Controlling erosion and nutrient loss with no-till transplanting

A field study was conducted to determine the effects of no-till transplanting of vegetables and tobacco on erosion and nutrient loss to surface runoff. Sediment and runoff collected from the plots were analyzed for nitrogen and phosphorus content. Information from this study will be used in the Vegetable Initiative Project conducted by the University of Tennessee Agricultural Experiment Station and Extension Service. Data collected from this study may also be used for future development of C-factor values.

This study was located at the Plant and Soil Sciences Experiment Station in Knox County, Tennessee, on an Etowah clay loam soil and at the Grove Farm in Cocke County, Tennessee, on a Jefferson sandy loam soil The plot layout consisted of six plots for each crop grown. Three of the plots were no-till and three were conventional till. Tobacco and tomatoes were grown for two consecutive years at the Plant Science Farm. Tomatoes were grown the first year and tobacco was grown the second year at the Grove Farm. Measurements and samples were taken after each rainfall event throughout the growing season.

Results showed that no-till transplanting had a slight but significant effect on reducing runoff, with tobacco plots yielding significantly more runoff than tomato plots. A second year effect was noticeable, with more runoff measured in the second year. There was a significant difference in sediment loss between no-till and conventional till transplanting, with no-till reducing sediment loss by roughly ninety percent. Tobacco plots had significantly more sediment loss than did the tomato plots. No-till transplanting was effective in reducing nutrient loss for both total nitrogen and total phosphorus, and nitrite and nitrate losses were less for no-till than for conventional till. Orthophosphate losses, however, were greater for no-till than for conventional till. Tobacco plots had greater nutrient losses than did the tomato plots. Surface cover for no-till plots was much greater than that of conventional till plots.