Increasing soil organic carbon with maize in cotton-based cropping systems: Mechanisms and potential

In a rotation, the use of crop species with large root biomass is thought to increase soil organic carbon (SOC) storage deeper in the soil profile, yet the processes and mechanisms that control SOC dynamics at depth are poorly understood. Using a cotton-based field trial, we examined how maize may impact SOC dynamics up to 1 m depth in three systems that differed in tillage and wheat rotation by examining the changes in δ13C signature of SOC and soil C fractions associated with maize during a two-year period. The inclusion of maize increased the whole-profile SOC stock, particularly in the subsoil under minimum tillage and wheat rotation. The increase was associated with the stable C fraction, and could not be attributed solely to the C contribution from maize root biomass alone. We propose that C movement in the form of dissolved organic C (DOC) may have contributed to the observed increase in SOC stock. The strong temporal changes and the possible mechanisms behind the increase suggest that the introduction of maize into cotton-based cropping systems may not yield a consistent benefit. This study highlights the role of DOC in subsoil C stock and the importance of understanding whole-profile SOC dynamics in evaluating the potential of management practice in increasing SOC stock.