The short term influence of aboveground biomass cover crops on C sequestration and β–glucosidase in a vineyard ground under semiarid conditions

Fernando Peregrina,Eva P Pérez-Álvarez,Enrique García-Escudero

doi:10.5424/sjar/2014124-5818

Fernando Peregrina, Eva P Pérez-Álvarez + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.5424/sjar/2014124-5818

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Abstract

Tillage and semiarid Mediterranean climatic conditions accelerate soil organic matter losses in Spanish vineyards. Previous studies showed that cover crops can increase soil organic carbon (SOC) in Mediterranean vineyards. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the influence of two different cover crops in the short term on soil C sequestration in a semiarid vineyard and to study the potential use of both β–glucosidase enzimatic activity (GLU) and the GLU/SOC ratio in order to assess the SOC increase. The experiment was carried out in a cv. Tempranillo (Vitis vinifera L.) vineyard on a Oxyaquic Xerorthent soil in Rioja winegrowing region (NE, Spain). The experimental design was established in 2009 with three treatments: conventional tillage; sown barley cover crop (Hordeum vulgare, L.); sown Persian clover cover crop (Trifolium resupinatum L.). Carbon in the aboveground biomass with each cover crop was monitored. Soil was sampled in June 2011 and June 2012, and SOC, GLU and the GLU/SOC ratio were determined. After 3 years both cover crops increased SOC at soil surface with C sequestration rates of 0.47 and 1.19 t C ha-1 yr-1 for BV and CV respectively. GLU and GLU/SOC ratio increased in both cover crops at 0-5 cm soil depth. The C sequestration rates and GLU were related to the cover crops aboveground biomass. In consequence, in semiarid vineyards under cover crops GLU could be an appropriate indicator to asses the increase of SOC and the soil quality improvement in the short-term (2-3 years).

Highlights

Spain, with 1,032,000 ha, has the largest vineyard area worldwide
Sttot et al (2010) found, in a compilation of different soils, that the higher glucosidase enzimatic activity (GLU) to soil organic C (SOC) ratios occurred in soils where the recently altered management was characterized by an increase of the SOC content. These findings show, in consequence, that the GLU to SOC ratio could be sensitive to the C sequestration under cover crops in semiarid vineyards
We considered that the C supplied by aboveground biomass from cover crops previously to June 2011 corresponding to the sum of C biomass from June 2009, April 2010 and June 2010, and the C supplied previously to June 2012 corresponding to the sum of C biomass from samplings of June 2009, April 2010, June 2010 and June 2011

Summary

Introduction

With 1,032,000 ha, has the largest vineyard area worldwide. Its vineyards are mainly under Mediterranean semiarid conditions and, traditionally, tillage is the common management method used to prevent weeds competing with vines for soil water. Disrupts macroaggregates, increases aeration, stimulates microbial breakdown of soil organic matter (SOM) (Reeves, 1997) and accelerates soil organic matter decomposition and C loss from soil to the atmosphere as CO2. Conservation agriculture techniques such as minimum tillage, no-till and cover crops enhance soil C sequestration (Grandy & Roberston, 2007); carbon sequestered in the SOC pool can help in the mitigation of problems due to greenhouse gas emissions (Lal, 2004).

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