The effect is soil quality on field scale run off under concentional and conservation tillage systems

Abstract

The National Soil Conservation Program (NSCP) is a research program managed and funded by Agriculture Canada. The program focuses on the improvement of agricultural soil and water quality through education and implementation of farm conservation practices. The program is multi-faceted in design and approach and includes several topics of study primarily in the soil quality and soil conservation areas. As part of the NSCP, Beak Consultants Limited (BEAK) conducted a study examining soil quality, agricultural runoff quality and groundwater quality, under conventional and conservation tillage systems. This research study focused upon field scale processes and encompasses two growing seasons. The study's primary objective was to examine the transport and fate of nutrients (primarily nitrate-N and phosphorus) and metolachlor, a commonly used pesticide in Southern Ontario, under two differing tillage management systems. This final report includes sections on literature review, study methods, study sites description and design, meteorology, soil quality assessment, surface water and groundwater monitoring and the effects of conservation and conventional tillage on soil and water quality within the study sites.