[Effects of conservational tillage on aggregate composition and organic carbon storage in purple paddy soil]

A 13 year experiment was conducted to study the effects of conservational tillage on the aggregate composition and organic carbon storage in purple paddy soil of Sichuan Basin. The results showed that under no-tillage and ridge culture (rice-rape) (NR-RR), no-tillage and plain culture (rice-rape) (NP-RR), no-tillage and ridge culture (rice-green manure) (NR-RGM), tillage and ridge culture (rice-rape) (TR-RR), and tillage and plain culture (rice-rape) (TP-RR), the proportion of macroaggregates in 0-10 cm soil layer was 23%, 69%, 9%, 36%, and 28% higher than that under conventional tillage (CT) (12%), respectively, while in 10-20 cm soil layer, this proportion under conservational tillage was 9%-38% lower than that under CT. The organic carbon storages in the macroaggregates at the depth of 0-10 cm were 13%, 31% and 32% higher under no-tillage and ridge culture (rice-fallow) (NR-RF), NR-RR and NR-RGM than under CT, respectively, while that at the depth of 10-20 cm was 28%-54% lower. The differences in organic carbon storage between macro- and microaggregates were smaller in 10-20 cm layer than in 0-10 cm layer. Under conservational tillage, the organic carbon storage was 8%-28% higher in 0-10 cm layer but 4%-22% lower in 10-20 cm layer, compared with that under CT. After converted from CT to conservational tillage for 13 years, the mean organic carbon sequestration rate was 53 g x m(-2) x a(-1) and 25 g x m(-2) x a(-1) at the depths of 0-10 cm and 10-20 cm, while under CT, it was 26 g x m(-2) x a(-1) and 33 g x m(-2) x a(-1), respectively. Conservational tillage was favorable to the formation of macroaggregates in surface soil layer and the enhancement of soil total organic carbon storage.