@article{edgell_osmond_line_hoyt_grossman_larsen_2015, title={Comparison of Surface Water Quality and Yields from Organically and Conventionally Produced Sweet Corn Plots with Conservation and Conventional Tillage}, volume={44}, ISSN={["1537-2537"]}, DOI={10.2134/jeq2015.02.0074}, abstractNote={Organic agricultural systems are often assumed to be more sustainable than conventional farming, yet there has been little work comparing surface water quality from organic and conventional production, especially under the same cropping sequence. Our objective was to compare nutrient and sediment losses, as well as sweet corn ( L. var. ) yield, from organic and conventional production with conventional and conservation tillage. The experiment was located in the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina. Four treatments, replicated four times, had been in place for over 18 yr and consisted of conventional tillage (chisel plow and disk) with conventional production (CT/Conven), conservation no-till with conventional production (NT/Conven), conventional tillage with organic production (CT/Org), and conservation no-till with organic production (NT/Org). Water quality (surface flow volume; nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment concentrations) and sweet corn yield data were collected in 2011 and 2012. Sediment and sediment-attached nutrient losses were influenced by tillage and cropping system in 2011, due to higher rainfall, and tillage in 2012. Soluble nutrients were affected by the nutrient source and rate, which are a function of the cropping system. Sweet corn marketable yields were greater in conventional systems due to high weed competition and reduced total nitrogen availability in organic treatments. When comparing treatment efficiency (yield kg ha /nutrient loss kg ha ), the NT/Conven treatment had the greatest sweet corn yield per unit of nutrient and sediment loss. Other treatment ratios were similar to each other; thus, it appears the most sustainably productive treatment was NT/Conven.}, number={6}, journal={JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY}, author={Edgell, Joshua and Osmond, D. L. and Line, D. E. and Hoyt, G. D. and Grossman, J. M. and Larsen, E. M.}, year={2015}, pages={1861–1870} }
 @article{larsen_grossman_edgell_hoyt_osmond_hu_2014, title={Soil biological properties, soil losses and corn yield in long-term organic and conventional farming systems}, volume={139}, ISSN={["1879-3444"]}, DOI={10.1016/j.still.2014.02.002}, abstractNote={Topsoil losses through surface runoff have severe implications for farmers, as well as surrounding ecosystems and waterbodies. However, integrating management systems that enhance soil organic matter (SOM) can stabilize the soil surface from erosion. Little is known about how differences in both tillage and cropping system management affect carbon and subsequent sediment losses in horticultural fields, particularly in the humid climate of the southeast. Research was conducted in the Appalachian Mountains in Mills River, NC on a fine-sandy loam Acrisol from 2010 to 2012 on long-term plots established in 1994. Project objectives included to: (1) quantify labile and total organic matter based on tillage and cropping system practices, (2) determine if relationships exist between SOC ad sediment losses, and (3) determine long-term management and tillage impacts on total organic matter lost via runoff. We hypothesized that organic management and reduced tillage would lead to increased soil carbon, which subsequently reduce losses as soil is stabilized. Organic no tillage and conventional till treatments contained on average 14.34 and 6.80 g kg−1 total carbon (TC) respectively, with the organic no till treatments containing twice the quantity of TC and light fraction particulate organic matter (LPOM) in the upper 15 cm as compared with the conventionally tilled treatments, and four times the quantity of microbial biomass carbon (MBC). LPOM and HPOM, the heavier fraction of POM, did not differ in the organic till and conventional no till treatments.Data support our hypothesis that organic production in combination with no tillage increases C pools (both total and labile) as compared with tilled conventional plots. However, organic no till treatments produced sweet corn (Zea mays var. saccharata) yields less than 50% of that of conventional treatments, attributed to weed competition and lack of available N. No tillage treatments lost two to four times less soil C via surface runoff than tilled systems. Additionally, we found that as total soil C increased, suspended solids lost through surface runoff decreased. Overall, our results indicate tillage to be an important factor in enhancing soil C and decreasing soil loss through surface runoff.}, journal={SOIL & TILLAGE RESEARCH}, author={Larsen, Erika and Grossman, Julie and Edgell, Joshua and Hoyt, Greg and Osmond, Deanna and Hu, Shuijin}, year={2014}, month={Jun}, pages={37–45} }