Abstract
Cover crops play an important role in soil fertility as they can accumulate large amounts of nutrients. This study aimed at understanding the nutrient uptake capacity of a wide range of cover crops and at assessing the relevance of acquisition strategies. A field experiment was conducted to characterize 20 species in terms of leaf and root traits. Plant traits were related to nutrient concentration and shoot biomass production with a redundancy analysis. Acquisition strategies were identified using a cluster analysis. Root systems varied greatly among cover crop species. Five nutrient acquisition strategies were delineated. Significant amounts of nutrients (about 120 kg ha−1 of nitrogen, 30 kg ha−1 of phosphorus and 190 kg ha−1 of potassium) were accumulated by the species in a short period. Nutrient acquisition strategies related to high accumulations of nutrients consisted in either high shoot biomass and root mass and dense tissues, or high nutrient concentrations and root length densities. Species with high root length densities showed lower C/N ratios. The same amounts of nutrients were accumulated by groups with different acquisition strategies. However, their nutrient concentrations offer different perspectives in terms of nutrient release for the subsequent crop and nutrient cycling improvement.
Highlights
In the perspective of a more sustainable agriculture, integrated nutrient management combined with renewable nutrient sources is required
Nutrient acquisition strategies related to high accumulations of nutrients consisted in either high shoot biomass and root mass and dense tissues, or high nutrient concentrations and root length densities
Despite lower emergence rates for some species, a high soil cover percentage was achieved by all the species
Summary
In the perspective of a more sustainable agriculture, integrated nutrient management combined with renewable nutrient sources is required. Integrated nutrient management aims at improving nutrient use by crops while decreasing losses (Frossard et al 2009). It includes good timing of external supply, efficient nutrient recycling and the use of crops with high nutrient acquisition and use efficiency (Frossard et al 2009). Thoughtful integration of cover crops in the rotation can provide many services including the enhancement of nutrient cycle efficiency. Cover crops are able to accumulate large amounts of nutrients and can prevent their loss. 40 % to 70 % of N can be recycled in a system using cover crops compared to bare fallow systems (Tonitto et al 2006). Absorption by the cover crops is important for highly mobile, and leachable, nutrients, such as nitrate, but is highly relevant for less mobile nutrients that can be lost through runoff or soil erosion
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