Hostname: page-component-7c8c6479df-r7xzm Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-03-27T10:06:40.748Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Comparison of soil properties as influenced by organic and conventional farming systems

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 October 2009

John P. Reganold
Affiliation:
Assistant Professor, Department of Agronomy and Soils, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164.
Get access

Abstract

This paper summarizes data from previous and current studies on two adjacent farms, one organically managed and the other conventionally managed, in the Palouse region of eastern Washington. The 320-hectare organic farm has been managed without the use of commercial fertilizers and only limited use of pesticides since the farm was first plowed in 1909. The 525-hectare conventional farm, first cultivated in 1908, began receiving recommended rates of commercial fertilizers and pesticides in 1948 and the early 1950's, respectively. The organically-farmed Naff silt loam soil had significantly higher organic matter, cation exchange capacity, total nitrogen, extractable potassium, water content, pH, polysaccharide content, enzyme levels, and microbial biomass than did the conventionally-farmed Naff soil. Also, the organically-farmed soil had significantly lower modulus of rupture, more granular structure, less hard and more friable consistence, and 16 centimeters more topsoil. This topsail difference between farms was attributed to significantly greater erosion on the conventionally-farmed soil between 1948 and 1985. The difference in erosion rates between farms was most probably due to their different crop rotation systems; Le., only the organic farm included a green manure crop in its rotation, and it had different tillage practices. These studies indicate that, in the long-term, the organic farming system was more effective than the conventional farming system in maintaining the tilth and productivity of the Naff soil and in reducing its loss to erosion.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1988

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1.Action, C. J., Rennie, D. A., and Paul, E. A.. 1963. The relationship of polysaccharides to soil aggregation. Can J. Soil Sci. 43:201209.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
2.Allison, F. E. 1968. Soil aggregation—some facts and fallicies as seen by a microbiologist. Soil Sci. 106(2):136143.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
3.Allison, F. E. 1973. Soil Organic Matter and Its Role in Crop Production. Elsevier, New York, 639 pp.Google Scholar
4.Arden-Clark, C., and Hodges, R. D.. 1987. The environmental effects of conventional and organic/biological farming systems. I. Soil erosion, with special reference to Britain. Biol. Agric. Hort. 4:309357.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
5.Black, C. A. 1968. Soil-Plant Relationships (2nd Edition). John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York. 792 pp.Google Scholar
6.JrBolton, H., Elliott, L. F., Papendick, R. I., and Bezdicek, D. F.. 1985. Soil microbial biomass and selected soil enzyme activities: Effect of fertilization and cropping practices. Soil Biol. Biochem. 17(3):297302.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
7.Bouyoucos, G. J. 1951. A recalibration of the hydrometer method for making mechanical analysis of soils. Agron. J. 43:434438.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
8.Brady, N. C. 1984. The Nature and Properties of Soils (9th Edition). Macmillan, New York. 750 pp.Google Scholar
9.Bramble-Brodahl, M., Fosberg, M. A., Walker, D. J., and Falen, A. L.. 1985. Changes in soil productivity related to changing topsoil depths on two Idaho Palouse soils. In McCool, D. K. (ed.) Erosion and Soil Productivity. Amer. Soc. Agric. Eng., St. Joseph, Mich. pp. 1827.Google Scholar
10.Brink, R. H. Jr., Dunbach, P., and Lynch, D. L.. 1960. Measurement of carbohydrates in soil hydrolyzates with anthrone. Soil Sci. 89:157166.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
11.Buol, S. W., Hole, F. D., and McCracken, R. J.. 1980. Soil Genesis and Classification (2nd Edition). Iowa State Univ. Press, Ames.404 pp.Google Scholar
12.Busacca, A. J., McCool, D. K., Papendick, R. I., and Young, D. L.. 1985. Dynamic impacts of erosion processes on productivity of soils in the Palouse. In McCool, D. K. (ed.) Erosion and Soil Productivity. Amer. Soc. Agric. Eng., St Joseph, Mich. pp. 152169.Google Scholar
13.Clancy, K. L. 1986. The role of sustainable agriculture in improving the safety and quality of the food supply. Amer. J. Altern. Agric. 1(1):1118.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
14.Crosson, P. R., with Stout, A. T.. 1983. Productivity Effects of Cropland Erosion in the United States. Resources for the Future, Inc., Washington, D. C.103 pp.Google Scholar
15.Dahlgren, R. B. 1967. The pheasant decline. South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks, Pierre. 44 pp.Google Scholar
16.Daniels, R. B., Gilliam, J. W., Cassei, D. K., and Nelson, L. A.. 1987. Quantifying the effects of past soil erosion on present soil productivity. J. Soil Water Conserv. 42(3):183187.Google Scholar
17.Day, P. R. 1965. Particle fractionation and particle-size analysis: Hydrometer method of particle-size analysis. In C. A. Black (ed.-inchief) Methods of Soil Analysis, Part 1: Physical and Mineralogical Properties, Including Statistics of Measurement and Sampling. Agronomy Monograph No. 9, Am. Soc. Agron., Inc., Madison, WI. pp. 545567.Google Scholar
18.Dormaar, J. F., Pittman, U. J., and Spratt, E. D.. 1979. Burning crop residues: Effect on selected soil characteristics and long-term wheat yields. Can. J. Soil Sci. 59:7986.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
19.Everts, C., and Riehle, H.. 1980. Soil erosion: How much? Current Information Series No. 563, University of Idaho Cooperative Extension Service, Moscow. 3 pp.Google Scholar
20.FitzPatrick, E. A. 1986. An Introduction to Soil Science (2nd Edition). Longman Scientific & Technical, Essex, England. 255 pp.Google Scholar
21.Hallberg, G. R. 1987. Agricultural chemicals in ground water: Extent and implications. Amer. J. Altern. Agric. 2(1):315.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
22.Hausenbuiller, R. L. 1985. Soil Science Principles and Practices (3rd Edition). Wm. C. Brown Company Publishers, Dubuque, Iowa. 610 pp.Google Scholar
23.Hertz, M. 1988. Implementing CRP: Progress and prospects. J. Soil Water Conserv. 43(1):1416.Google Scholar
24.Hillel, D. 1982. Introduction to Soil Physics. Academic Press, Inc, New York. 364 pp.Google Scholar
25.Horner, G. M., McCall, A. G., and Bell, F. G.. 1944. Investigations in erosion control and the reclamation of eroded land at the Palouse conservation experiment station, Pullman, Wash. 1931–1942. U.S.D.A. Tech. Bul. 860. U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C.83 pp.Google Scholar
26.Jamison, V. C., Smith, D. D., and Thornton, J. F.. 1968. Soil and water research on a claypan soil. Tech. Bull. No. 1379. Agric. Res. Serv., U. S. Dept. of Agric., U. S. Government Printing Office, Wash., D. C.111 pp.Google Scholar
27.Jenny, H. 1941. Factors of Soil Formation. McGraw-Hill, New York. 281 pp.Google Scholar
28.Johnson, C. B., and Modenhauer, W. C.. 1979. Effect of chisel versus moldboard plowing on soil erosion by water. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 43:177179.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
29.Johnston, A. E. 1986. Soil organic matter, effects on soils and crops. Soil Use Mngt. 2(3):97105.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
30.Kaiser, V. G. 1961. Historical land use and erosion in the Palouses—A reappraisal. Northwest Sci. 35(4):139153.Google Scholar
31.Kent, R. L. 1957. Conservation crop rotations in the Pacific Northwest. J. Soil Water Conserv. 12(6):269272.Google Scholar
32.Klaas, E. E. 1982. Effects of pesticides on nontarget organisms. In Dahlgren, R. B. (Compiler) Proceedings of the Midwest Agricultural Interfaces with Fish and Wildlife Resources Workshop. Iowa Coop. Wild. Res. Unit, Iowa State Univ., Ames. pp. 79.Google Scholar
33.Larson, W. E., Pierce, F. J., and Dowdy, R. H.. 1983. The threat of soil erosion to long-term crop production. Science. 219:458465.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
34.Lockeretz, W., Shearer, G., and Kohl, D. H.. 1981. Organic farming in the corn belt. Science. 211:540547.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
35.Lynch, J. M. 1981. Promotion and inhibition of soil aggregate stabilization by micro-organisms. J. Gen. Microbiol. 126:371375.Google Scholar
36.Mannering, J. V., Johnson, L. C., Meyer, L. D., and Jones, B. A.. 1964. The erosion-control effectiveness of rotation meadows. J. Soil Water Conserv. 19(3):9195.Google Scholar
37.Martin, J. P. 1945. Micro-organisms and soil aggregation. I. Soil Sci. 59:163174.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
38.Martin, J. P. 1946. Micro-organisms and soil aggregation. II. Soil Sci. 61:157166.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
39.Metting, B., and Rayburn, W. R.. 1983. The influence of a microalgal conditioner on selected Washington soils: An empirical study. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 47:682685.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
40.Miller, M. F., and Krusekopf, H. H.. 1932. The influence of systems of cropping and methods of culture on surface runoff and soil erosion. Bull. No. 177. Missouri Agric. Exp. Station, Columbia. 32 pp.Google Scholar
41.Molope, M. B., Grieve, I. C., and Page, E. R.. 1987. Contributions by fungi and bacteria to aggregate stability of cultivated soils. J. Soil Sci. 38:7177.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
42.Mulla, D. J. 1986. Distribution of slope steepness in the Palouse region of Washington. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 50(6):14011406.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
43.Oelhaf, R. C. 1978. Organic Agriculture: Economic and Ecological Comparisons with Conventional Methods. Allanheid, Osmun and Co., Publishers, Inc., Montclair, N. J.271 pp.Google Scholar
44.Olson, K. R., and Nizeyimana, E.. 1988. Effects of soil erosion on corn yields of seven Illinois soils. J. Prod. Agric. 1(1):1319.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
45.Papendick, R. I., Elliott, L. F., and Dahlgren, R. B.. 1986. Environmental consequences of modern production agriculture: How can alternative agriculture address these issues and concerns? Amer. J. Altern. Agric. 1(1):310.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
46.Peach, M., and English, L.. 1944. Rapid microchemical soil tests. Soil Sci. 57:167196.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
47.Poincelot, R. P. 1986. Toward a More Sustainable Agriculture. AVI Publishing Company, Inc., Westport, Conn.241 pp.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
48.Reeve, R. C. 1965. Modulus of rupture. In Black, C. A. (ed.-in-chief) Methods of Analysis, Part I: Physical and Mineralogical Properties, Including Statistics of Measurement and Sampling. Agronomy Monograph No. 9, Am. Soc. Agron., Inc., Madison, WI. pp. 466476.Google Scholar
49.Reganold, J. P., Elliott, L. F., and Unger, Y. L.. 1987. Long-term effects of organic and conventional farming on soil erosion. Nature. 330:370372.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
50.Russell, E. W. 1973. Soil Conditions and Plant Growth (10th Edition). Longman, London. 849 pp.Google Scholar
51.Schertz, D. L. 1983. The basis for soil loss tolerances. J. Soil Water Conserv. 38(1):1014.Google Scholar
52.Schertz, D. L., Moldenhauer, W. C., Franzmeier, D. P., and Sinclair, H. R. Jr. 1985. Field evaluation of the effect of soil erosion on crop productivity. In McCool, D. K. (ed.) Erosion and Soil Productivity. Amer. Soc. Agric. Eng., St. Joseph, Mich. pp. 917.Google Scholar
53.Schwendiman, J. L. 1957. Propagation of cover areas: Well managed conservation seedings help wildlife. Wash. Agric. Expt. Sta. Circ. 295. Pullman, Wash. pp. 3133.Google Scholar
54.Schwendiman, J. L., and Kaiser, V. G.. 1960. Alfalfa to replace sweetclover for dryland green manure crop rotations in the Pacific Northwest. J. Soil Water Conserv. 15(6):257263.Google Scholar
55.Soil Conservation Service and Washington Agricultural Experiment Station. 1968. Soil Survey of Spokane County, Washington. U. S. Dept of Agric., U. S. Government Printing Office, Wash., D. C. 143 pp. plus maps.Google Scholar
56.Soil Conservation Service and Washington State University Agricultural Research Center. 1980. Soil Survey of Whitman County, Washington. U. S. Dept. of Agric., U. S. Government Printing Office, Wash., D. C. 185 pp. plus maps.Google Scholar
57.Soil Conservation Service, Forest Service, and Economics, Statistics and Cooperatives Service. 1979. Palouse Co-operative River Basin Study. U. S. Dept. of Agric., Wash., D. C. 182 pp.Google Scholar
58.Soil Survey Staff. 1951. Soil Survey Manual. USDA Agric. Handb No. 18, U. S. Government Printing Office, Wash., D. C. 503 pp.Google Scholar
59.Stark, R. H., Hafenrichter, A. L., and Moss, W. A.. 1950. Adaptation of grasses for soil and water conservation at high altitudes. Agron. J. 42(3):124127.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
60.Tisdale, S. L., Nelson, W. L., and Beaton, J. D.. 1985. Soil Fertility and Fertilizers (4th Edition). Macmillan Publishing Company, NY. 754 pp.Google Scholar
61.Uhland, R. E. 1949. Crop yields lowered by erosion. USDA-SCS-Technical Paper-75, USDA Soil Conservation Service, Wash., D. C.27 pp.Google Scholar
62.Uhland, R. E. 1958. Winter cover crops. J. Soil Water Conserv. 13(5):207–14.Google Scholar
63.U. S. Department of Agriculture. 1980. Report and recommendations on organic fanning. A special report prepared for the Secretary of Agriculture, U. S. Government Printing Office, Wash., D. C. 94 pp.Google Scholar
64.United States Salinity Laboratory Staff. 1954. Diagnosis and Improvement of Saline and Alkali Soils. Agricultural Handbook No. 60. U. S. Dept. Agric., U. S. Government Printing Office, Wash., D. C. 160 pp.Google Scholar
65.Webber, L. R. 1964. Soil physical properties and erosion control. J. Soil Water Conserv. 19(1):2830.Google Scholar
66.Weilgart Patten, A. G. 1982. Comparison of nitrogen and phosphorus flows on an organic and conventional farm. M. S. Thesis. Washington State University, Pullman. 108 pp.Google Scholar
67.JrWhite, A. W., Bruce, R. R., Thomas, A. W., Langdale, G. W., and Perkins, H. F.. 1985. Characterizing productivity of eroded soils in the Southern Piedmont. In McCool, D. K. (ed.) Erosion and Productivity. Amer. Soc. of Agric. Eng., St. Joseph, Mich. pp. 8395.Google Scholar
68.Wischmeier, W. H., and Smith, D. D.. 1978. Predicting Rainfall Erosion Losses. USDA Agric. Handb. 537, U. S. Government Printing Office, Wash., D.C.Google Scholar
69.Woods, J. E., Hafenrichter, A. L., Schwendiman, J. L., and Law, A. G.. 1953. The effect of grasses on yield of forage and production of roots by alfalfa-grass mixtures with special reference to soil conservation. Agron. J. 45(12):590595.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
70.Young, D. L., Taylor, D. B., and Papendick, R. I.. 1985. Separating erosion and technology impacts on winter wheat yields in the Palouse. A statistical approach. In McCool, D. K. (ed.) Erosion and Productivity. Amer. Soc. of Agric. Eng., St. Joseph, Mich. pp. 130142.Google Scholar