Effects of tillage practices on phosphorus transport in tile drain effluent under sandy loam agricultural soils in Ontario, Canada

It is unclear if reduced tillage increases phosphorus losses through tile drains when appropriate nutrient management strategies are used. It is also unclear how these management strategies perform throughout the year. Results indicated that most annual losses occurred during a few key events under heavy precipitation or snowmelt events. Runoff and phosphorus losses through drainage tiles were primarily observed between October and May, with most losses occurring in March during snowmelt. Tillage practices did not affect phosphorus concentrations or loads in tile drainage.