No-Till compared to Conservation Tillage with Effects on Soil Health.

No-Till compared to Conservation Tillage with Effects on Soil Health. Author: Abigail MacDonald Mentor: Dr. Iin P. Handayani, PHD Hutson college of Agriculture, Murray State University, Murray, KY, USA Farming practices can have a significant impact on soil health, especially when it comes to how the soil tilled and what types of fertilizers used. No-till and conservation tillage are two practices that can help protect soil and reduce erosion. Fertilizers made from treated sewage may also provide nutrients and organic matter that help improve soil quality. The purpose of this study is to compare no-till and conservation tillage to see how they affect soil health when using a fertilizer made from sewage. Soil samples from both tillage systems were tested for soil organic matter (SOC), soil water at field capacity, bulk density, as well as total porosity. Results written down that grass hay soils had the highest soil organic carbon (7.824%) and total porosity (65.52%), while corn-till soils had the lowest soil organic carbon (4.29%) and total porosity (50.26%). Field alfalfa soils had the highest average bulk density (1.75), while grass hay soils had the lowest bulk density (0.941). Soil water at field capacity was highest in grass hay soils (53.18%) and lowest in corn-till soils (30.65%). Overall, the results suggest that different land management practices affect soil properties, including bulk density, soil organic matter, total porosity, and water-holding capacity. Grass hay showed better soil organic matter and porosity, while corn-till soils kept more water at field capacity. Understanding how this tillage practices work with this fertilizer could help farmers find better ways to support healthy soil, manage nutrients, and support sustainable agriculture. Keywords: Bulk density, Soil field water capacity, Soil Organic Carbon, Sustainable Agriculture, Total porosity.