scholarly journals Microbial Shifts Following Five Years of Cover Cropping and Tillage Practices in Fertile Agroecosystems

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (11) ◽  
pp. 1773
Author(s):  
Nakian Kim ◽  
María C. Zabaloy ◽  
Chance W. Riggins ◽  
Sandra Rodríguez-Zas ◽  
María B. Villamil
Keyword(s):  
Cover Crops ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Agricultural Research ◽  
Soil Health ◽  
Field Studies ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Nutrient Losses ◽  
Tillage Practices ◽  
Cover Cropping ◽  
Tillage System

Metagenomics in agricultural research allows for searching for bioindicators of soil health to characterize changes caused by management practices. Cover cropping (CC) improves soil health by mitigating nutrient losses, yet the benefits depend on the tillage system used. Field studies searching for indicator taxa within these systems are scarce and narrow in their scope. Our goal was to identify bioindicators of soil health from microbes that were responsive to CC (three levels) and tillage (chisel tillage, no-till) treatments after five years under field conditions. We used rRNA gene-based analysis via Illumina HiSeq2500 technology with QIIME 2.0 processing to characterize the microbial communities. Our results indicated that CC and tillage differentially changed the relative abundances (RAs) of the copiotrophic and oligotrophic guilds. Corn–soybean rotations with legume–grass CC increased the RA of copiotrophic decomposers more than rotations with grass CC, whereas rotations with only bare fallows favored stress-tolerant oligotrophs, including nitrifiers and denitrifiers. Unlike bacteria, fewer indicator fungi and archaea were detected; fungi were poorly identified, and their responses were inconsistent, while the archaea RA increased under bare fallow treatments. This is primary information that allows for understanding the potential for managing the soil community compositions using cover crops to reduce nutrient losses to the environment.

scholarly journals Root renovation: how an improved understanding of basic root biology could inform the development of elite crops that foster sustainable soil health

2019 ◽  
Vol 46 (7) ◽  
pp. 597 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johanna W.-H. Wong ◽  
Jonathan M. Plett
Keyword(s):  
Management Practices ◽  
Agricultural Research ◽  
Soil Health ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Soil Management ◽  
Breeding Strategy ◽  
Microbial Interactions ◽  
Crop Species ◽  
Soil Microbial ◽  
Microbial Association

A major goal in agricultural research is to develop ‘elite’ crops with stronger, resilient root systems. Within this context, breeding practices have focussed on developing plant varieties that are, primarily, able to withstand pathogen attack and, secondarily, able to maximise plant productivity. Although great strides towards breeding disease-tolerant or -resistant root stocks have been made, this has come at a cost. Emerging studies in certain crop species suggest that domestication of crops, together with soil management practices aimed at improving plant yield, may hinder beneficial soil microbial association or reduce microbial diversity in soil. To achieve more sustainable management of agricultural lands, we must not only shift our soil management practices but also our breeding strategy to include contributions from beneficial microbes. For this latter point, we need to advance our understanding of how plants communicate with, and are able to differentiate between, microbes of different lifestyles. Here, we present a review of the key findings on belowground plant–microbial interactions that have been made over the past decade, with a specific focus on how plants and microbes communicate. We also discuss the currently unresolved questions in this area, and propose plausible ways to use currently available research and integrate fast-emerging ‘-omics’ technologies to tackle these questions. Combining past and developing research will enable the development of new crop varieties that will have new, value-added phenotypes belowground.

scholarly journals Homogenization of Rhizosphere Bacterial Communities by Pea (Pisum sativum L.) Cultivated under Different Conservation Agricultural Practices in the Eastern Himalayas

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diptaraj Chaudhari ◽  
Krishnappa Rangappa ◽  
Anup Das ◽  
Jayanta Layek ◽  
Savita Basavaraju ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bacterial Communities ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Soil Health ◽  
Agricultural Practices ◽  
Amplicon Sequencing ◽  
Soil Samples ◽  
Residue Management ◽  
Bulk Soil ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
North East

AbstractConservation agriculture offers a suitable system to harmonize agriculture with the environment, especially in fragile ecosystems of North-East India. Soil microbes play pivotal roles in ecosystem functioning and act as indispensable indicators of overall fitness of crop plant and soil health. Here we demonstrated that altercations in residue management and tillage practices lead to the development of differential bacterial communities forcing the pea plants to recruit special groups of bacteria leading to highly homogenous rhizosphere communities. Pea rhizosphere and bulk soil samples were collected, and bacterial community structure was estimated by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and predictive functional analysis was performed using Tax4Fun. The effect on pea plants was evident in the bacterial communities as the overall diversity of rhizosphere samples was significantly higher to that of bulk soil samples. Bacillus, Staphylococcus, Planomicrobium, Enterobacter, Arthrobacter, Nitrobacter, Geobacter, and Sphingomonas were noticed as the most abundant genera in the rhizosphere and bulk soil samples. The abundance of Firmicutes and Proteobacteria altered significantly in the rhizosphere and bulk samples, which was further validated by qPCR. Selection of specific taxa by pea plant was indicated by the higher values of mean proportion of Rhizobium, Pseudomonas, Pantoea, Nitrobacter, Enterobacter and Sphingomonas in rhizosphere samples, and Massilia, Paenibacillus and Planomicrobium in bulk soil samples. Tillage and residue management treatments did not significantly alter the bacterial diversity, while their influence was observed on the abundance of few genera. Recorded results revealed that pea plant selects specific taxa into its rhizosphere plausibly to meet its requirements for nutrient uptake and stress amelioration under the different tillage and residue management practices.

scholarly journals Soil Health Assessment and Management: Recent Development in Science and Practices

Soil Systems ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 61
Author(s):  
Mingxin Guo
Keyword(s):  
Cover Crops ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Conservation Tillage ◽  
Soil Health ◽  
Health Assessment ◽  
Health Indicators ◽  
Assessment Methods ◽  
Scientific Validity ◽  
Health Card ◽  
Research Education

In the past decade soil health has been intensively studied as a science and practiced as a means to help improve the global social, environmental, and economic sustainability. This paper reviews the recent advances of the scientific soil health system. The current understanding and interpretation of soil health from the perspectives of soil functions, processes, and properties is summarized. Multi-tier soil health indicators were selected from relevant soil physical, chemical, and biological parameters. A suite of soil health assessment methods have been developed, such as soil health card, Solvita soil health tests, Haney soil health test, and comprehensive assessment of soil health. An array of soil health management practices have been recommended, including proper land use, crop rotation, cover crops, conservation tillage, soil organic amendment, crop-range-livestock integration, and rotational grazing. Overall, the recommended soil health indicators and assessment methods need further validation and improvement in relevance, scientific validity, practicality, and local adaptation. Continuous research, education, and outreach efforts are warranted to promote localized development, adoption, and implementation of soil health assessment and management.

scholarly journals Stacking Agricultural Management Tactics to Promote Improvements in Soil Structure and Microbial Activities

Agronomy ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 539 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Michael Lehman ◽  
Shannon L. Osborne ◽  
Kimberly McGraw
Keyword(s):  
Soil Properties ◽  
Soil Structure ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Soil Health ◽  
Field Studies ◽  
Agricultural Management ◽  
Residue Management ◽  
No Till ◽  
Management Tactics

Linking agricultural management tactics to quantifiable changes in soil health-related properties is a key objective for increasing adoption of the most favorable management practices. We used two long-term, no-till cropping studies to illustrate the variable patterns of response of soil structure indices and microbial activity to additional management tactics, including crop rotational diversity, residue management and cover cropping. We found that observable effects of management tactics on soil properties were often dependent on the current crop phase sampled, even though the treatments were well-established. In some cases, a single additional management tactic produced a response, two tactics each produced a response and sometimes there were interactions between tactics. However, importantly, we never observed a negative effect for any of the response variables when stacking soil health building practices in no-till cropping systems. The collective results from the two field studies illustrate that soil health improvements with stacking management tactics are not always simply additive and are affected by temporal relationships inherent to the treatments. We conclude that the implementation of multiple positive management tactics increases the likelihood that improvements in soil properties can be documented with one or more of the proxy measures for soil health.

scholarly journals The effect of crop residues, cover crops, manures and nitrogen fertilization on soil organic carbon changes in agroecosystems: a synthesis of reviews

2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (6) ◽  
pp. 929-952
Author(s):  
Martin A. Bolinder ◽  
Felicity Crotty ◽  
Annemie Elsen ◽  
Magdalena Frac ◽  
Tamás Kismányoky ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cover Crops ◽  
Nitrogen Fertilization ◽  
Selection Criteria ◽  
Crop Residue ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Crop Residues ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Field Studies ◽  
Organic C ◽  
Residue Retention

Abstract International initiatives are emphasizing the capture of atmospheric CO2 in soil organic C (SOC) to reduce the climatic footprint from agroecosystems. One approach to quantify the contribution of management practices towards that goal is through analysis of long-term experiments (LTEs). Our objectives were to analyze knowledge gained in literature reviews on SOC changes in LTEs, to evaluate the results regarding interactions with pedo-climatological factors, and to discuss disparities among reviews in data selection criteria. We summarized mean response ratios (RRs) and stock change rate (SCR) effect size indices from twenty reviews using paired comparisons (N). The highest RRs were found with manure applications (30%, N = 418), followed by aboveground crop residue retention and the use of cover crops (9–10%, N = 995 and 129), while the effect of nitrogen fertilization was lowest (6%, N = 846). SCR for nitrogen fertilization exceeded that for aboveground crop residue retention (233 versus 117 kg C ha−1 year−1, N = 183 and 279) and was highest for manure applications and cover crops (409 and 331 kg C ha−1 year−1, N = 217 and 176). When data allows, we recommend calculating both RR and SCR because it improves the interpretation. Our synthesis shows that results are not always consistent among reviews and that interaction with texture and climate remain inconclusive. Selection criteria for study durations are highly variable, resulting in irregular conclusions for the effect of time on changes in SOC. We also discuss the relationships of SOC changes with yield and cropping systems, as well as conceptual problems when scaling-up results obtained from field studies to regional levels.

scholarly journals The Potential for Cereal Rye Cover Crops to Host Corn Seedling Pathogens

2016 ◽  
Vol 106 (6) ◽  
pp. 591-601 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew G. Bakker ◽  
Jyotsna Acharya ◽  
Thomas B. Moorman ◽  
Alison E. Robertson ◽  
Thomas C. Kaspar
Keyword(s):  
Cover Crops ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Field Experiments ◽  
Grass Species ◽  
Winter Cereal ◽  
Conservation Practice ◽  
Seedling Disease ◽  
Cereal Rye ◽  
Cover Cropping ◽  
Corn Seedling

Cover cropping is a prevalent conservation practice that offers substantial benefits to soil and water quality. However, winter cereal cover crops preceding corn may diminish beneficial rotation effects because two grass species are grown in succession. Here, we show that rye cover crops host pathogens capable of causing corn seedling disease. We isolated Fusarium graminearum, F. oxysporum, Pythium sylvaticum, and P. torulosum from roots of rye and demonstrate their pathogenicity on corn seedlings. Over 2 years, we quantified the densities of these organisms in rye roots from several field experiments and at various intervals of time after rye cover crops were terminated. Pathogen load in rye roots differed among fields and among years for particular fields. Each of the four pathogen species increased in density over time on roots of herbicide-terminated rye in at least one field site, suggesting the broad potential for rye cover crops to elevate corn seedling pathogen densities. The radicles of corn seedlings planted following a rye cover crop had higher pathogen densities compared with seedlings following a winter fallow. Management practices that limit seedling disease may be required to allow corn yields to respond positively to improvements in soil quality brought about by cover cropping.

scholarly journals If You Build It, They Will Come—Agroecosystem-Based Management Practices Support Pollinators

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Colton O’Brien ◽  
H S Arathi
Keyword(s):  
Cover Crops ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Habitat Diversity ◽  
Farm Management ◽  
Field Margins ◽  
Population Declines ◽  
Natural Habitats ◽  
Cover Cropping ◽  
Insect Populations

Abstract Recent reports indicate that global insect populations are drastically declining, and amongst insects, bees have attracted significant attention. Decades of research on causal factors for bee population declines, indicate that extensive loss of natural habitats resulting from urbanization and agricultural intensification, has led to a dearth of critical nesting and forage resources essential for the sustenance of bees. To address these concerns and to meet the growing need for food production, simple but effective farm management practices such as restoring habitat diversity through planting pollinator habitats along field margins and underutilized areas, revegetating retired farmland with wildflowers and including pollinator-friendly forbs in cover crop mixes, have been recommended. Earlier studies have provided evidence that planting pollinator habitats along field margins and revegetating retired farmland are indeed viable ways to sustain bee pollinators. Here we report results of a case study exploring the benefits of cover cropping with a pollinator-friendly forb mix. Our results indicate that cover cropping to support pollinators can be effective, particularly when cover crops are retained until the flowering stage and that grazing of cover crops could extend support to those genera of bees that prefer grazed areas. Although the reports on global insect declines are dire, our studies show that pollinator-friendly farm management practices can offset the declines and play a significant role in supporting pollinator populations. Regular assessment of the efficacy of these practices will enable us to target efforts towards better implementation of habitat conservation programs.

scholarly journals Microbial activity in soil with onion grown in a no-tillage system with single or intercropped cover crops

2020 ◽  
Vol 50 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Monique Souza ◽  
Mónica María Machado Vargas ◽  
Bárbara Santos Ventura ◽  
Vilmar Müller Júnior ◽  
Cláudio Roberto Fonsêca Sousa Soares ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Biomass ◽  
Microbial Activity ◽  
Cover Crops ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Microbial Biomass Carbon ◽  
Basal Respiration ◽  
Control Treatment ◽  
No Tillage ◽  
Tillage System ◽  
Fda Hydrolysis

ABSTRACT: Microbial biomass is a driving force in the dynamics of soil organic matter, and microbial activity is an indicator of soil quality in agroecosystems, reflecting changes in management practices and environmental conditions. We evaluated the effect of monoculture and intercropped winter cover crops on soil chemical attributes, microbial biomass carbon (MBC), basal respiration (BR), metabolic quotient (qCO2), urease, β-glucosidase, and fluorescein diacetate (FDA) hydrolysis activity, as well as onion yield in a no-tillage system. Soil is a Typic Humudept, and treatments were control with spontaneous vegetation, barley, rye, oilseed radish (OR), OR + rye, and OR + barley. The soil was sampled (0-10 cm) five times between June and December. There were no differences among treatments for MBC and BR, and the highest values for those attributes occurred in June, when cover plants were in their initial stage. Although, qCO2 was not affected by any treatment, it varied among sampling periods, ranging from 0.62 to 10 µg C-CO2 mg-1 MBC h-1, indicating a low- or no stress environment. Cover crops had little influence on enzyme activity, but FDA was lowered in areas with single crops of barley and rye. Average onion yield in cover crops treatments was 13.01 (Mg ha-1), 30-40% higher than in the control treatment.

scholarly journals On-farm Soil Health Assessment of Cover-cropping in Florida

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 17
Author(s):  
Jehangir H. Bhadha ◽  
Nan Xu ◽  
Abul Rabbany ◽  
Naba R. Amgain ◽  
Jay Capasso ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cover Crops ◽  
Cover Crop ◽  
Soil Health ◽  
Health Indicators ◽  
Positive Change ◽  
The State ◽  
Crop Fields ◽  
Cover Cropping ◽  
On Farm ◽  
Soil Protein

Conventional cropping systems on sandy soils require continuous application of large amounts of external nutrients and irrigation water yet remain vulnerable to loses of these inputs. Within the state of Florida, need exists to provide farmers with economically viable alternatives that harness ecological processes and improve soil health and biodiversity. Cover crops are proving to be vital in the development of soil health. As part of this study we conducted a comprehensive on-farm assessment involving nine collaborative growers (ten farms) across the state; with each individual farm following its unique cover-cropping practice. Our goal was to shadow their practice and determine its effect on soil health indicators such as soil pH, bulk density (BD), maximum water holding capacity (MWHC), organic matter (OM), active carbon, cation exchange capacity, soil protein, Total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), total phosphorus (TP), Mehlich-3 P (M3P) and potassium (M3K). Compared to fallow, soil OM, MWHC, and soil protein showed increases in cover crop fields for most farms, which presented a positive change towards building up soil health. Although soil TKN level was significantly decreased due to cover crops, soil protein level building up over time was the most positive change for soil health. M3K decreased in cover-crop fields, which indicated that supplementary K would be necessary prior to planting subsequent cash crops.

scholarly journals Single- versus Double-Species Cover Crop Effects on Soil Health and Yield in Mississippi Soybean Fields

Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 2334
Author(s):  
Heather L. Tyler
Keyword(s):  
Cover Crops ◽  
Cover Crop ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Crop Yields ◽  
Soil Health ◽  
Trifolium Incarnatum ◽  
Crimson Clover ◽  
No Till ◽  
Secale Cereale L ◽  
Species Cover

Conservation management practices can improve soil health while minimizing deleterious effects of agriculture on the environment. However, adoption of these practices, particularly cover crops, is not widespread, as they often reduce crop yields compared to traditional management practices. The purpose of the current study was to determine if a two-species cover crop treatment of rye (Secale cereale L.) and crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum L.) could increase soil health parameters and maximize soybean (Glycine max L.) yield greater than rye only in tilled and no-till Mississippi field soils. Enhanced microbial biomass and organic matter input from cover crops increased the activities of β-glucosidase, cellobiohydrolase, fluorescein diacetate hydrolysis, N-acetylglucosaminidase, and phosphatase in surface soils. Rye plus clover tended to elicit higher activities than rye only in no-till plots. Both cover crop treatments inhibited soybean yield in tilled plots by 11–25%. These results indicate that tillage exacerbates yield inhibition by cover crops in soybean and that double-species cover crop treatments were more consistent in increasing activities linked to nutrient cycling. Further study examining different combinations of cover crops in no-till systems is necessary to gain a better understanding of how they can be implemented to enhance soil health while maximizing crop yield.

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