Table 2 Evolution of topsoil chemical and microbial soil quality indicators across the period of 2002 to 2018 tested with a repeated measures ANOVA (F-values and levels of significance, no indication – not significant, †p < 0.1, *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001) for long-term impacts of tillage, fertilisation and biodynamic preparations in 0–10 and 10–20 cm soil layers.

From: Enhanced soil quality with reduced tillage and solid manures in organic farming – a synthesis of 15 years

 

pH

SOC

Cmic

Nmic

DHA

P

K

0–10 cm

Year (Y)

228.1***

227.6***

278.1***

262.57***

106.7***

64.7***

715.6***

Tillage (T)

8.31**

169.6***

111.9***

214.75***

202.5**

102.7***

212.4***

Fertilisation (F)

1.28

30.1***

2.95†

0.61

0.01

0.17

43.9***

Biodyn. Prep. (P)

1.70

0.01

3.19†

4.46*

0.24

11.8**

1.01

Y x T

11.4***

53.5***

54.0***

34.46***

28.0***

53.3***

41.0***

Y x F

0.54

2.76*

1.07

1.03

0.70

2.52*

13.7***

Y x P

1.91

1.74

0.57

1.69

0.93

7.44***

0.75

10–20 cm

Year (Y)

104.3***

22.8***

96.7***

67.22***

147.4***

45.9***

489.7***

Tillage (T)

3.26

2.64

13.8***

12.45**

27.7***

0.64

11.6**

Fertilisation (F)

2.21

3.21

1.74

0.21

0.01

1.74

20.2***

Biodyn. Prep.(P)

5.45*

0.01

0.10

0.05

0.01

0.10

3.39†

Y x T

0.95

2.66*

10.2***

8.68***

14.6***

0.40

3.31*

Y x F

0.50

0.24

0.47

0.46

3.36*

1.08

5.63***

Y x P

9.99***

1.32

2.59*

0.99

0.47

1.48

0.86

  1. Data of all sampled years (2002, 2005, 2008, 2015, 2018) were considered. Indicators include: pH, soil organic carbon (SOC), plant available phosphorus (P) and potassium (K), microbial biomass C and N (Cmic, Nmic) and dehydrogenase activity (DHA).
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