@article{fdi:010053736,
  title = {{N}o-till impact on soil and soil organic carbon erosion under crop residue scarcity in {A}frica},
  author = {{M}c{H}unu, {C}. {N}. and {L}orentz, {S}. and {J}ewitt, {G}. and {M}anson, {A}. and {C}haplot, {V}incent},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{A}lthough no-till ({NT}) is now practiced in many countries of the world, for most smallholders, the crop residues are of such a value that they cannot be left on the soil surfaces to promote soil protection, thus potentially limiting {NT} benefits and adoption. {I}n this study our main objective was to evaluate runoff, soil, and soil organic carbon ({SOC}) losses from traditional small-scale maize ({Z}ea mays) field under conventional tillage ({T}) and {NT}, with crop residues cover of less than 10% during the rainy season, in {S}outh {A}frica. {S}ix runoff plots of 22.5 m(2) (2.25 x 10 m) under {NT} and {T} since 2002 were considered. {A}t each plot, soil bulk density (rho(b)) and {SOC} content of the 0-0.02 m layer were estimated at nine pits. {T}op-soil {SOC} stocks were 26% higher under {NT} than under {T} ({P} = 0.001). {T}he {NT} reduced soil losses by 68% (96.8 vs. 301.5 g m(-2) yr(-1), {P} = 0.001) and {SOC} losses by 52% (7.7 vs. 16.2 g {C} m(-2) yr(-1), {P} = 0.001), and differences in runoff were not significant. {D}issolved organic carbon accounted for about 10% of total {SOC} losses and showed significantly higher concentrations under {T} than {NT} (1.49 versus 0.86 mg {C} m(-2) yr(-1)). {T}he less erosion in {NT} compared to {T} was explained by a greater occurrence under {NT} of indurated crusts, less prone to soil losses. {T}hese results showed the potential of {NT} even with low crop residue cover (<10%) to significantly reduce soil and {SOC} losses by water under small-scale agriculture.},
  keywords = {},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{S}oil {S}cience {S}ociety of {A}merica {J}ournal},
  volume = {75},
  numero = {4},
  pages = {1503--1512},
  ISSN = {0361-5995},
  year = {2011},
  DOI = {10.2136/sssaj2010.0359},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010053736},
}