%0 Conference Paper
%A Hatch, David
%A Shepherd, Mark
%A Hatley, Damian
%D 2002
%E Powell, Jane
%E et al., 
%F orgprints:8262
%I Organic Centre Wales, Institute of Rural Studies, University of Wales Aberystwyth
%K Colloquium of organic researchers, COR, soil organic matter, nitrogen, farm systems
%P 145-146
%T Understanding soil nitrogen supply: organic matter quality and quantity  
%U http://orgprints.org/8262/
%X This report was presented at the UK Organic Research 2002 Conference. The soil organic matter (SOM) contents of organic and conventionally farmed soils were compared. Whilst the quantity of SOM was found to be similar with both systems, the quality of SOM differed in respect of higher amounts of N released by the organic soils under anaerobic incubation. This indicated a greater potential rate of mineralization and suggested that the inherent fertility of the organic soils had been improved