2007 Annual Report 1a.Objectives (from AD-416) Establish the relationship between improved soil management/agronomic practices, i.e., conservation tillage, poultry litter applications, and cropping systems to carbon sequestration, soil erosion, soil quality indicators, nutrient cycling, and economics of cotton production. 1b.Approach (from AD-416) Data collection and soil sampling will be imposed on an established set of 48 plots in a replicated field experiment at the Alabama Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Belle Mina, AL. Treatments include three levels of tillage, including no-tillage, two cover crops systems, and commercial fertilizer nitrogen and poultry litter as a nitrogen source. Using these plots, we propose to establish relationships between soil management practices and management-induced increases in carbon sequestration and associated improvements in soil quality such as water infiltration, aggregate stability, bulk density, soil strength, nutrient cycling, pH, electrical conductivity, and biological activity. Improvements in these indicators will be correlated to cotton yields, in order to evaluate their economic impacts as well as environmental impacts. 3.Progress Report This report serves to document research conducted under a Specific Cooperative Research Agreement between ARS and Alabama A&M University. Additional details of research can be found in the report for the in-house project 6420-12610-003-00D, "Conservation Systems Research for Improving Environmental Quality and Producer Profitability." In collaboration with USDA-ARS, Montana scientist the soils from the long-term study at Belle Mina were analyzed for soil organic carbon (SOC), particulate organic carbon (POC), microbial biomass (MBC), and potential carbon mineralization at the 0 to 20 cm depth. SOC and POC concentrations at 0 to 10 cm were 21 to 66% higher in rye cover cropping and N fertilization with or without tillage compared to their respective controls. While tillage had minimum impact on soil C fractions, long-term N fertilization from inorganic or poultry manure source with rye cover cropping increased C sequestration and microbial biomass and activities, indicating improved soil quality. Cotton crop was established for 2007. Crop residue measurements were made. A new Ph.D. student will be studying trace metal distribution and bioavailability in plots that received long-term application of poultry litter and tillage. The ADODR has monitored activities via email correspondence, teleconferences, and site-visits.