Influence of field pea (Pisum sativum L.) as catch crop cultivated for green manure on soil phosphorus and P-cycling enzyme activity

Abstract

ABSTRACT Catch crops cultivated for green manure play an important role in improving soil quality by maintaining soil organic matter content and returning nutrients to the soil. The effects of field pea used as the catch crop, both incorporated in autumn (AI) or mulched (SI) vs a control on soil phosphatase activity, available phosphorus (PAVAIL) and microbial biomass phosphorus (MBP) content were studied during 3 years in a field, one-factor experiment in a randomized block design with four replications. Soil samples were taken four times a year from the spring barley plots grown between 2009 and 2011. The application of catch crop increased almost twice the soil available P (only in 2009), while the MBP content increased at about 25-35% in the entire study period. The catch crop management enhanced the activities of phosphatases at about 10-16% as compared to the control. The studied properties were not significantly affected by the catch crop management except for the PAVAIL determined in 2009, which was about 25% higher after being mulched than after the autumn incorporation of field pea. The application of a field pea as green manure can be a useful practice to increase the MBP content and enhance the P-related enzymatic activity.