Soil Carbon and Phosphorus after 40 Years of Contrasting Tillage and Straw Management in Dryland Wheat Production under Semi-Arid Temperate Climate

The effects of conservation strategies on soil organic carbon (SOC) and phosphorus (P) dynamics in dryland wheat under semi-arid temperate conditions are not well understood. This study quantified the tillage straw management SOC concentrations stocks P fractions after 40 years a climate. treatments were (burned burned) combined with methods (conventional (CT), stubble mulch (SM), no-tillage (NT)). Fertilizer nitrogen (N) applied annually at 60 12.5 kg ha−1, respectively. soils sampled from 0–50, 50–200, 200–400, 400–600, 600–800, 800–1000 mm depths, analyzed using standard methods. concentration was affected by management, except 200–400 where it higher burned rather than retained. total C stock (0–1000 mm) NT burning, CT no SM, retention burning. In topsoil, had significantly (p < 0.05) Bray 1 P, NaOH II Pi, residual SM CT, while burning increased NaHCO3 Pi concentrations. findings imply that is tillage, but subsoil only, improved straw, retention, labile relative to region.