scholarly journals Reduction of Nitrogen Fertilizer Requirements and Nitrous Oxide Emissions Using Legume Cover Crops in a No-Tillage Sorghum Production System

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 4403
Author(s):  
G. Y. Mahama ◽  
P. V. V. Prasad ◽  
K. L. Roozeboom ◽  
J. B. Nippert ◽  
C. W. Rice
Keyword(s):  
Grain Yield ◽  
Cover Crops ◽  
N Uptake ◽  
Pigeon Pea ◽  
Grain Sorghum ◽  
N Fertilizer ◽  
N2o Emissions ◽  
Fallow Systems ◽  
Sunn Hemp ◽  
Fertilizer Rates

Nitrous oxide (N2O) emission from denitrification in agricultural soils often increases with nitrogen (N) fertilizer and soil nitrate (NO3−) concentrations. Our hypothesis is that legume cover crops can improve efficiency of N fertilizer and can decrease N2O emissions compared to non–cover crop systems. The objectives of this study were to (a) evaluate the performance of summer leguminous cover crops in terms of N uptake and carbon (C) accumulation following winter wheat and (b) to quantify the effects of summer leguminous cover crops and N fertilizer rates on N2O emissions and grain yield of the subsequent grain sorghum crop. Field experiments were conducted in the context of a wheat-sorghum rotation for two seasons in Kansas. Treatments consisted of double-cropped leguminous cover crops following winter wheat harvest with no fertilizer applied to the following grain sorghum or no cover crop after wheat harvest and N fertilizer rates applied to the grain sorghum. The cover crops were cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.), pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan L. Millsp.), and sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea L.). The three N treatments (were 0, 90, and 180 kg·N·ha−1). Fallow systems with 90 and 180 kg·N·ha−1 produced significantly greater N2O emissions compared with cropping systems that received no N fertilizer. Emissions of N2O were similar for various cover crops and fallow systems with 0 kg·N·ha−1. Among cover crops, pigeon pea and cowpea had greater C accumulation and N uptake than sunn hemp. Grain yield of sorghum following different cover crops was similar and significantly higher than fallow systems with 0 kg·N·ha−1. Although fallow systems with 90 and 180 kg·N·ha−1 produced maximum sorghum grain yields, N2O emissions per unit of grain yield decreased as the amount of N fertilizer was reduced. We conclude that including leguminous cover crops can decrease N fertilizer requirements for a subsequent sorghum crop, potentially reducing N2O emissions per unit grain yield and providing options for adaptation to and mitigation of climate change.

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 Biochar and urease inhibitor mitigate NH3 and N2O emissions and improve wheat yield in a urea fertilized alkaline soil

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Khadim Dawar ◽  
Shah Fahad ◽  
M. M. R. Jahangir ◽  
Iqbal Munir ◽  
Syed Sartaj Alam ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nitrous Oxide ◽  
Grain Yield ◽  
Block Design ◽  
N Uptake ◽  
Nitrous Oxide Emissions ◽  
N2o Emissions ◽  
Urease Inhibitor ◽  
Alkaline Soil ◽  
Total N ◽  
N Assimilation

AbstractIn this study, we explored the role of biochar (BC) and/or urease inhibitor (UI) in mitigating ammonia (NH3) and nitrous oxide (N2O) discharge from urea fertilized wheat cultivated fields in Pakistan (34.01°N, 71.71°E). The experiment included five treatments [control, urea (150 kg N ha−1), BC (10 Mg ha−1), urea + BC and urea + BC + UI (1 L ton−1)], which were all repeated four times and were carried out in a randomized complete block design. Urea supplementation along with BC and BC + UI reduced soil NH3 emissions by 27% and 69%, respectively, compared to sole urea application. Nitrous oxide emissions from urea fertilized plots were also reduced by 24% and 53% applying BC and BC + UI, respectively, compared to urea alone. Application of BC with urea improved the grain yield, shoot biomass, and total N uptake of wheat by 13%, 24%, and 12%, respectively, compared to urea alone. Moreover, UI further promoted biomass and grain yield, and N assimilation in wheat by 38%, 22% and 27%, respectively, over sole urea application. In conclusion, application of BC and/or UI can mitigate NH3 and N2O emissions from urea fertilized soil, improve N use efficiency (NUE) and overall crop productivity.

scholarly journals Biological fixation, transfer and balance of nitrogen in passion fruit (Passiflora edulis Sims) orchard intercropped with different green manure crops

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 ((03) 2019) ◽  
pp. 465-471 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edilândia Farias Dantas ◽  
Ana Dolores Santiago de Freitas ◽  
Maria do Carmo Catanho Pereira de Lyra ◽  
Carolina Etienne de Rosália e Silva Santos ◽  
Stella Jorge de Carvalho Neta ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cover Crops ◽  
Pigeon Pea ◽  
Passion Fruit ◽  
Biological Fixation ◽  
Mineral Fertilization ◽  
Passiflora Edulis ◽  
Jack Bean ◽  
Positive Balance ◽  
Sunn Hemp ◽  
Passiflora Edulis Sims

Green manures can replace or supplement mineral fertilization and add organic matter to the soils, ensuring greater sustainability to fruit growing in semiarid regions. Biological fixation, transfer and balance of nitrogen were determined on an irrigated yellow passion fruit orchard (Passiflora edulis Sims) intercropped separately with three cover crops: sunn hemp, Crotalaria juncea (L.); pigeon pea, Cajanus cajan (L.) Mill; and jack bean, Canavalia ensiformis (L.) DC. In a fourth treatment, legumes were not planted, but spontaneous vegetation was left to grow freely. The legumes were croped for 90 days in three lines (0.5 m apart) inside the passion fruit plant lines (2.5 m apart). Fixation and transfers were determined by the 15N natural abundance technique, using sunflower as a reference plant. The three planted legumes nodulated abundantly and fixed nitrogen in high proportions (between 50 and 90% of their N), forming symbiosis with bacteria naturally established in the soil. Jack bean produced more biomass than sunn hemp and pigeon pea, and as much as the spontaneous plants, of which 23% were legumes. The amounts of fixed N (150, 43, 30 and 29 kg ha-1) were determined mainly by the biomass of legumes. More than 40% of the N of passion fruit plants came from the biological nitrogen fixation of the intercropped jack bean, which provided an amount of N higher than that exported in the fruits, generating a positive balance of more than 100 kg ha-1. Therefore, it is recommended to intercrop jack bean in irrigated passion fruit orchards.

Modeling spatial and temporal optimal N fertilizer rates to reduce nitrate leaching while improving grain yield and quality in malting barley

2021 ◽  
Vol 182 ◽  
pp. 105997
Author(s):  
Davide Cammarano ◽  
Bruno Basso ◽  
Jonathan Holland ◽  
Alberto Gianinetti ◽  
Marina Baronchelli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Grain Yield ◽  
Nitrate Leaching ◽  
N Fertilizer ◽  
Malting Barley ◽  
Yield And Quality ◽  
Grain Yield And Quality ◽  
Fertilizer Rates

scholarly journals Effect of Winter Cover Crops on Soil Nitrogen Availability, Corn Yield, and Nitrate Leaching

2001 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 22-29 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Kuo ◽  
B. Huang ◽  
R. Bembenek
Keyword(s):  
Cover Crops ◽  
Cover Crop ◽  
N Fertilizer ◽  
N Leaching ◽  
Corn Yield ◽  
N Availability ◽  
Soil N ◽  
Soil N Availability ◽  
N Concentration ◽  
Fertilizer Rates

Biculture of nonlegumes and legumes could serve as cover crops for increasing main crop yield, while reducing NO3leaching. This study, conducted from 1994 to 1999, determined the effect of monocultured cereal rye (Secale cereale L.), annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum), and hairy vetch (Vicia villosa), and bicultured rye/vetch and ryegrass/vetch on N availability in soil, corn (Zea mays L.) yield, and NO3-N leaching in a silt loam soil. The field had been in corn and cover crop rotation since 1987. In addition to the cover crop treatments, there were four N fertilizer rates (0, 67, 134, and 201 kg N ha-1, referred to as N0, N1, N2, and N3, respectively) applied to corn. The experiment was a randomized split-block design with three replications for each treatment. Lysimeters were installed in 1987 at 0.75 m below the soil surface for leachate collection for the N0, N2, and N3treatments. The result showed that vetch monoculture had the most influence on soil N availability and corn yield, followed by the bicultures. Rye or ryegrass monoculture had either no effect or an adverse effect on corn yield and soil N availability. Leachate NO3-N concentration was highest where vetch cover crop was planted regardless of N rates, which suggests that N mineralization of vetch N continued well into the fall and winter. Leachate NO3-N concentration increased with increasing N fertilizer rates and exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s drinking water standard of 10 mg N l�1 even at recommended N rate for corn in this region (coastal Pacific Northwest). In comparisons of the average NO3-N concentration during the period of high N leaching, monocultured rye and ryegrass or bicultured rye/vetch and ryegrass/vetch very effectively decreased N leaching in 1998 with dry fall weather. The amount of N available for leaching (determined based on the presidedress nitrate test, the amount of N fertilizer applied, and N uptake) correlated well with average NO3-N during the high N leaching period for vetch cover crop treatment and for the control without the cover crops. The correlation, however, failed for other cover crops largely because of variable effectiveness of the cover crops in reducing NO3leaching during the 5 years of this study. Further research is needed to determine if relay cover crops planted into standing summer crops is a more appropriate approach than fall seeding in this region to gain sufficient growth of the cover crop by fall. Testing with other main crops that have earlier harvest dates than corn is also needed to further validate the effectiveness of the bicultures to increase soil N availability while protecting the water quality.

scholarly journals REPRODUCTION OF Pratylenchus zeae AND P. brachyurus IN COVER CROPS

2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 295-301
Author(s):  
SIMONE DE MELO SANTANA-GOMES ◽  
CLAUDIA REGINA DIAS-ARIEIRA ◽  
JÚLIO CÉSAR ANTUNES FERREIRA ◽  
RAIANE PEREIRA SCHWENGBER ◽  
SEPHORA SERRANO BALDISERA
Keyword(s):  
Cover Crops ◽  
Cajanus Cajan ◽  
Host Plants ◽  
Pigeon Pea ◽  
Velvet Bean ◽  
Final Population ◽  
Sunn Hemp ◽  
Rf Values ◽  
Antagonistic Plants ◽  
Pratylenchus Zeae

ABSTRACT This study aimed to evaluate the reproduction of Pratylenchus zeae and P. brachyurus in leguminous plants used as cover crops. Seedlings of sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea and C. spectabilis), pigeon pea cultivar IPR 43 (Cajanus cajan), dwarf velvet bean (Mucuna deeringiana), black velvet bean (Stizolobium aterrimum), and jack bean (Canavalia ensiformis) were inoculated with each nematode separately. Maize cultivar IPR 114 and soybean cultivar Pintado were used as controls to measure the viability of the inoculation of P. zeae and P. brachyurus. After 90 days of inoculation, the plants were collected and nematode g-1 root, final population, and reproduction factors (RF) were evaluated. The experiment was carried out at two different times of the year. The nematode’s RF on cover crops from treatments with the two Crotalaria species, dwarf pigeon pea, and black velvet bean were lower than one (bad host plants) in both experiments for P. zeae. For P. brachyurus, the lowest RFs were obtained for C. juncea, C. spectabilis, and pigeon pea, while the other plants presented RF values close to or higher than one in at least one of the experiments. Therefore, C. spectabilis, C. juncea, and C. cajan cultivar IPR 43 are antagonistic plants that represent useful options for rotation or succession systems that aim to control P. zeae and P. brachyurus.

Results from factorial experiments testing amounts and times of granular N-fertilizer, late sprays of liquid N-fertilizer and fungicides to control mildew and brown rust on two varieties of spring barley at Saxmundham, Suffolk 1975–8

1982 ◽  
Vol 99 (2) ◽  
pp. 377-390 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. V. Widdowson ◽  
J. F. Jenkyn ◽  
A. Penny
Keyword(s):  
Grain Size ◽  
Grain Yield ◽  
Spring Barley ◽  
N Uptake ◽  
Brown Rust ◽  
N Fertilizer ◽  
Factorial Experiments ◽  
Grain Yields ◽  
Factorial Combination ◽  
Average Rainfall

SUMMARYExperiments with spring barley at Saxmundham, in each year from 1975 to 1978, compared two varieties (Julia v Wing), two amounts of granular N-fertilizer (50 v 100kg N/ha) and two times of applying it (seed bed v top-dressing), a liquid N-fertilizer spray (0 v 50 kg N/ha), mildew fungicides (with and without) and a rust fungicide (with and without), in factorial combination (26).Leaf diseases were assessed and grain weighed and analysed for % N each year. Thousand-grain weights were measured in 1977 and 1978.Yields were small in 1975 and 1976 because little rain fell in summer, but larger in 1977 and 1978, years with average rainfall.Mildew was most severe in 1975 and least in 1978, brown rust most severe in 1975 and 1978 and practically absent in 1976. Granular N-fertilizer was best applied to the seed bed in all years, whether or not leaf diseases were controlled. Late sprays of liquid N-fertilizer increased yield less than equivalent amounts of seed-bed N, but increased % N in grain more. However, because they also decreased grain size, less of the N applied as a liquid was recovered by grain than was recovered from granules given earlier. The mildew fungicides increased yields by ca. 0·25 t/ha in 1975 and 1977, but decreased them in 1976. They had little or no effect on % N in grain, but increased grain size in 1977. The rust fungicide, benodanil, increased grain yields each year and especially in 1978 (0·37 t/ha). It had no effect on grain % N, but consistently increased grain size and so enhanced grain yield and N uptake.

scholarly journals Nitrogen and Stem Development: A Puzzle Still to Be Solved

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucas Anjos Souza ◽  
Rafael Tavares
Keyword(s):  
Crop Yields ◽  
Plant Traits ◽  
N Uptake ◽  
N Fertilizer ◽  
Cereal Crops ◽  
High Nitrogen ◽  
Crop Genetics ◽  
Stem Development ◽  
Fertilizer Rates ◽  
Late Stages

High crop yields are generally associated with high nitrogen (N) fertilizer rates. A growing tendency that is urgently demanding the adoption of precision technologies that manage N more efficiently, combined with the advances of crop genetics to meet the needs of sustainable farm systems. Among the plant traits, stem architecture has been of paramount importance to enhance harvest index in the cereal crops. Nonetheless, the reduced stature also brought undesirable effect, such as poor N-uptake, which has led to the overuse of N fertilizer. Therefore, a better understanding of how N signals modulate the initial and late stages of stem development might uncover novel semi-dwarf alleles without pleiotropic effects. Our attempt here is to review the most recent advances on this topic.

Opportunities to reduce nitrous oxide emissions from horticultural production systems in Canada

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Inderjot Chahal ◽  
Khagendra R. Baral ◽  
Kate A. Congreves ◽  
Laura L. Van Eerd ◽  
C. Wagner-Riddle
Keyword(s):  
Cover Crops ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
N Fertilizer ◽  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
Nitrous Oxide Emissions ◽  
N2o Emissions ◽  
N Losses ◽  
N2o Production ◽  
Fertilizer Application Rate

Horticultural systems, specifically vegetable production systems, are considered intensive agricultural systems as they are characterized by high nitrogen (N) fertilizer application rate, frequent tillage and irrigation operations. Accordingly, horticultural production in temperate climates is prone to N losses—mainly during post-harvest (during fall and winter) or pre-plant (spring) periods—such as N2O emissions and nitrate leaching. The risk for N losses is linked to low crop N use efficiency (NUE) combined with a narrow C:N and high N content of crop residues. Here we reviewed the studies conducted in Canada and similar climates to better understand the risk of N2O emission and potential agronomic management strategies to reduce N2O emissions from horticultural systems. Current knowledge on N2O emissions from horticultural systems indicate that increasing crop NUE, modifying the amount, type, time, and rate of N fertilizer inputs, and adopting cover crops in crop rotations are some of the effective approaches to decrease N2O emissions. However, there is uncertainty related to the efficiency of the existing N2O mitigation strategies due to the complex interactions between the factors (soil characteristics, type of plant species, climatic conditions, and soil microbial activity) responsible for N2O production from soil. Little research on N2O emissions from Canadian horticultural systems limits our ability to understand and manage the soil N2O production processes to mitigate the risk of N2O emissions. Thus, continuing to expand this line of research will help to advance the sustainability of Canadian horticultural cropping systems.

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