Changes in the Soil Microbial Hydrolytic Activity and the Content of Organic Carbon and Total Nitrogen by Growing Spring Barley Undersown with Red Clover in Different Farming Systems

Jaan Kuht,Viacheslav Eremeev,Maarika Alaru,Anne Luik,Erkki Mäeorg,Evelin Loit,Liina Talgre,Keyvan Esmaeilzadeh-Salestani

doi:10.3390/agriculture9070146

Jaan Kuht, Viacheslav Eremeev + Show 6 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture9070146

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Journal: Agriculture	Publication Date: Jul 7, 2019
Citations: 8	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: Estonian University of Life Sciences

Abstract

The experiments were carried out during 2012–2017. There were 5 crops in rotation: Red clover, winter wheat, pea, potato and barley undersown (us) with red clover. There were 5 cropping systems in the experimental setup: 2 conventional systems with chemical plant protection and mineral fertilizers; 3 organic systems which included winter cover crops and farm manure. The aim of the present research was to study the effect of cultivating barley undersown with red clover and the preceding winter cover crop on the soil microbial hydrolytic activity, the change in the content of soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (Ntot) compared to the same parameters from the field that was previously under potato cultivation (forecrop of barley in the rotation). The cultivation of barley with red clover (barley (us)) had a positive impact on the soil micro-organisms activity. In organic systems the soil microbial hydrolytic activity increased on average by 19.0%, compared to the conventional systems. By cultivating barley (us) the soil microbial hydrolytic activity had a significant effect on the SOC content only in organic systems where winter cover crops were used. Organic cultivation systems had positive impact on the soil nitrogen content; Ntot in samples taken before sowing the barley (us) was higher by 17.4% and after the cultivation of barley (us) by 14.4% compared to conventional systems, as an average of experimental years. After cultivation of barley (us) with red clover the soil microbial hydrolytic activity had no effect on the soil Ntot content in either cultivation systems.

Highlights

The nutrient availability in organic systems depends mainly on the soil fertility [1]
It was concluded that the cultivation of barley with red clover increased the soil microbial
It was concluded that the cultivation with of red clover increased microbial hydrolytic activity in all cultivation systems, of as barley an average experimental years.the

Summary

Introduction

The nutrient availability in organic systems depends mainly on the soil fertility [1]. The soil fertility should be maintained through suitable crop rotation, use of cattle manure and green manure [1,2]. According to many studies [3,4] legumes as forecrop have positive effect on the following crop and their cultivation is the most important source of nitrogen [5]. In cropping systems where winter cover crops were used with farm manure the yield and quality parameters of barley increased [6]. By undersowing red clover to barley crop it enabled to decrease the occurrance of weeds [2] and on the areas sown with winter cover crops the content of weed seeds in the soil decreased significantly [7].

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