Nitrogen uptake efficiency of maize in monoculture and intercropped with Brachiaria humidicola and Panicum maximum in a dystrophic Red-Yellow Latosol of the Brazilian Cerrado

2016 ◽  
Vol 67 (1) ◽  
pp. 47 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thais Rodrigues Coser ◽  
Maria Lucrécia Gerosa Ramos ◽  
Cícero Célio de Figueiredo ◽  
Segundo Urquiaga ◽  
Arminda Moreira de Carvalho ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Biomass ◽  
Cover Crops ◽  
N Uptake ◽  
Microbial Biomass N ◽  
Panicum Maximum ◽  
No Tillage ◽  
Available N ◽  
Brachiaria Humidicola ◽  
Uptake Efficiency ◽  
Biomass N

No-tillage systems associated with intercropping practices of grains and forages as cover crops are increasing in the Cerrado agricultural areas. The aim of this study was to quantify the nitrogen (N) uptake efficiency of maize (Zea mays L.) grown as monoculture and intercropped with tropical forages under a no-tillage system by using the 15N isotope tracer in conjunction with measurements of soil microbial biomass N and available soil N. The experiment was conducted in the 2010–11 growing season, in a Dystrophic Red-Yellow Latosol (Typic Haplustox) in the Cerrado. The experiment was established in a complete randomised block design with three replicates with the following treatments: maize monoculture; maize intercropped with Panicum maximum Jacq. cv. Aruana; and maize intercropped with Brachiaria humidicola (Rendle) Schweick. Nitrogen was applied as ammonium sulfate at a rate of 100 kg ha–1 (30 kg N ha–1 was applied at planting and 70 kg N ha–1 as a side-dressing). The N-fertiliser uptake efficiency in maize and grain yield was not affected by the presence of the intercropped forages. The intercropped B. humidicola and P. maximum recovered 2.08% and 3.71% of the N fertiliser applied, respectively. The soil was the main N source for maize. Maize intercropped with P. maximum showed higher values of microbial biomass N and available N in the soil.

scholarly journals Comparison of inorganic nitrogen uptake dynamics following snowmelt and at peak biomass in subalpine grasslands

2013 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 7631-7645 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Legay ◽  
F. Grassein ◽  
T. M. Robson ◽  
E. Personeni ◽  
M.-P. Bataillé ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Microbial Biomass ◽  
Plant Communities ◽  
Inorganic Nitrogen ◽  
N Uptake ◽  
Microbial Biomass N ◽  
Inorganic N ◽  
Peak Biomass ◽  
Biomass N ◽  
Subalpine Grasslands

Abstract. Subalpine grasslands are highly seasonal environments and likely subject to strong variability in nitrogen (N) dynamics. Plants and microbes typically compete for N acquisition during the growing season and particularly at plant peak biomass. During snowmelt, plants could potentially benefit from a decrease in competition by microbes, leading to greater plant N uptake associated with active growth and freeze-thaw cycles restricting microbial growth. In managed subalpine grasslands, we expect these interactions to be influenced by recent changes in agricultural land use, and associated modifications in plant and microbial communities. At several subalpine grasslands in the French Alps, we added pulses of 15N to the soil at the end of snowmelt, allowing us to compare the dynamics of inorganic N uptake in plants and microbes during this period with that previously reported at the peak biomass in July. In all grasslands, while specific shoot N translocation (per g of biomass) of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) was two to five times greater at snowmelt than at peak biomass, specific microbial DIN uptakes were similar between the two sampling dates. On an area basis, plant communities took more DIN than microbial communities at the end of snowmelt when aboveground plant biomasses were at least two times lower than at peak biomass. Consequently, inorganic N partitioning after snowmelt switches in favor of plant communities, allowing them to support their growing capacities at this period of the year. Seasonal differences in microbial and plant inorganic N-related dynamics were also affected by past (terraced vs. unterraced) rather than current (mown vs. unmown) land use. In terraced grasslands, microbial biomass N remained similar across seasons, whereas in unterraced grasslands, microbial biomass N was higher and microbial C : N lower at the end of snowmelt as compared to peak biomass. Further investigations on microbial community composition and their organic N uptake dynamics are required to better understand the decrease in microbial DIN uptake.

scholarly journals Comparison of inorganic nitrogen uptake dynamics following snowmelt and at peak biomass in subalpine grasslands

2013 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 8887-8917 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Legay ◽  
F. Grassein ◽  
T. M. Robson ◽  
E. Personeni ◽  
M.-P. Bataillé ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Microbial Biomass ◽  
Microbial Communities ◽  
Plant Communities ◽  
N Uptake ◽  
Microbial Biomass N ◽  
Inorganic N ◽  
Peak Biomass ◽  
Biomass N ◽  
Subalpine Grasslands

Abstract. Subalpine grasslands are highly seasonal environments and likely subject to strong variability in nitrogen (N) dynamics. Plants and microbes typically compete for N acquisition during the growing season and particularly at plant peak biomass. During snowmelt, plants could potentially benefit from a decrease in competition by microbes because of greater plant N uptake associated with active growth and freeze-thaw cycles restricting microbial growth. In managed subalpine grasslands, we expect these interactions to be influenced by recent changes in agricultural land-use, and associated modifications in plant and microbial communities. At a subalpine grassland site in the Central French Alps, a pulse of 15N was added to the soil at the end of snowmelt, allowing us to compare the dynamics of inorganic N uptake in plants and microbes during this period with that previously reported at the peak biomass in July. In all grasslands, specific plant (per g of biomass) dissolved inorganic N (DIN) uptake was two to five times greater at snow-melt than at peak biomass, whereas the specific microbial DIN uptakes were similar between the two sampling dates. On an area basis, plant communities took more DIN than microbial communities at the end of snowmelt, and the intensity of this DIN uptake by plants differed across land use types. Consequently, N partitioning after snowmelt switches in favor of plant communities allowing them to support their growing capacities at this period of the year. Seasonal differences in microbial and plant N-related dynamics were also affected by past (terraced vs. unterraced) rather than current (mown vs. unmown) land use. In terraced grasslands, microbial biomass N remained similar across seasons, whereas in unterraced grasslands, microbial biomass N was higher and microbial C : N lower at the end of snowmelt as compared to peak biomass. Further investigations on microbial community composition and their organic N uptake dynamics are required to better understand the decrease in microbial DIN uptake.

scholarly journals Influence of legumes on N cycling in a heathland in northwest Spain

Web Ecology ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 87-93 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Rodríguez ◽  
J. Durán ◽  
A. Gallardo
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Biomass ◽  
Nitrogen Availability ◽  
Soil Microbial Biomass ◽  
N Uptake ◽  
Microbial Biomass N ◽  
Natural Ecosystems ◽  
Mixed Stands ◽  
Soil Microbial ◽  
Soil Microbial Biomass N ◽  
Biomass N

Abstract. Nitrogen availability frequently limits plant growth in natural ecosystems. N-fixers should have a substantial competitive advantage in N-limited systems, and as a byproduct of their activity they should increase the quantity and availability of N in the system as a whole. However, this effect has rarely been quantified in natural ecosystems. Heathlands in northwest Spain are frequently occupied by legume scrubs. We tested whether the presence of these legumes affected the N cycle in these communities. Specifically, we addressed the following questions: is nitrogen availability higher beneath legume canopies than beneath non-legume canopies? Is soil microbial biomass acting as a sink of extra N mineralized beneath legume canopies? Does the presence of legume scrubs change the soil pools of labile N and P? Is N plant uptake different under N-fixer scrubs than under non-N-fixer scrubs? To answer these questions, we sampled soil beneath the canopy of randomly selected individuals of Erica umbellata, Ulex gallii, and Genista tridentata twice during the growing season. Soil samples were analyzed for organic matter, NH4-N, NO3-N, DON, PO4-P, N mineralization and nitrification rates, and soil microbial biomass-N. In addition, we estimated N uptake by plants and the N concentration in green tissue to compare internal N cycles between legume and non-legume scrubs. Nitrification rates, DON (dissolved organic nitrogen), soil NO3 concentration, and N uptake were significantly higher beneath legume canopies. However, soil microbial biomass-N and extractable-P were significantly lower under legumes. Our results showed that the presence of legume scrubs modify the size of N pools and the dominant form of available N for plants, increasing spatial heterogeneity in mixed stands.

Seasonal fluctuations in gross N mineralisation, ammonium consumption, and microbial biomass ina Western Australian soil under different land uses

1998 ◽  
Vol 49 (3) ◽  
pp. 523 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. V. Murphy ◽  
G. P. Sparling ◽  
I. R. P. Fillery
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Biomass ◽  
Empirical Relationship ◽  
Soil Layer ◽  
Subterranean Clover ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
Microbial Biomass N ◽  
N Mineralisation ◽  
Available N ◽  
Biomass N ◽  
Intact Soil Cores

A field experiment was conducted to study the seasonal variation in gross N mineralisation, NH4+ consumption (immobilisation and nitriflcation), potentially available N, and microbial biomass-N.Measurements were made during the wheat growing season in Western Australia under continuouswheat, during the wheat phase of a 1 year lupin : 1 year wheat rotation, during the wheat phaseof a 2 year pasture : 1 year wheat rotation, and under a subterranean clover pasture. The accuracyof gross N mineralisation and NH4+ consumption within intact soil cores was reduced by the largespatial variation in the size of the soil NH4+ pool. Calculated daily rates of gross N mineralisation inthe 0-5 cm soil layer ranged from 0·0 to 1·0 kg N/ha·day in the continuous wheat, 0·1 to 0·8 kgN/ha·day in the lupin{wheat rotation,- 0·1 to 1·3 kg N/ha·day in the pasture-wheat rotation, and-0·1 to 2·5 kg N/ha·day in the pasture treatment. Gross N mineralisation in the 5-10 cm soil layerunder wheat followed the same range observed in the 0-5 cm layer; in continuous pasture, lower rates were measured in the 5-10 cm layer compared with the 0-5 cm layer. The range in daily rates of NH4+ consumption in a given treatment was similar to the range in daily rates of gross N mineralisation,precluding accumulation of NH4+ in soil when considered over a season. Gross N mineralised in the0-10 cm soil layer was equivalent to 10-19% of the total soil N in this layer. Net N mineralised,determined from the difierence between gross N mineralisation and gross immobilisation, was estimatedto be about half of the gross N mineralised during the wheat growing season. Plant uptake wasestimated to be 13-37% of the total gross N mineralised (0-10 cm) during the field season and wasgreater in the wheat after legume compared with continuous wheat. Potentially available N, measured by anaerobic incubation, declined by about one-third during the season. At the beginning of the season, microbial biomass-N in the 0-5 cm soil layer contained 61 kg N/ha in continuous wheat, 68 kgN/ha in the lupin-wheat rotation, 73 kg N/ha in the pasture-wheat rotation, and 99 kg N/ha underpasture. Only half of these quantities of microbial biomass were detected by the end of the season. Microbial biomass-N was concentrated in the surface soil layer with <25 kg N/ha in the 5-10 cmsoil layer under each land use. A reasonable estimate of gross N mineralisation was obtained in the continuous wheat and legume-wheat rotations by using a simple empirical relationship based on thesize and activity of the microbial biomass, and functions to describe the efiect of temperature andwater on microbial activity. However, the pattern of gross N mineralisation in the pasture treatment could not be explained using this approach.

Factors influencing the availability of mineral nitrogen in clay soils of the brigalow (Acacia harpophylla) region of Central Queensland

1992 ◽  
Vol 43 (5) ◽  
pp. 1197
Author(s):  
PR Grace ◽  
IC MacRae ◽  
RJK Myers
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Biomass ◽  
Clay Soils ◽  
Microbial Biomass C ◽  
Microbial Biomass N ◽  
Mineral N ◽  
Available N ◽  
Soil Microbial ◽  
Biomass N ◽  
Chloris Gayana ◽  
Highly Correlated

Microbiological and chemical assays were performed on clay soils from woodland (Acacia harpophylla-Casuarina cristata), grassland (Panicurn maximum var trichoglume-Chloris gayana) and cropland (Vigna mungo) in the brigalow region of Central Queensland. Over a 15 month period, the microbial biomass C in the top 3.5 cm of native brigalow woodland soil was on average 3630 8g C g-l, 50% more than an associated perennial pasture and over 400% more than an annually cropped soil. Microbial biomass N (575 8g N g-l) in woodland soil was on average 41% and 270% higher than in pasture and cropped soils respectively and highly correlated with seasonal soil moisture content. Viable counts of bacteria were consistently lower (average 69.2%) in the 0-3.5 cm and 3.5-7.5 cm strata of woodland soil compared with pasture and annual crop sites. Soil NO-3- N levels increased two fold in the upper 3.5 cm of the woodland site during low rainfall periods. This increase may be attributed to a more efficient distribution of mineral N mediated by the increased presence of a fungal population in this community. Leaching may also play a significant role in the distribution of plant available N in the brigalow region as suggested by the inverse relationship N = 54.11-0.67 R (P<0.01), where N is soil NO-3-N (8g N g-l) and R is rainfall in the preceding 3 month period (mm month-1).

scholarly journals Nitrogen Immobilisation and Microbial Biomass Build-Up Induced by Miscanthus x giganteus L. Based Fertilisers

Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 1386
Author(s):  
Michael Stotter ◽  
Florian Wichern ◽  
Ralf Pude ◽  
Martin Hamer
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Soil Organic Matter ◽  
Microbial Biomass ◽  
Triticum Aestivum L ◽  
Microbial Biomass C ◽  
Microbial Biomass N ◽  
Miscanthus X Giganteus ◽  
Organic Fertilisers ◽  
Biomass N ◽  
Set Up

Cultivation of Miscanthus x giganteus L. (Mis) with annual harvest of biomass could provide an additional C source for farmers. To test the potential of Mis-C for immobilizing inorganic N from slurry or manure and as a C source for soil organic matter build-up in comparison to wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) straw (WS), a greenhouse experiment was performed. Pot experiments with ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) were set up to investigate the N dynamics of two organic fertilisers based on Mis at Campus Klein-Altendorf, Germany. The two fertilisers, a mixture of cattle slurry and Mis as well as cattle manure from Mis-bedding material resulted in a slightly higher N immobilisation. Especially at the 1st and 2nd harvest, they were partly significantly different compared with the WS treatments. The fertilisers based on Mis resulted in a slightly higher microbial biomass C and microbial biomass N and thus can be identified as an additional C source to prevent nitrogen losses and for the build-up of soil organic matter (SOM) in the long-term.

scholarly journals Maturity indices of composting plant materials with Trichoderma asperellum as activator

2020 ◽  
Vol 53 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-27
Author(s):  
Adenike Fisayo Komolafe ◽  
Christopher Olu Adejuyigbe ◽  
Adeniyi Adebowale Soretire ◽  
Isaac OreOluwa Olatokunbo Aiyelaagbe
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Biomass ◽  
Microbial Biomass N ◽  
Cow Dung ◽  
Trichoderma Asperellum ◽  
Plant Materials ◽  
Total N ◽  
Compost Maturity ◽  
Randomized Design ◽  
Maturity Indices ◽  
Biomass N

AbstractCompost maturity is a major factor in its use for nutrient supply without adverse effect on crop germination. Composting may be accelerated with inclusion of some microorganisms as activators. This study was conducted to determine the effect of Trichoderma asperellum and length of composting of different plant materials and cattle manure on compost maturity in Ibadan, Nigeria. Composting of two plant materials with cow dung at ratio 3:1 was done in triplicate with or without Trichoderma activation to obtain twelve heaps of four different types of composts; Panicum-based compost with Trichoderma, Tridax-based compost with Trichoderma, Panicum-based compost without Trichoderma and Tridax-based compost without Trichoderma. The process was a 2×2 factorial experiment, laid out a completely randomized design. The Trichoderma activated compost (TAC) at four weeks of composting (4WC) had 56% total N, 21% organic matter, 38% total K, 51% total P and 66.6% microbial biomass N increase over non-activated compost (NAC). Carbon to nitrogen ratio was within the ideal range (10–20) in TAC while it was greater than it in NAC. Microbial biomass and lignin contents had a 56% and 41% increase, respectively, in NAC over TAC. Trichorderma-activated compost has a potential to hasten maturation and makes the compost ready for field on or before four weeks without posing a threat to crop germination.

Short‐term effects of organic and inorganic fertilizer applications on soil microbial properties

2011 ◽  
Vol 1 (4) ◽  
pp. 202-207
Author(s):  
N. Ewusi‐Mensah ◽  
V. Logah ◽  
J. O. Fening
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Biomass ◽  
Deciduous Forest ◽  
Block Design ◽  
Mean Value ◽  
Cattle Manure ◽  
Microbial Biomass C ◽  
Microbial Biomass N ◽  
Forest Zone ◽  
Soil Microbial ◽  
Biomass N

This paper reports the short Ã¢â‚¬Â term effects of organic and inorganic fertilizerapplications on the culturable resident bacterial and fungal properties of aFerric Acrisol in the semi Ã¢â‚¬Âdeciduous forest zone of Ghana after three continuouscropping seasons. The treatments were two compost types (i.e. 1:1compost comprising 1 part made up of Chromolaena, Stylosanthes, maizestover mixture and 1 part of cattle manure, 2:1 compost comprising 2 partsof Chromolaena, Stylosanthes, maize stover mixture and 1 part of cattle manure),cowdung, 100% NPK and a control replicated three times in a randomizedcomplete block design. The results showed that total microbial load on alogarithmic scale ranged from 4.6 cfu/g in the control to 5.4 on cowdungtreated plots. Bacterial counts on 2:1 compost applied at 5 t/ha treatedplots recorded 5% more bacteria than the 1:1 compost applied at 5 t/ha.Fungal counts in the control and inorganic treated plots were higher than theorganically amended plots. The highest and lowest microbial biomass C contentswere recorded on cowdung and 1:1 compost at 5 t/ha treated plotsrespectively. Microbial biomass N content ranged from 1.4 Ã¢â‚¬Â 8.2 mg N kg‐1soil with a mean value of 6.2 mg N kg Ã¢â‚¬Â1 soil. Microbial biomass P contentranged from 3.6 Ã¢â‚¬Â 6.3 mg P kg‐1 soil with a mean value of 5 mg P kg‐1 soil.Microbial biomass carbon to organic carbon ratio varied from 18.37 to 85.63.

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