Impact of manure management and tillage practices on water quality and safety in canola and wheat

Description

Canola and wheat (wheat-corn-canola rotation) were planted in 2016 and 2017, respectively, on 12 experimental plots with tillage practices on the main plots (minimum tillage and chisel plow) and fertilization methods (mineral fertilizers, 25 m³/ha of pig manure and 50 m³/ha of pig manure) in the subplots. Soil samples are taken in the spring and fall at depths of 0-10, 10-20, and 20-40 cm for physical, chemical (macronutrients and micronutrients, etc.) and microbiological analyses (E. coli, enterococci, and antibiotic resistance genes). Physical, chemical, and microbiological tests are conducted on pig manure in the field and drainage water is sampled based on rainfall frequency (about 18 sampling operations per year). Crop yields and their macronutrient and micronutrient content are also measured.

Objective(s)

• Measure the effect of fertilization and tillage methods on corn and canola yields and the physical, chemical, and microbiological quality of the drainage water and soil
• Measure the effects of repeated applications of pig manure on resistance genes in the drainage water and soil