March 2021 - 20

PLANT & SOIL HEALTH
No-till reduces erosion in vulnerable areas
By Marianne Stein
University of Illinois
Soil erosion is a major challenge
in agricultural production. It affects
soil quality and carries nutrient
sediments that pollute waterways.
While soil erosion is a naturally
occurring process, agricultural
activities such as conventional tilling
exacerbate it.
Farmers implementing no-till
practices can significantly reduce soil
erosion rates, a new University of
Illinois (U of I) study shows.
Completely shifting to no-till
would reduce soil loss and sediment
yield by more than 70%, said
Sanghyun Lee, doctoral student in
the Department of Agricultural and
Biological Engineering at U of I and
lead author on the study, published
in Journal of Environmental
Management.
But even a partial change in tilling
practices could have significant
results, he added.
" If we focus on the most vulnerable
area in terms of soil erosion, then
only 40% no-till shows almost the
same reduction as 100% no-till
implementation, " Lee said.
The study used physical data and
computer modeling to estimate
soil erosion in the Drummer Creek
watershed, which is part of the Upper
Sangamon River watershed in Central
Illinois. The area's main crops are
corn and soybeans, and tillage is a
predominant agricultural practice.
" The rate of soil erosion
is increased and accelerated
by unsustainable agricultural
production. One of the main reasons
is conventional tillage in the field, "
Lee said. " Our model provides a tool
to estimate the impacts of tilling on
soil erosion across the watershed. "
Lee and co-authors Maria Chu,
Jorge Guzman, and Alejandra
Botero-Acosta developed the
modeling framework, coupling a
hydrological model with the Water
Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP)
to examine the impacts of no-till
practice in the watershed. The WEPP
model provided the sediment sources
from the agricultural fields under
different tillage practices and the
hydrologic model simulated sediment
transport across the watershed.
The researchers included historical
data on climate, soil properties,
sediment sample data, and other
relevant measures, then used the
coupled model to predict how
different management practices
affect soil erosion rates.
" Farmers may prefer tilling
because wet climate conditions cause
compacted soil, " Lee said. " However,
soil erosion removes topsoil, which
contains lots of nutrients, and this
may reduce yield in the long term.
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Soil erosion also affects water
quality, both locally over time and at
a distance.
" Therefore, farmers need to
weigh the benefits of tilling with
the consequences of soil erosion
and choose the best management
strategies. "
The modeling framework can help
identify the most vulnerable areas, so
producers can implement sustainable
management practices where it
matters most, Lee said. VGN
No-till agricultural practices in vulnerable areas can significantly reduce soil erosion.
Photo: University of Illinois
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March 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of March 2021