Effect of different tillage methods on soil N2O emission in an arable field

In this study we investigated the effect of mouldboard ploughing (MP), shallow cultivation (SC) and no-tillage (NT) methods on N₂O emission of a Central European long-term field experiment. We measured N₂O fluxes and environmental parameters (soil moisture and temperature) in three replicates per treatment on a biweekly to mounthly basis during two and a half year period. Besides regular measurements we carried out additional occasions timed to heavy rainfalls. N₂O fluxes occured after fertilization and on soils under high soil moisture conditions only, during spring and autumn. The average N₂O emission for the whole experimental period was the highest in NT (0.025±0.045 µg N₂O m^-2 s^-1), which was significantly higher (p<0.005) than in MP (0.004±0.003 µg N₂O m^-2 s^-1) or SC (0.003±0.003 µg N₂O m^-2 s^-1). Soil mositure was a significant (p<0.005) environmental driver of N₂O emissions in NT treatment.