Nitrate accumulation under pea cropping and the effects of crop establishment methods: a sustainability issue

1996 ◽  
Vol 36 (5) ◽  
pp. 581 ◽  
Author(s):  
J Evans ◽  
NA Fettell ◽  
GE O'Connor
Keyword(s):  
Field Experiments ◽  
Nitrate Concentration ◽  
Grain Legume ◽  
Residual Soil ◽  
Soil Nitrate ◽  
Soil Mineral N ◽  
Soil Mineral ◽  
Mineral N ◽  
Cereal Straw ◽  
Sustainability Issue

Grain legume-cereal rotations are unsustainable on acid soils because they promote acidification of surface soil through nitrate leaching. Two field experiments were conducted on red, clay-loams in the cropping zone of central western New South Wales to determine whether soil mineral N concentrations during crop growth are higher under pea than barley, and whether the nitrate concentration under pea crops can be decreased by ammending soil with cereal straw before sowing.Significantly higher mineral N, particularly nitrate, was found under pea than under barley, as early as 6 weeks following autumn sowing, and also in spring. The pea effect represented an increase of up to 23 kg N/ha of mineral N (0-30 cm). It is proposed that the source of higher nitrate concentration under pea may be residual soil nitrate not utilised by pea, or nitrate derived from the mineralisation of pea roots or exudate. The increase in soil nitrate during pea growth contributes to greater postharvest soil mineral N and higher wheat yields after pea, but also increases the risk of soil acidification. Soil ammendment with cereal straw was partially effective in reducing nitrate concentration under pea, but a more effective treatment is required.

Five years of straw incorporation and its effect on growth, yield and nitrogen nutrition of sugarbeet (Beta vulgaris)

1995 ◽  
Vol 125 (1) ◽  
pp. 61-68 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. F. Allison ◽  
H. M. Hetschkun
Keyword(s):  
Field Experiments ◽  
Nitrogen Nutrition ◽  
N Uptake ◽  
Growth Yield ◽  
Soil Mineral N ◽  
Soil Mineral ◽  
Mineral N ◽  
Fertilizer Use ◽  
Experimental Station ◽  
Straw Incorporation

SUMMARYIn 1990–92, field experiments were performed at Broom's Barn Experimental Station to study the effect of 5 years' repeated straw incorporation on sugarbeet. Straw incorporation had no effect on plant population density. Processing quality was reduced by incorporated straw but N had a much larger effect. The effect of incorporated straw on the mineral N content of the soils and N uptake by beet was inconsistent, and this may be related to the amount of soil mineral N present when the straw was incorporated. The efficiency of fertilizer use was unaffected by straw incorporation. On Broom's Barn soils when straw was incorporated, the optimal economic N dressing was c. 120 kg N/ha, and in unincorporated plots it was c. 100 kg N/ha. At the optimal economic N rate, incorporated straw increased beet yields.

Nitrogen availability in a Darling Downs soil following cereal, oilseed and grain legume crops. 1. Soil nitrogen accumulation

1986 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 347 ◽  
Author(s):  
WM Strong ◽  
J Harbison ◽  
RGH Nielsen ◽  
BD Hall ◽  
EK Best
Keyword(s):  
Soil Nitrogen ◽  
Nitrogen Availability ◽  
Grain Legumes ◽  
Mineral Nitrogen ◽  
Grain Legume ◽  
Nitrogen Accumulation ◽  
Soil Mineral N ◽  
Soil Mineral ◽  
Soil Mineral Nitrogen ◽  
Mineral N

Available soil mineral nitrogen (N) was determined in a Darling Downs clay at intervals of 4-6 weeks throughout summer and autumn after harvest of two cereals (wheat and oats), two oilseeds (rapeseed and linseed), and four grain legumes (chickpea, fieldpea, lupin and lathyrus). Soil mineral N (0-1.2 m) at 40,68, 107, 150 and 185 days after harvest was affected (P < 0.05) by the prior crop. At 40 days it was generally higher following grain legumes (34-76 kg/ha N) than following oilseeds or cereals (16-30 kg/ha N). Net increase during the next 145 days was in the order of cereals (2 1-27 kg/ha N) < oilseeds (40 kg/ha N) <grain legumes (53-85 kg/ha N). These differences are partly accounted for by differences in the quantities of N removed in the grain of these crops. However, a large quantity of mineral N accumulated following lupin even though a large quantity (80 kg/ha) was removed in the grain.

Application of anhydrous ammonia or urea during the fallow period for winter cereals on the Darling Downs, Queensland .I. Effect of time on soil mineral N at sowing

Soil Research ◽  
1992 ◽  
Vol 30 (5) ◽  
pp. 695 ◽  
Author(s):  
WM Strong ◽  
JE Cooper
Keyword(s):  
Field Experiments ◽  
Heavy Rain ◽  
Soil Mineral N ◽  
Moist Soil ◽  
Soil Mineral ◽  
Early Application ◽  
Mineral N ◽  
Winter Cereal ◽  
Fallow Period ◽  
Anhydrous Ammonia

Nine field experiments were conducted in 1978, 1981 and 1982 to evaluate applications of anhydrous ammonia (AA) or urea applied during the fallow period (January-May) for winter cereal crops. Following fertilizer application, soil was sampled using a stratified soil coring procedure to determine the rate of transformation of applied N to nitrate (nitrification), the quantity of N remaining in mineral forms (NH4+NO3 and NO2), and the movement of applied N into the subsoil. Nitrification of applied N was usually quite rapid in moist soil, particularly with early application (January, February or March when mean soil temperature was >20�C. Very similar rates of nitrification (0.6-4.7 kg N ha-1 day-1) were found for AA and urea applications in May 1982. Extreme drying of soil following N application reduced nitrification to a very low rate in May 1982 (0.6 kg N ha-1 day-1) and to an undetectable level in January 1981. In moist soil in February 1978, AA applied at 56 kg N ha-1 was nitrified completely after 11 days and the 112 kg N ha-1 rate was estimated to have nitrified completely in about 12 days. Also, AA applied to moist soil in May 1978 was estimated to have nitrified completely in about 28 and 42 days for 56 and 112 kg N ha-1 rates, respectively. Low recovery of early applied N as soil mineral N in June 1981 was associated with very heavy rain received during the latter part of the fallow period (March-May). Soil erosion on sloping sites and on a level site was a likely cause for the very low recovery (<47% that of a May application) of January-applied N, and some movement of mineral N below 0.2 m was also evident. Low recovery in fertilized soil (0.2 m) at the level sites was due to a large proportion of mineral N moving into the subsoil (below 0.9 m at one site). Also, prolonged periods of waterlogging during April probably promoted some loss of N due to denitrification, thus resulting in reduction in soil mineral N levels. Low recoveries of early applied N in mineral forms at the end of relatively drier fallows in 1978 and 1982 were also associated with soil saturating rainfall during the latter part of the fallow period. Where wheat crops responded to applied N, January or February applications were less effective than May applications to increase yield and N content of grain.

scholarly journals DETERMINING FERTILIZER NITROGEN NEEDS FOR FRESH MARKET TOMATO IN KENTUCKY

HortScience ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 31 (5) ◽  
pp. 759f-760
Author(s):  
R. Terry Jones ◽  
David C. Ditsch
Keyword(s):  
Fruit Size ◽  
Yield Response ◽  
Residual Soil ◽  
Soil Mineral N ◽  
Soil Mineral ◽  
Fresh Market ◽  
Available Nitrogen ◽  
Mineral N ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Petiole Sap

Tomato fertility trials (1992–94) showed no yield response to fertigation N rates between 101–393 kg·ha–1. In 1995, soil Cardy NO3-N readings taken just prior to fertigation showed 53 kg NO3-N/ha in the top 30 cm. Laboratory test on the same sample showed 72.4 kg/ha (NO3 + NH4-N). Forty percent of the available nitrogen was NH4-N, which is not detected by Cardy meters. Soil mineral N levels were measured at fourth injection, second harvest, and 9 days after last harvest. On these dates the 0 kg N/ha treatment had 28, 24, and 8 mg N/kg available in the top 15 cm of soil, similar to the N fertigation treatments. As the growing season progressed, soil mineral N levels decreased, and 9 days after the last harvest residual soil N levels were close to those seen initially. Tomato petiole sap Cardy NO3-N readingsshowed a significant difference between the 0 kg·ha–1 treatment and those (84, 168, and 252 kg·ha–1) receiving N (512 ppm vs. 915, 1028, and 955 ppm NO3-N, respectively). Treatments receiving fertigation N gave petiole sap NO3-N readings higher than those listed by Hochmuth as sufficient for tomatoes. While the data showed a clear separation between the three N treatments and 0 N rate, no significant difference in yield of US #1 or US #2 large fruit occurred. This suggests that adequate N fertility was provided from O.M. mineralization. The highest N rate also had significantly more US #1 small and cull tomatoes than the other treatments. Some Kentucky soils have adequate residual N capable of producing commercial fresh-market tomato crops with little or no additional N. In addition to potential ground water pollution, overfertilization of tomatoes may decrease fruit size and reduce fruit quality by causing NH4-K + ion competition, as well as increase the risk of certain fungal and bacterial diseases.

scholarly journals Environmental advantages of binary mixtures of Trifolium incarnatum and Lolium multiflorum over individual pure stands

2012 ◽  
Vol 59 (No. 1) ◽  
pp. 22-28 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Kramberger ◽  
A. Gselman ◽  
M. Podvršnik ◽  
J. Kristl ◽  
M. Lešnik
Keyword(s):  
Binary Mixtures ◽  
Cover Crops ◽  
Field Experiments ◽  
Lolium Multiflorum ◽  
Soil Mineral N ◽  
Soil Mineral ◽  
Mineral N ◽  
Trifolium Incarnatum ◽  
Winter Cover ◽  
Winter Cover Crops

To investigate the environmental advantages of using grass-clover binary mixtures over pure stands as winter cover crops, a serial of five field experiments (each designed as randomized complete blocks with four replicates) was carried out in eastern Slovenia. Trifolium incarnatum L. and Lolium multiflorum Lam. were sown in late summer as pure stands and binary mixtures. Pooled data calculated from all the experiments revealed that the soil mineral N in spring and accumulation of N by plants decreased with decreasing proportion of T. incarnatum in the binary mixtures, while the C:N ratio of cover crop organic matter increased. C accumulation was the highest when the seeding ratio of the binary mixture of T. incarnatum and L. multiflorum was 50:50. In the C and N environmentally sustainable management efficiency coefficients, three important traits of winter cover crops for environmental pro-tection were given equal importance (low soil mineral N content in spring, high C accumulation in plants, and high N accumulation in plants). The coefficient was higher for binary mixtures of T. incarnatum and L. multiflorum than for pure stands of these crops, proving the complex environmental advantages of binary mixtures over pure stands.

Can split or delayed application of N fertiliser to grain sorghum reduce soil N2O emissions from sub-tropical Vertosols and maintain grain yields?

Soil Research ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 57 (8) ◽  
pp. 859 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. D. Schwenke ◽  
B. M. Haigh
Keyword(s):  
Grain Yield ◽  
N Uptake ◽  
Grain Sorghum ◽  
Yield Response ◽  
N2o Emissions ◽  
Residual Soil ◽  
Soil Mineral N ◽  
Soil Mineral ◽  
Mineral N ◽  
Crop N Uptake

Most soil nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from rain-fed grain sorghum grown on sub-tropical Vertosols in north-west New South Wales, Australia, occur between fertiliser nitrogen (N) application at sowing and booting growth stage. At three experiments, we investigated the potential for deferring some (split-N) or all (delayed) fertiliser N until booting to mitigate N2O produced without compromising optimum crop yields. N products included urea, 3,4-dimethyl pyrazole phosphate (DMPP)-urea, polymer-coated urea (PCU) and N-(n-butyl)thiophosphoric triamide (NBPT)-urea. For a fourth experiment, the N fertiliser rate was varied according to pre-sowing soil mineral N stocks left by different previous crops. All experiments incorporated 15N mini-plots to determine whether delayed or split-N affected crop N uptake or residual soil N. Compared to urea applied at-sowing, delayed applications of urea, DMPP-urea or NBPT-urea at booting reduced the N2O emission factor (EF, percentage of applied N emitted) by 67–81%. Crop N uptake, grain yield and protein tended to be lower with delayed N than N at-sowing due to dry mid-season conditions. Much of the unused N remained in the soil at harvest. Split-N (33% sowing:67% booting) using urea, reduced EF by 59% compared to at-sowing urea, but maintained crop N uptake, grain yield and protein. Using DMPP-urea or PCU for the at-sowing portion of the split reduced EF by 84–86%. Grain yield was maintained using PCU, but was lower with DMPP-urea, which had more N in vegetative biomass. Using NBPT-urea for the in-crop portion of the split did not affect N2O emissions or crop productivity. Nitrogen budgeting to account for high pre-sowing soil mineral N nullified urea-induced N2O emissions. An N-budgeted, split-N strategy using urea offers the best balance between N2O mitigation, grain productivity and provision of a soil mineral N buffer against dry mid-season conditions. Split-N using DMPP-urea or PCU further enhanced N2O mitigation but there was no yield response to justify the extra expense.

scholarly journals Tracking the Release of Soil Nitrate and Labile C in A Legume-Maize Rotation in Zimbabwe

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 92
Author(s):  
Obert Jiri ◽  
Paramu L Mafongoya
Keyword(s):  
Nitrate Concentration ◽  
Soil Depth ◽  
Nutrient Release ◽  
Soil Nutrient ◽  
Mucuna Pruriens ◽  
Soil Mineral N ◽  
Soil Mineral ◽  
Velvet Bean ◽  
Mineral N ◽  
Maize Crop

This study compared the effect of a weedy fallow (5.2 t/ha biomass), a velvet bean (Mucuna pruriens) cut for hay (7.2 t/ha biomass) and a green-manured M. pruriens (6.49 t/ha biomass) on the dynamics of soil N and C in a maize crop. An on-farm, farmer participatory experiment was established on a farmer’s field in Wedza District, Zimbabwe. Soil mineral N and labile carbon were determined at intervals upto 120 cm depth, at maize planting and at 1 and 2 weeks after planting. Before planting, the soil mineral N content ranged from 28 kg N/ha after weed fallow to 107 kgN/ha following M. pruriens. Total nitrate concentration was highest in the 0-15 cm depth of the M. pruriens treatments in the pre-planting sampling, but following rainfall and maize planting, nitrate concentration declined rapidly. By 2 weeks after planting, 7.5 and 13.5 kg N/ha remained in the 0-120 cm soil depth of the weedy fallow and green-manured M. pruriens, respectively. Improving synchrony of nutrient release and uptake is critical when applying high quality residues which breakdown relatively slowly. This could result in significant inputs of C, release nutrients more slowly and reduce soil nutrient losses.

Prediction of nitrogen fertiliser requirements of maize in subtropical Queensland

1993 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 53 ◽  
Author(s):  
T Dickson ◽  
RL Aitken ◽  
JC Dwyer
Keyword(s):  
Grain Yield ◽  
Field Experiments ◽  
Yield Response ◽  
Soil Nitrate ◽  
Soil Mineral ◽  
Summer Maize ◽  
Mineral N ◽  
Nitrate N ◽  
Supplementary Irrigation ◽  
N Requirement

Sixteen field experiments were conducted at 9 sites in the South Burnett region of subtropical Queensland, to determine grain yield response of maize to fertiliser nitrogen (N) and to assess soil mineral N levels at sowing for predicting N requirement. At 6 sites, areas were either winter-cropped or bare-allowed, resulting in different cropping histories immediately prior to summer maize. In each experiment, 4 rates of N (0, 38, 76, and 152 kg/ha) were applied, with an additional rate (304 kg/ha) at 3 sites that received supplementary irrigation. Immediately prior to sowing, soil samples for mineral N and moisture were taken from each 10-cm increment to a depth of 120 cm. Soil nitrate-N levels (0-120 cm) before sowing were 16-100 kg N/ha (winter-cropped) and 65-167 kg N/ha (bare-fallowed). Application of N significantly (P<.05) increased grain yield in 14 of the 16 experiments. Maximum grain yields in non-irrigated experiments ranged from 2.08 to 5.61 t/ha and reflected profile available water at sowing and rainfall during the growing season. Maximum yields in irrigated experiments ranged from 4.44 to 6.95 t/ha. The magnitude of the response was greater at winter-cropped sites (relative yields 33-89%) than at fallow sites (82-100%). Relative grain yield was well correlated with nitrate-N in the 0-60 cm profile ( R2 = 0.74). There was also a good relationship between relative grain yield and nitrate-N at 0-10 cm depth ( R2= 0.64).

Lucerne removal before a cropping phase

2000 ◽  
Vol 51 (7) ◽  
pp. 877 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. F. Angus ◽  
R. R. Gault ◽  
A. J. Good ◽  
A. B. Hart ◽  
T. D. Jones ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Water ◽  
Wheat Yield ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
Wheat Crop ◽  
Grain Protein ◽  
Residual Soil ◽  
Soil Mineral N ◽  
Soil Mineral ◽  
Soil Mineral Nitrogen ◽  
Mineral N

Growing dryland crops after lucerne is known to be risky because of the lack of residual soil water. We investigated ways of reducing this risk by removing portions of a lucerne pasture, using either herbicides or cultivation, at monthly intervals between November and April, before sowing a wheat crop in May, followed by a canola crop in the following year. The experimental site was on a red-brown earth in southern New South Wales. Lucerne removal was incomplete when the wheat was sown, so all lucerne plants were removed from half of each plot with a post-emergence herbicide, to allow comparisons of intercropped wheat–lucerne and wheat monoculture. Measurements were made on crop growth, yield, grain quality, soil water, and soil mineral nitrogen (N) before and after both crops. On average, each additional month between lucerne removal and wheat sowing led to a yield increase of 8% and a grain protein increase of 0.3 percentage units. The main reason for the increases was additional soil mineral N, associated with a longer period of mineralisation. The soil water content at the time of wheat sowing was greater with early lucerne removal but the growing season rainfall did not limit yields, and there was more residual soil water at the time of wheat maturity where lucerne had been removed late and yields were lower. Method of lucerne removal did not significantly affect wheat yield, grain protein, soil water, or soil mineral N. The portions of the plots containing lucerne plants that survived the initial removal attempt produced similar wheat yields to the portions where lucerne had been totally removed, but grain protein was lower. The following growing season was drier, but despite less residual soil water where lucerne had been removed earlier in the previous year, the average canola yield was 2.5% greater for each additional month of fallow. The increase again appeared to be due to more residual mineral N. The seed oil concentration also decreased in response to later lucerne removal but seed protein increased. Where lucerne plants had been retained in the previous wheat crop, canola yield was lower than where they had been totally removed, apparently because of less soil water at sowing. Over the 2 years of the experiment, the net supply of mineral N was 374 kg N/ha, equivalent to an annual net mineralisation of 2% of the total soil N. The initial mineralisation rate was slow, suggesting that the soil may be deficient in mineral N soon after lucerne removal.

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