Effect of replacing conventional Italian ryegrass by organic nitrogen source systems on chemical soil properties

Silvia Baizán,Elías Afif-Khouri,José A Oliveira,Adela Martínez-Fernández,Fernando Vicente

doi:10.5424/sjar/2020184-15677

Abstract

Aim of study: To evaluate agronomic performance and changes on soil chemical properties in two types of managements: conventional or sustainable.Area of study: Principality of Asturias, Spain.Material and methods: On a sandy-clay-loam texture soil, three winter forage legumes (faba bean, red clover and white lupin), in monoculture or mixed with Italian ryegrass and with organic fertilization (sustainable management) versus Italian ryegrass in monoculture and inorganic fertilization (conventional management) were evaluated during three consecutive years. After the harvest in spring, the rotations were completed with maize crop with the purpose to evaluate the effect of the sustainable management on forage yield and soil chemical parameters.Main results: The results showed that faba bean and red clover in monoculture and mixed with Italian ryegrass had better edaphic quality than Italian ryegrass in monoculture, and white lupin in monoculture or mixed with Italian ryegrass. Faba bean in monoculture and mixed with Italian ryegrass, both with organic fertilization, could be competitive crops since both had yields comparable to Italian ryegrass in monoculture with inorganic fertilization.Research highlights: Current agricultural practice could be changed for a more sustainable management system, including organic fertilization and legume crops.

Highlights

Nitrogen is one of the most important nutrients that plants need to grow, limiting crop production of many agricultural soils, and N addition is needed to increase yields and sustain production (IPCC, 2013)
Intensive arable farming causes a progressive decline of soil organic matter (OM) affecting physical, chemical, biochemical and microbiological properties (Caravaca et al, 2002)
The aim of this study was to evaluate agronomic performance and changes on soil chemical properties during three years with two types of management, conventional management constituted by Italian ryegrass in monoculture and inorganic fertilization vs sustainable management constituted by three legumes in monoculture or in mixed with Italian ryegrass and organic fertilization

Summary

Introduction

Nitrogen is one of the most important nutrients that plants need to grow, limiting crop production of many agricultural soils, and N addition is needed to increase yields and sustain production (IPCC, 2013). /or by the emission of gaseous forms of N, of which nitrous oxide (N2O) and ammonia (NH3) are the main environmental concern (Sutton et al, 2011) This affects natural ecosystems by N enrichment, nitrate contamination in surface and groundwater, thereby changing the biodiversity and causing the greenhouse gas emission (Ward, 2009). Intensive arable farming causes a progressive decline of soil organic matter (OM) affecting physical, chemical, biochemical and microbiological properties (Caravaca et al, 2002). For these reasons, there is an urgent need to change paradigms towards sustainable agricultural practices that aim to use applied resources as efficiently as possible to ensure sufficient yields and reduce environmental impacts (Schlesinger, 2009)

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