Organic Farming Practices Facilitate Soil Carbon Stabilisation Following Massive Application of Ramial Chipped Wood: A Case Study of Sweet Potato Cultivation

Evan A. N. Marks; Llorenç Cerdà‐Péczely; Johana Gonzalez‐Coria; Carolina Jaime‐Rodríguez; Marina Pérez‐Llorca; Neus Solà‐Bosch; Àlex Pérez‐Ferrer; Joan Romanyà

doi:10.1111/sum.70170

journal article Open Access Jan 01, 2026

Organic Farming Practices Facilitate Soil Carbon Stabilisation Following Massive Application of Ramial Chipped Wood: A Case Study of Sweet Potato Cultivation

Evan A. N. Marks

Llorenç Cerdà‐Péczely Johana Gonzalez‐Coria Carolina Jaime‐Rodríguez Marina Pérez‐Llorca

Neus Solà‐Bosch Àlex Pérez‐Ferrer Joan Romanyà

Soil Use and Management Vol. 42 No. 1 · Wiley

View at Publisher Save 10.1111/sum.70170

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Improving soil organic matter contents in semi‐arid zones reduces the risk of soil degradation and improves climatic resilience. As a technique for the recarbonisation of abandoned or degraded soils, applications of massive amounts of exogenous biomass (EB) such as wood chips have not been widely tested, and agronomic integration is still lacking. While it has been shown that sweet potato (
Ipomea batatas
) may be able to overcome nitrogen (N) limitations provoked by massive applications of EB, the exact mechanism is not clear. In a field experiment in Valencia (Mediterranean, semi‐arid climate), we mixed in the soil profile (0–30 cm) an equivalent of 150 t ha
−1
ramial chipped wood (RCW) before sweet potato cultivation, set up in two adjacent fields with long‐term management histories (15 years) of abandonment versus organic farming. RCW incorporation in plots led to increased concentrations of soil organic carbon (SOC) in the fine earth fraction, which was greater in organically managed plots; whereas average SOC increased from 13.3 to 17.2 g kg
−1
in the abandoned plot, it increased from 16.0 to 27.4 g kg
−1
in the organically managed plot. Furthermore, despite greater initial SOC contents in organically managed plots, soil stabilisation of C (and N) was greater in relative terms as well, with an average SOC increase of 68%, as compared to only 29% in abandoned plots. Sweet potato leaf N content was not associated with measured soil N species; however, management history was relevant, since N nutrition was improved in the organic field by 0.44%–0.73% (w/w) over the growing season, and those plants in the abandoned field contained about 20% more N derived from the atmosphere (N
dfa
). Sweet potato leaf δ
15
N also changed dramatically over the sampling period, indicating a change in N source. The results show a potential for rapid soil recarbonisation with massive application of lignocellulosic biomass in soils, but which is dependent on management. Also, we observed a particular capacity of sweet potato for accessing soil‐bound organic N sources under conditions of high demand.

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Published: Jan 01, 2026
Vol/Issue: 42(1)
License: View

Authors

E

Evan A. N. Marks

Agrotecnio‐CERCA Center Lleida Spain

L

Llorenç Cerdà‐Péczely

Department of Biology, Healthcare and Environment, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences University of Barcelona Barcelona Spain; Programme of Sustainability in Biosystems, Institute of Agrifood Research (IRTA) Torre Marimon Caldes de Montbui Spain

J

Johana Gonzalez‐Coria