacts on soil aggregation and carbon and nitrogen sequestration under wheat cropping sequences

No tillage (NT) and increased cropping intensity have potential for enhanced C and N sequestration in agricultural soils. The objectives of this study were to investigate the impacts of conventional tillage (CT), NT, and multiple cropping sequences on soil organic C (SOC) and N (SON) sequestration and on distribution within aggregate-size fractions in a southcentral Texas soil at the end of 20 years of treatment imposition. Soil organic C and SON sequestration were significantly greater under NT than CT for a grain sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench]/wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)/soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] rotation (SWS), a wheat/soybean doublecrop (WS), and a continuous wheat monoculture (CW) at 0–5 cm and for the SWS rotation at 5–15 cm. At 0–5 cm, NT increased SOC storage compared to CT by 62, 41, and 47% and SON storage by 77, 57, and 56%, respectively, for SWS, WS, and CW cropping sequences. Increased cropping intensity failed to enhance SOC or SON sequestration at either soil depth compared to the CW monoculture. No-tillage increased the proportion of macroaggregates (>2 mm) at 0–5 cm but not at 5–15 cm. The majority of SOC and SON storage under both CT and NT was observed in the largest aggregate-size fractions (>2 mm, 250 μm to 2 mm). The use of NT significantly improved soil aggregation and SOC and SON sequestration in surface but not subsurface soils.