Maize Residue Incorporation Research Articles

Organic soil fertility management practices for the management of fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith), in maize.

The fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), is a polyphagous pest native to the Americas. It attacks several crops but in particular causes significant damage to maize, which is a staple crop in Africa. Organic soil amendments have an impact on the physical, chemical, and biological properties of soil, which enhance plant resistance to or tolerance of insect pests and also promote a diverse population of natural enemies of the pest. However, the practices followed for the management of crop residue and animal manure affect their use as organic soil amendments. A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of maize residue and cattle manure incorporation into soil on FAW in the Mana and Omo Nada districts of the Jimma zone, southwest Ethiopia, during the 2018/19 cropping season. Treatment involved three factors: five different levels of maize residue retention (0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%), different cattle manure storage systems (control, open, steel roof, and grass roof), and two different districts (Mana and Omo Nada). These variables were organized in a randomized complete block design and replicated three times. The infestation and damage ratings were collected from 30 days after planting at 20-day intervals. The results indicated that maize plots with retained crop residue had a significant reduction in FAW infestation compared with plots without maize residue (control) in both study districts. Furthermore, manure-fertilized plants had a lower percentage of FAW infestation when compared with maize plots without cattle manure in both study districts. The lowest severity of FAW infestation was recorded in a plot with 100% of residue incorporated and treated with cattle manure stored under a grass roof in the Mana district. Therefore, conventional tillage with 100% maize residue incorporation and the application of cattle manure stored under a grass roof showed the best result for reducing FAW infestation in maize. However, further studies are important to determine the effect of treatments over seasons and locations on FAW infestation and maize yields.

Straw return and nitrogen fertilization regulate soil greenhouse gas emissions and global warming potential in dual maize cropping system

Abundant nitrogen (N) fertilization is needed for maize (Zea mays L.) production in China because of its huge residual biomass return. However, excessive N fertilization has a negative impact on the soil ecosystem and environment, which contributes to climate change. Soil incorporation of maize residues is a well-known practice for reducing chemical N fertilization without compromising maize yield and soil fertility. Thus, residues incorporation has the capacity to minimize N fertilization uses and hence mitigate soil greenhouse gas emissions by improving plant N uptake and use efficiency. There is still a research gap regarding the effects of maize residues incorporation on maize yield, soil fertility, greenhouse gas emissions, and plant N and carbon (C) contents. Therefore, we conducted a field experiment during spring and autumn involving four different N fertilization rates (N0, N200, N250, and N300 kg N ha−1), with and without maize residues incorporation, to evaluate grain yield, soil fertility, plant N and C contents, and greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs). Compared to N0, N fertilizer application at 300 kg N ha−1 with residues incorporation significantly increased area-scaled global warming potential (GWP) compared to other N fertilization rates in both spring and autumn seasons, but soil nutrient contents and plant N and C contents were not statistically different from the N250 treatment. In contrast, the N recovery use efficiency (NRUE), physiological N use efficiency (PNUE), and agronomic N use efficiency (ANUE) were significantly lower in the N300 treatment than in the lower N treatment groups. Nitrous oxide (N2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2) fluxes, area-scaled GWP, and greenhouse gas intensity (GHGI) were significantly lower in the N200 treatment with straw incorporation than the N250 and N300 treatments of the traditional planting system. Thus, we concluded that N200 treatment with residues incorporation is optimal for improving grain yield, soil fertility, plant N uptake, and mitigating greenhouse gas emissions.

Carbon dioxide flux and soil carbon stock as affected by crop residue management and soil texture in semi‐arid maize croplands in Tanzania

AbstractCrop residue management strategies must be adapted for improving carbon (C) balance and soil C stock in agroecosystems in sub‐Saharan Africa with consideration of the crop residue availability and site‐specific soil characteristics. We conducted field experiments to determine the effects of crop residue application method (incorporation/mulching) and quality (maize/cowpea) and N fertilizer application on the soil respiration rate and soil C stock in the surface soil layer (0–15 cm) in maize croplands with contrasting soil textures (clay/sandy) over 2 years from 2012 to 2014 in Tanzania. At the clay site, the incorporation of maize residues showed a 38% increase in CO2 flux compared to mulching, whereas, at the sandy site, mulching showed a 16% increase compared to the incorporation. At the sandy site, mulching practice retained soil moisture content and apparently enhanced the decomposition of the original soil organic C in the surface layer. It is, therefore, suggested that mulching practice may accelerate a long‐term depletion of soil C stock at the sandy site. The cowpea residue incorporation led to rapid decomposition because of its high biodegradability at both sites. The N fertilizer application stimulated the decomposition of labile soil organic matter. The soil C stock in the surface layer did not significantly change after the 2‐year experiment, irrespective of crop residue treatment and soil type. In conclusion, adequate crop residue management in terms of suppressing CO2 flux during a cropping season depends on soil type, but the long‐term effect on soil C stock is unclear.

Resilience of soil functions to transient and persistent stresses is improved more by residue incorporation than the activity of earthworms

The development of soil sustainability is linked to the improved management of soil biota, such as earthworms, and crop residues to improve soil physical structure, enhance microbial activities, and increase nutrient cycling. This study examined the impacts of maize residue (65.8C/N ratio, dry biomass 0.75 kg m−2) incorporation and earthworms (70 g Metaphire guillelmi m−2) on the resistance and resilience of soil C and N cycling to experimentally applied stresses. Field treatments were maize residue incorporation, maize residue incorporation with earthworm addition, and an unamended control. Resistance and resilience of C mineralization, ammonia oxidation, and potential denitrification were investigated over 28 days following a persistent stress of Cu (1 mg Cu soil g−1) or a transient heat stress (50 °C for 16 h). The results indicated that C mineralization was more resistant and resilient than ammonia oxidation and denitrification to either a persistent Cu or a transient heat stress. The application of maize residues significantly increased soil microbial biomass, C mineralization, ammonia oxidation and potential denitrification compared with the unamended control. Maize residues significantly improved the resistance and resilience of N processes to Cu and heat stress. The presence of earthworms significantly increased potential denitrification but had limited positive effect on functional resistance and resilience. This study suggested crop residue incorporation would strongly increase soil functional resistance and resilience to persistent and transient stresses, and thus could be a useful agricultural practice to improve soil ecosystem sustainability.

Effects of residue incorporation and plant growth on soil labile organic carbon and microbial function and community composition under two soil moisture levels

This study investigates the effects of residue incorporation coupled with plant growth and soil moisture level on wheat biomasses, soil nutrients, labile organic carbon (LOC), microbial metabolic profiles, and community composition. Four management practices were used in a 180-day pot experiment: (1) control (CON), (2) maize (Zea mays L.) residue incorporation without plants (MR), (3) wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) plants without maize residue (WP), and (4) maize residue incorporation with wheat plants (MRWPs). Each management practice included soil moisture at both 40 and 80% of field capacity. At wheat harvest, soil nutrient contents in the WP and MRWP treatments were significantly lower than in the CON and MR treatments. In comparison with the CON treatment, MR, WP, and MRWP treatments resulted in 35, 23, and 67% increases in dissolved organic carbon content; 17, 12, and 34% increases in hot-water extractable organic carbon content; and 78, 50, and 150% increases in microbial biomass carbon content. Furthermore, microbial utilizations of carboxylic acids and polymer carbon sources in the MR, WP, and MRWP treatments were 261 and 88%, 239 and 105%, and 300 and 126% higher than in the CON treatment. The MR and CON treatments had similar phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) content but the WP and MRWP treatments had significantly increased gram-negative content and changes to community composition compared with the CON and MR treatments. The wheat biomass, LOC, and PLFA contents significantly increased with greater soil moisture. Overall, these results suggest an additive effect of residue incorporation and plant growth on LOC contents, primarily due to the changes in microbial utilization of carbon sources and community composition.

Long-term mineral fertiliser use and maize residue incorporation do not compensate for carbon and nutrient losses from a Ferralsol under continuous maize–cotton cropping

It has been repeatedly argued that mineral fertiliser application combined with in situ retention of crop residue biomass can sustain long-term productivity of West African soils. Using 20-year experimental data from southern Togo, a biannual rainfall area, we analysed the effect of two rates of mineral NPK fertiliser application to maize–cotton rotation on the long-term dynamics of soil C and nutrient contents, as compared with two control treatments. Mineral fertiliser treatments consisted of application to both maize (first season) and cotton (second season) the research-recommended NPK rates (Fertiliser-RR) and 1.5 times these rates (Fertiliser-1.5 RR). Control treatments consisted of cropping maize and cotton without fertiliser use (No-Fertiliser) and of double annual soil tillage (as done for planted treatments) without planting a crop (Tillage-NoCrop). Maize residue biomass was every year returned to the soil of crops planted treatments, whereas cotton stems were uprooted, piled and burnt on the experimental plots as done locally for phyto-sanitary reasons. Treatment effects were analysed through a long-term change in crop productivity, in soil C and nutrient contents. Our results indicate that productivity of maize and notably of cotton cannot be sustained in this Ferralsol without nutrient inputs. On average, maize yields without fertilisers decreased from 2tha−1 after woodland clearing to 0.5tha−1 after 10 years of cultivation, while cotton yields decreased from 1.5 to 0.5tha−1 only after 5 years. In spite of the need of mineral fertiliser use to sustain productivity of this soil, there was little justification to increase inputs of mineral fertiliser over the research recommended rate. Over 20-year experiment, both maize and cotton while received N, P and K inputs at the research-recommended rates produced virtually the same yields as when these rates were increased by 50%. Although C inputs to soil under RR and 1.5 RR were greater than in the No-Fertiliser control (nil for Tillage-NoCrop), and the N input was more favourable for 1.5RR, the rates in which contents of soil C and N decreased over time did not differ substantially between treatments. Soil available P decreased for all treatments, while exchangeable K concentration increased under RR and 1.5 RR and decreased in unfertilised treatments (No-Fertiliser and Tillage-NoCrop). In fertilised plots and in tillage no-planted plots, soil pH decreased more than in No-Fertiliser plots. A decline of soil pH was associated with a decline of exchangeable Ca and Mg, which were on average 20 and 40% higher in fertilised plots than in No-Fertiliser plots. We conclude that soil C and N decline in this Ferralsol was more determined by a change in soil conditions due to woodland clearance and continuous tillage than by the quantities of C or N inputs added annually.

Does incorporation of cowpea-maize residue mixes influence nitrous oxide emission and mineral nitrogen release in a tropical luvisol?

In the face of climate change, quantification of the emission of nitrous oxide from soils in relation to sufficient N availability for crop uptake has assumed much significance. This study used the 15N stable isotope technique, under controlled laboratory conditions, to quantify the interactive effect on and relative contributions of the component species to N2O emission and mineral N dynamics in a tropical luvisol incorporated with different rates of cowpea-maize residue mixtures. The results show that increasing the maize residue proportion in the mixture significantly decreases N2O emission compared to the sole cowpea incorporation but increases mineral N concentration compared to sole maize residue incorporation. It is concluded that mixing low C:N ratio cowpea residue with high C:N ratio maize residue has potential for N management in tropical legume-cereal intercropping systems with the view to minimizing N2O emission while making N available for crop uptake.

Effects of earthworm activity on humus composition and humic acid characteristics of soil in a maize residue amended rice–wheat rotation agroecosystem

The effect of earthworms on humus composition and humic acid (HA) characteristics was studied in a rice–wheat rotation agroecosystem. Experimental plots in the rotation had five treatments, i.e., incorporation or mulching of maize residues with or without added earthworms and a control. Compared with the control, the application of maize residues to soil either alone or in combinations with earthworms strongly affected the humus composition and HA characteristics. In the presence of earthworms, the carbon ratio of HA to fulvic acid (FA), and the alkyl C/O-alkyl C and hydrophobic C/hydrophilic C ratios of HA were slightly higher, while the aliphatic C/aromatic C ratio of HA was slightly lower following maize residue incorporation than the same treatment without earthworms. In contrast, these ratios generally remained almost constant following maize residue mulching. Thus, earthworm activity following maize residue incorporation was more favorable for the HA formation, and was associated with a decrease in aliphaticity of HA, and an increase in its degree of humification and hydrophobicity.

Effects of earthworms on soil enzyme activity in an organic residue amended rice–wheat rotation agro-ecosystem

The effect of earthworms on soil hydrolases (protease, urease, invertase, and alkaline phosphatase) and dehydrogenase activities was investigated in maize residue amended rice–wheat rotation agro-ecosystem. Experimental plots in the rotation had five treatments, i.e. incorporation or mulching of maize residues with or without added earthworms and an untreated control. The application of maize residues to soil without earthworms significantly enhanced the five soil enzyme activities compared with the control treatment during rice and wheat cultivation. The presence of earthworms further significantly enhanced protease activity in the soils with both incorporated and mulched maize residues during two cultivation seasons, but only significantly increased alkaline phosphatase activity in the soil with incorporated maize residue during the rice cultivation season. Invertase activity was significantly enhanced by the presence of earthworms in the soil with maize residue incorporation during two cultivation seasons. There were no changes in dehydrogenase activity when earthworms were present. Additionally, the five enzyme activities in earthworm casts were significant higher than those in the surrounding soil, especially dehydrogenase and invertase activities. Whatever the treatment, the values obtained for the enzyme activities in both soil and casts, except for dehydrogenase activity in earthworm casts, were significantly higher under wheat than those in rice-cultivated soil. These results indicate that the presence of earthworms strongly affected soil enzyme activities, depending on the method of organic residue application, and the enhanced enzyme activities of earthworm casts probably contributed to the surrounding soil enzyme activities.

Earthworms change the abundance and community structure of nematodes and protozoa in a maize residue amended rice–wheat rotation agro-ecosystem

The influence of earthworms on nematodes and protozoan communities was determined during the wheat phase of a six year rice–wheat rotation agro-ecosystem. Experimental plots in the rotation had five treatments, i.e. incorporation or mulching of maize residues with or without added earthworms and a control. The addition of maize residues to soil strongly affected the abundance and community structure of nematodes and protozoa in the absence of earthworms. The presence of earthworms gave significantly lower total nematode numbers at all soil depths following maize residue incorporation than the same treatment without earthworms, and also gave lower (although not significantly) total nematode numbers in the upper soil layer following maize residue mulching than the same treatment without earthworms. This was mainly due to a significant decrease in bacterial-feeding nematode numbers. Earthworms also strongly affected the distribution of the number of total nematodes and two trophic groups (bacterial and plant feeders) with soil depth. In the presence of earthworms, total protozoan and flagellate numbers significantly increased at all soil depths following both incorporation and mulching of maize residues, while numbers of amoebae increased only when maize residues were mulched. Additionally, in earthworm casts total nematode numbers (mainly bacterial and fungal feeders) were significantly higher, whereas total protozoa numbers (mainly flagellates and amoebae) were significantly lower than that in soil from 0 to 5 cm layer. These results indicated that earthworm activity could affect the abundance and community structure of microfauna, and change their distribution between soil layers and cast material, depending on the mode of application of organic residues.

Modeling Seasonal Variations in Carbon Dioxide and Nitrous Oxide in the Vadose Zone

Soil CO2 and N2O concentrations were simulated with a model predicting C and N transport in the vadose zone during a 7‐mo field experiment, after maize (Zea mays L.) harvesting and incorporation of maize residues into the soil. The gas transport model was based on the dusty gas theory and combined with the PASTIS model. During the experiment, soil atmosphere (CO2 and N2O), soil solution (NO3− and dissolved organic carbon [DOC]), soil water content and temperature, and potential denitrifying and aerobic respiratory activities were measured in a 2.50‐m‐thick soil profile. Soil gas concentrations were correctly simulated even though the model did not simulate all the biological processes that produced N2O. Nitrous oxide concentration peaks after rain were slightly overestimated, as the WFPS (water‐filled pore space) was not estimated accurately enough to predict local anoxic conditions. To model CO2 concentrations, account had to be taken of DOC adsorption onto soil mineral particles and of zymogenous biomass death during the period when the ground was frozen. The model satisfactorily simulated NO3− concentrations in the top soil profile, notably during major rainfall events, and maize residue dry matter loss during the experiment. The modeling of biological processes needs to be improved to provide a better simulation of C and N transport in the vadose zone. In particular, the use of WFPS was not sufficient to predict anoxic periods; simulations should improve if soil aggregate structure is also taken into account.

The Origin of Soil Organic C, Dissolved Organic C and Respiration in a Long-Term Maize Experiment in Halle, Germany, Determined by13C Natural Abundance

For a quantitative analysis of SOC dynamics it is necessary to trace the origins of the soil organic compounds and the pathways of their transformations. We used the 13 C isotope to determine the incorporation of maize residues into the soil organic carbon (SOC), to trace the origin of the dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and to quantify the fraction of the maize C in the soil respiration. The maize-derived SOC was quantified in soil samples collected to a depth of 65 cm from two plots, one continuous maize' and the other continuous rye' (reference site) from the long-term field experiment Ewiger Roggen' in Halle. This field trial was established in 1878 and was partly changed to a continuous maize cropping system in 1961. Production rates and δ 13 C of DOC and CO 2 were determined for the Ap horizon in incubation experiments with undisturbed soil columns. After 37 years of continuous maize cropping, 15% of the total SOC in the topsoil originated from maize C. The fraction of the maize-derived C below the ploughed horizon was only 5 to 3%. The total amount of maize C stored in the profile was 9080 kg ha -1 which was equal to about 31% of the estimated total C input via maize residues (roots and stubble). Total leaching of DOC during the incubation period of 16 weeks was 1.1 g m -2 and one third of the DOC derived from maize C. The specific DOC production rate from the maize-derived SOC was 2.5 times higher than that from the older humus formed by C3 plants. The total CO 2 -C emission for 16 weeks was 18 g m -2 . Fifty-eight percent of the soil respiration originated from maize C. The specific CO 2 formation from maize-derived SOC was 8 times higher than that from the older SOC formed by C 3 plants. The ratio of DOC production to CO 2 -C production was three times smaller for the young, maize-derived SOC than for the older humus formed by C 3 plants.

Interference with soil phosphatase activity by maize herbicidal treatment and incorporation of maize residues

This study is concerned with the way alachlor, atrazine and metolachlor interfered with phosphatase activity in a clay loam soil unenriched and enriched with maize residues. Enrichment caused an increase in all phosphatase activities (acid and alkaline phosphomonoesterase, phosphodiesterase, phosphotriesterase) tested. Interference with phosphatase activity following herbicidal treatment was found in both unenriched and enriched soil samples. Statistically significant interference was dependent on soil enrichment, the type of herbicide and its rate of application and the time elapsed since the herbicidal treatment. The observed changes in phosphatase activities are attributed to herbicidal action on phosphatase-producing microorganisms. Among the herbicides tested, the acetanilide derivatives exerted a lesser inhibiting effect than atrazine. Nevertheless, all the altered phosphatase activities showed a tendency, more or less rapid, to reach the levels in the corresponding untreated soil samples.