TY - JOUR

T1 - Grass-clover undersowing affects nitrogen dynamics in a grain legume–cereal arable cropping system

A1 - Hauggaard-Nielsen,Henrik

A1 - Mundus,Simon

A1 - Jensen,Erik Steen

AU - Hauggaard-Nielsen,Henrik

AU - Mundus,Simon

AU - Jensen,Erik Steen

PB - Elsevier BV

PY - 2012

Y1 - 2012

N2 - <p>A field experiment was carried out in an arable organic cropping system and included a sequence with sole cropped fababean (<em>Vicia faba L</em>.), lupin (<em>Lupinus angustifolius L</em>.), pea (<em>Pisum sativum L</em>.), oat (<em>Avena sativa L</em>.) and pea–oat intercropping with or without an undersown perennial ryegrass (<em>Lolium perenne L</em>.) – white clover (<em>Trifolium repens L</em>.) catch crop followed by a first crop of spring wheat (<em>Triticum aestivum L</em>.) and second crop of winter triticale (<em>Triticale hexaploide L</em>.). The rotation sequence was repeated twice. Natural ¹⁵N abundance techniques were used to determine grain legume N₂ fixation and ¹⁵N labeling technique to determine the fate of pea and oat residue N recovery in the subsequent crop. The subsequent spring wheat and winter triticale crop yields were not significantly affected by the previous main crop, but a significant effect of catch crop undersowing was observed. A higher soil mineral N content in the soil profile without undersown grass-clover increased the spring wheat yield. This effect was circumvented in the subsequent winter triticale, where yields in the treatments with catch crops undersown were significantly greater. The grass-clover catch crop after grain legumes had a higher grass proportion before incorporation as compared to grass-clover after oat, which had the greatest clover proportion. The dynamic response of interspecific interactions in the catch crop to the soil mineral N levels is moderating the preceding effect of main crops in the subsequent cereal – and sometimes to a higher degree than the main crop effect. For research involving rotation principles it is recommended to evaluate cumulative effects over several years and not only single seasons.</p>

AB - <p>A field experiment was carried out in an arable organic cropping system and included a sequence with sole cropped fababean (<em>Vicia faba L</em>.), lupin (<em>Lupinus angustifolius L</em>.), pea (<em>Pisum sativum L</em>.), oat (<em>Avena sativa L</em>.) and pea–oat intercropping with or without an undersown perennial ryegrass (<em>Lolium perenne L</em>.) – white clover (<em>Trifolium repens L</em>.) catch crop followed by a first crop of spring wheat (<em>Triticum aestivum L</em>.) and second crop of winter triticale (<em>Triticale hexaploide L</em>.). The rotation sequence was repeated twice. Natural ¹⁵N abundance techniques were used to determine grain legume N₂ fixation and ¹⁵N labeling technique to determine the fate of pea and oat residue N recovery in the subsequent crop. The subsequent spring wheat and winter triticale crop yields were not significantly affected by the previous main crop, but a significant effect of catch crop undersowing was observed. A higher soil mineral N content in the soil profile without undersown grass-clover increased the spring wheat yield. This effect was circumvented in the subsequent winter triticale, where yields in the treatments with catch crops undersown were significantly greater. The grass-clover catch crop after grain legumes had a higher grass proportion before incorporation as compared to grass-clover after oat, which had the greatest clover proportion. The dynamic response of interspecific interactions in the catch crop to the soil mineral N levels is moderating the preceding effect of main crops in the subsequent cereal – and sometimes to a higher degree than the main crop effect. For research involving rotation principles it is recommended to evaluate cumulative effects over several years and not only single seasons.</p>

KW - Cropping system

KW - Symbiotic N2 fixation

KW - Precrop effect

KW - Residual N effect

KW - Rotation

U2 - 10.1016/j.fcr.2012.07.001

DO - 10.1016/j.fcr.2012.07.001

JO - Field Crops Research

JF - Field Crops Research

SN - 0378-4290

VL - 136

SP - 23

EP - 31

ER -