Response of Organic Matter Decomposition to No-Tillage Adoption Evaluated by the Tea Bag Technique

Abstract Organic matter (OM) decomposition is a fundamental ecosystem service in conservation agriculture, but the response of this process to the conversion from conventional tillage (CT) to no-tillage (NT) systems is not fully understood, especially during the transition period. Here, using a litterbag experiment (tea bag technique), we studied OM decomposition in a chronosequence of NT fields of different ages since conversion from CT (1 to 7 years) around Beauvais (northern France). We found that, in contrast with physico-chemical soil properties, the decomposition of both high quality (green tea) and low quality (rooibos tea) organic matter was significantly correlated with the NT age. Irrespective of the OM quality, the OM mass losses linearly increased with the time span since conversion from CT to NT. Taken together, our results suggest that adopting NT practices provides more favorable habitats for microorganisms involved in OM decomposition. View Full-Tex