Soil organic carbon recovery by Walkley and Black methodology under different soil management systems

DÍAZ-ZORITA, MARTÍN

COMMUNICATIONS IN SOIL SCIENCE AND PLANT ANALYSIS

Marcel Dekker Inc.

Lugar: Ney York; Año: 1999 vol. 30 p. 739 - 745

0010-3624

Organic carbon (C) levels in a Typic Hapludoll under four management systems [moldboard plowing, chisel plowing, no-tillage, and perennial fescue (Festuca arundinacea) pasture] were determined by two methodologies: wet oxidation with potassium dichromate (K2Cr2O7) and dry combustion with a carbon analyzer. The correlation between organic C levels obtained by both methodologies (r=0.87, n=48, p<0.01) rose when agricultural and pasture systems were considered separately. Carbon recovered by Walkley-Black method under pasture was 15% lower than that under the agricultural systems. This difference was attributed to greater amounts of chemical stable organic compounds in pasture residues than in crop residues.