Variations of N₂O by no tillage and conventional-tillage practices under the different kinds of fertilizer applications on the cultivation of soybean in Korea

Anthropogenic activities have increased the concentrations of greenhouse gases, such as $CO_2$, $CH_4$, $N_2O$, HFCs, $SF_6$, and PFCs, in the atmosphere. Among others, $N_2O$ is well known as an important greenhouse gas accounting for 7.9% of the total greenhouse effect and the effect of its emission is 310 times greater than that of $CO_2$. Agricultural $N_2O$ emissions are now thought to contribute to about 60% of the global anthropogenic $N_2O$ emission, which have been increased primarily due to fertilizer N consumption and manure management. Therefore, the reduction of $N_2O$ emissions in agriculture is being required. This study was conducted to determine the variation of $N_2O$ emissions by no-tillage (NT) and conventional tillage (CT) practices in the cultivation of soybean from the sandy loam soils under the different kinds of fertilizer treatments June through September 2016 in Cheong-ju, Republic of Korea. An experimental plot, located in the temperate climate zone, was composed of two main plots that were NT and CT, and were divided into four plots, respectively, in accordance with types of fertilizers (chemical fertilizer, liquid pig manure, hairy vetch and non-fertilizer). Among all the treatments, $N_2O$ emission was the highest in August and the lowest in June. When $N_2O$ emissions were evaluated during the growing season (June to September) in all fertilizer treatments, NT with hairy vetch treatment emitted the highest $N_2O$ emission in August, whereas, $N_2O$ emissions was the lowest in NT with non-fertilizer treatment in June, respectively (p = 0.05). Based on the cumulative amount of $N_2O$ emissions during the growing season of soybean, NT had lower $N_2O$ emission than CT by 0.01 - 0.02 kg $N_2O$, although NT had higher $N_2O$ emission than CT by 0.03 kg $N_2O$ in only the chemical fertilizer treatments. As a result, it seems that the applications of liquid pig manure and hairy vetch rather than chemical fertilizer could decrease the $N_2O$ emission in NT, compared to CT.