Changes in direct CO2 and N2O emissions from a loam Haplic Luvisol under conventional moldboard and reduced tillage during growing season and post-harvest period of red clover

Abstract

The objectives of the study were to: (1) assess the strength of associations of direct CO₂ and N₂O emissions with the seasonal variations in the relevant soil properties under both tillage systems; 2) evaluate how CT and RT affect magnitudes of seasonal CO₂ and N₂O fluxes from soil. Field studies were carried out on plots for conventional tillage (up to 0.22–0.25 m) and reduced tillage (up to 0.10–0.12 m) during the growing season and post-harvest period of red clover. The results showed that daily CO₂ emissions significantly correlated only with soil temperature during the growing season under conventional and reduced tillage. Soil temperature demonstrated its highest influence on daily N₂O emissions only at the beginning of the growing season in both tillage systems. There were no significant inter-system differences in daily CO₂ and N₂O emissions from soil during the entire period of observations. Over the duration of post-harvest period, water-filled pore space was a better predictor of daily CO₂ emissions from soils under CT and RT. The conventional and reduced tillage did not cause significant differences in cumulative N₂O and CO₂ fluxes from soil.