Effects of planting soybean in summer fallow on wheat grain yield, total N and Zn in grain and available N and Zn in soil on the Loess Plateau of China

Abstract

Dryland wheat is the major contributor to wheat production in the world, where water deficiency and poor soil fertility are key factors limiting wheat grain yields and nutrient concentrations. A field experiment was carried out from June 2008 to June 2011 at Shilipu (latitude 35.12°N, longitude 107.45°E and altitude 1200m above sea level) on the Loess Plateau (a typical dryland) in China, to investigate the effects of rotation with soybean (Glycine max) green manure (GM) on grain yield, total N and total Zn concentrations in subsequent wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), and on nitrate-N and available Zn in the soil. The benefits of crop rotation with soybean GM on wheat grain yields became more evident with time. In the second and third years, the grain yields of wheat rotated with soybean GM reached 4871 and 5089kgha−1 at the 108kgNha−1 rate. These yields were 21% and 12% higher than the highest yields of wheat under a fallow-winter wheat (FW) rotation. Rotation with soybean GM reduced the amount of N fertilizer required to obtain wheat grain yields and biomass levels similar to wheat grown in the FW rotation by 20–33%. In the first 2 years, average grain N concentrations over all N rates increased by 6% and 12%, and those of Zn increased by 26% and 14% under the soybean GM-winter wheat (SW) rotation, compared with the FW rotation. The increased grain N and Zn concentrations were found to be related to the increased concentrations of nitrate-N and available Zn in the soil, particularly at the sowing of winter wheat. However, grain N and Zn concentrations were not improved by rotation with soybean GM in the third year. This was attributed to the dilution effect caused by the more grain yield increase than its nutrient export. In conclusion, planting soybean for GM in fallow fields reduced the need for N fertilizer to enhance wheat yields in this dryland region. Change in wheat grain N and Zn concentrations was related to soil nutrient concentrations, and to the balance between increased grain yield and its nutrient export.