Growth and nitrogen fixation by Medicago littoralis in pot experiments: Effect of plant density and competition from Lolium multiflorum

The legume Medicago littoralis cv. Harbinger, was grown either alone (1–4 plants per pot) or with Lolium multiflorum (ryegrass) at a total of 4 plants per pot, using two soils of contrasting N status. An ¹⁵N dilution technique was used to distinguish the amounts of plant N due to N₂ fixation and to N uptake from soil. Medic outyielded (dry weight and total plant N) ryegrass in a soil which released low amounts of inorganic N (Roseworthy) but ryegrass outyielded medic in a soil of higher N availability (Avon).For both soils, all combinations of medic and ryegrass plants utilized 70–73% of the inorganic N released on incubation. Competition from ryegrass invariably reduced yields of dry matter, total N, and fixed N of the medic plants, especially in the Avon soil. For both soils, the percentage reduction in the amounts of fixed N resulting from competition from ryegrass was directly proportional to the percentage increase of plant dry matter due to ryegrass. Medic plants grown in Roseworthy soil contained much higher proportions of N due to N₂-fixation than did medic plants grown in Avon soil. The amounts of plant N, fixed N and plant dry weight increased with increasing numbers of medic plants, when grown alone in Roseworthy soil, but not in the Avon soil containing more than two plants per pot. Nevertheless, irrespective of the soil used, medic numbers per pot, or competition from ryegrass, the amounts of fixed N correlated well with total N and with dry matter yields of medic plants. The proportions of fixed N to total N varied consistently in each of the medic plant parts (roots < = leaves < stems < pods).     

Distribution and recovery of nitrogen from legume residues decomposing in soils sown to wheat in the field

Unground ¹⁵N-labelled medic material (Medicago littoralis) was mixed with topsoils at 3 field sites in South Australia, allowed to decompose for about 8 months before sowing wheat, and then for a further 7 months until crop maturity. The site locations were chosen to permit comparisons of recoveries and distribution of ¹⁵N in soils (organic N and inorganic N to 90 cm depth) and wheat (grain, straw and roots to 20 cm depth) in areas where rainfall (and wheat yields) differed greatly. Soils differed also in their texture and organic matter contents. Recoveries of applied ¹⁵N in wheat plus soil were 93.1% from a sandy loam (Caliph) and 92.3% from a sandy soil (Roseworthy) despite differences in rainfall and extent of leaching of the ¹⁵NO₃^? formed from the decomposing medic residues. From a heavy clay soil (Northfield), which received the highest rainfall, the ¹⁵N recovery was 87.7%. The loss of ¹⁵N at this site was not due to leaching, as judged by ¹⁵NO₃^? distribution in the soil profile at seeding and crop maturity.Wheat plants took up only 10.9–17.3% of the ¹⁵N added as legume material. Percentage uptakes of ¹⁵N were not related to grain yields. The proportions of wheat N derived from decomposing medic residues were 9.2% at Caliph (input medic, N, 38 kg N ha^?1), 10.5% at Roseworthy (input medic N, 57 kg N ha^?1), and only 4.6% at Northfield (input medic N, 57 kg N ha^?1). Most (51–70%) of the ¹⁵N recovered in wheat was accounted for in the grain. Inorganic ¹⁵N in the soil profiles was depleted during the cropping phase, and at wheat harvest represented from 0.6 to 3.1% only of ¹⁵N inputs. The major ¹⁵N pool was soil organic ¹⁵N accounting for 71.9–77.7% of ¹⁵N inputs.We conclude that, in the context of N supply from decomposing medic tissues to wheat crops, the main value of the legume is long-term, i.e. in maintaining soil organic N concentrations to ensure adequate delivery of N to future cereal crops.The N of the wheat was not uniformly labelled, root N being generally of the highest atom% enrichmensts, and straw N of the lowest. Nevertheless, at the Roseworthy site, the enrichments of wheat N were similar to those of NO₃^? N in the profile at seeding, indicating that the proportions of ¹⁴N and ¹⁵N in the inorganic N pool did not change appreciably during the cropping period. By assuming equilibrium at this site, we calculate that during 15 months decomposition the soil plus legume delivered about 189 kg N ha^?1, of which 93.2 kg ha^?1 (49.3%) was taken up by the wheat, 37.2 kg ha^?1 (19.7%) was immobilized or remained as fine root residues, and 17.3 kg ha^?1 (9.2%) remained as inorganic N in the soil profile; 41.7 kg ha^?1 (22.1%) was unaccounted for in the soil-plant system, and was probably lost via inorganic N. Thus about 6.5 kg inorganic N ha^?1 was supplied by the soil plus medic residues per 100 kg dry matter ha^?1 removed as wheat grain.     

Growth and n2 fixation by field grown Medicago littoralis in response to added nitrate and competition from Lolium multiflorum

Medicago littoralis (medic) plants were grown with varying proportions of Lolium multiflorum (ryegrass), in field microplots, containing ¹⁵N labelled soils. Nitrate was applied to the microplots at either of two depths (5 or 20 cm) and at two times (germination and flowering of the medic).

Plants were regularly clipped and the harvested plant materials analyzed to estimate N₂ fixation by the ¹⁵N dilution technique. The labelling method used ensured that the added ¹⁵N was incorporated into the soil organic fraction, producing a stabilized enrichment of the mineral N released, thus eliminating errors due to uptake missmatches between legume and grass.

Nitrate, applied at germination, at 5 or 20 cm, significantly reduced the proportion of N fixed by medic grown with ryegrass by similar amounts. The proportions of N fixed by medic plants generally decreased with increasing proportions of medic, and when nitrate was added at flowering. However, when the nitrate was applied at 20 cm, this effect was not evident—probably due to strong competition from ryegrass roots removing most of the nitrate applied at that depth. Surface-applied nitrate always decreased amounts of N fixed, and also decreased amounts of N fixed g⁻ plant material (from 29 for the nil nitrate to 13 and 20 mg g⁻¹ for nitrate at germination and at flowering, respectively). Increasing proportions of ryegrass in the mixtures also decreased amounts of N fixed. Despite defoliation and water stress, there was no evidence of transfer of fixed N from medic to ryegrass in any treatment.     

Utilization by wheat crops of nitrogen from legume residues decomposing in soils in the field

Ground ¹⁵N-labelled legume material (Medicago littoralis) was mixed with topsoils in confined microplots in the field, and allowed to decompose for 7 and 5 months in successive years (1979, 1980) before sowing wheat. The soil cropped in 1979 (and containing ¹⁵N-labelled wheat roots and legume residues) was cropped again in 1980.The results support evidence that ungrazed legume residues, incorporated in amounts commonly found in southern Australian wheat growing regions, contribute only a little to soil available N and to crop N uptake, even in the first year of their decomposition. Thus mature first crops of wheat, although varying greatly in dry matter yield (2.9-fold) and total N uptake (2.4-fold), took up only 27.8 and 20.2% of the legume N applied at 48.4 kg ha^?1, these corresponding to 6.1 and 10.8% of the N of the wheat crops. The availability of N from medic residues to a second wheat crop declines to <5% of input. For both first and second wheat crops, uptake of N from legume residues was approximately proportional to legume N input over the range 24.2 to 96.8 kg ha ^?1.The proportional contributions of medic N to soil inorganic N, N released in mineralization tests, and to wheat crop N, differed between seasons and soils, but for a given crop did not significantly differ between tillering, flowering and maturity. In both years, grain accounted for 52–65% of the total ¹⁵N of first crops, roots for < 5–6%. In neither year did the amounts of N or ¹⁵N in the tops change significantly between flowering and maturity, despite a gain in tops dry matter in 1979; by contrast N and ¹⁵N of roots decreased significantly during ripening in both years. Wheat plants at tillering contained about 75% of the N and ¹⁵N taken up at flowering. The amounts of legume-derived ¹⁵N in mature first wheat crops were equivalent to 82–88% of the amounts of inorganic ¹⁵N in the soil profiles at sowing. Wheat straw added at the rate of 2.5 t ha^?1, 2 months before sowing, decreased the uptake of N (15%) and ¹⁵N (18%) by wheat in a nitrogen responsive season.     

Carbon distribution and variations in nitrogen-uptake between catch crop species in pot experiments

Chicory (Cichorium intybus L.) and perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) are seen as suitable catch crops species in Sweden. Pot experiments were conducted to study C distribution and variations in nitrogen uptake between several varieties of chicory and perennial ryegrass for comparison.A soil amended with Ca(¹⁵NO₃) (109 and 145 mg N kg⁻¹ soil) and glucose (2.5 g C kg⁻¹ soil) was incubated for 10 days to promote the immobilization of added ¹⁵N; therefore, N was supplied to plants through the remineralization of the immobilized ¹⁵N. In experiment 1 four varieties of chicory and one variety of perennial ryegrass were grown for 60 days in greenhouse conditions. In experiment 2, only two varieties of chicory and one ryegrass were grown in soil with high-N rate of fertilization. In the later experiment, pots were moved from greenhouse to a growth chamber with ¹⁴CO₂ atmosphere for a pulse labelling of the plants 7–10 days before harvest.At both levels of N supply, dry weights of taproots were higher in the chicory cultivars Cassel and Fredonia than in cultivars Puna and Salsa. The opposite was found for dry weights of small roots. There were significant differences in N uptake between chicory varieties. Cassel and Fredonia together with the ryegrass were significantly more effective in securing nitrate than the other two varieties. Significantly higher amounts of labelled-N were found in taproots of Cassel than in Puna. The opposite trend was found for small roots. Similar results were measured for amounts of radioactivity (kBq pot⁻¹) of newly fixed C transferred to roots. Amounts of labelled-N measured in soil residues for both crop species were significantly higher at the low level of N supply than at the high level of N. There was no significant increase in plant uptake of soil-N (native-N) either between chicory varieties or between chicory and ryegrass, when the high level of N was supplied.The importance of these results is discussed in relation to the suitability of chicory species as catch crop and as plant material for breeding.     

Mineralization of nitrogen in fertilizer-acidified lime-amended soils

Summary The application of NH _inf4 ^su+ -based fertilizers to soils slowly lowers soil pH, which in turn decreases nitrification rates. Under these conditions nitrification and N mineralization may be reduced. We therefore investigated the impact of liming fertilizer-acidified soils on nitrification and N mineralization. Soil samples were collected in the spring of 1987 from a field experiment, initiated in 1980, investigating N, tillage, and residue management under continuous corn (Zea mays L.). The pH values (CaCl₂) in the surface soil originally ranged from 6.0 to 6.5. After 6 years the N fertilizer and tillage treatments had reduced the soil pH to values that ranged between 3.7 and 6.2. Incubation treatments included two liming rates (unlimed or SMP-determined lime requirement), two ¹⁵N-labeled fertilizer rates (0 or 20 g N m^-2), and three replicates. Field-moist soil was mixed with lime and packed by original depth into columns. Labeled-¹⁵N ammonium sulfate in solution was surface-applied and columns were leached with 1.5 pore volumes of deionized water every 7 days over a 70-day period. Nitrification occurred in all pH treatments, suggesting that a ferilizer-acidified soil must contain a low-pH tolerant nitrifier population. Liming increased soil pH values (CaCl₂) from 3.7 to 6.2, and increased by 10% (1.5 g N m^-2) the amount of soil-derived NO₃ ^--N that moved through the columns. This increase was the result of enhanced movement of soil-derived NO₃ ^--N through the columns during the first 14 days of incubation. After the initial 14-day period, the limed and unlimed treatments had similar amounts of soil N leaching through the soil columns. Lime increased the nitrification rates and stimulated the early movement of fertilizer-derived NO₃ ^--N through the soil.     

Formation of carcinogenic nitrosamines in soils

The possible formation of carcinogenic nitrosamines in soils was examined. Soil samples amended with NO₂^?-N and dimethylamine incubated for 30 days and analysed every 3 days, showed increasing amounts of dimethylnitrosamine up to 12–15 days. The concentration reached as high as 6.5 parts/10⁶, thereafter, a decline was noted. Most of the nitrosamines disappeared in soils after 30 days. Addition of inorganic N reduced the decomposition of dimethylamine. Soil incubation studies with NO₂^? and trimethylamine showed about 80% reduction in the amount of nitrosamines formed as compared to dimethylamine. Analysis of soil samples from fertilized and polluted areas showed significant amounts of NO^?₃-N but no nitrosamines. Application of 10 parts/10⁶ of dimethylamine to these soil samples resulted in the formation of 0.10 to 0.50 parts/10⁶ of nitrosamines. Autoclaved soil samples incubated with NO₂^? and dimethylamine for 12–15 days produced small amounts of nitrosamines. Addition of glucose to soil samples increased the amounts of nitrosamines formed.     

Fate of 15N-Labeled Potassium Nitrate in Different Citrus-Cultivated Soils: Influence of Spring and Summer Application

The fate of ¹⁵N-labeled potassium nitrate (8.5% ¹⁵N excess) was determined in 3-year-old Valencia orange trees grown in 1-m³ containers filled with different textured soils (sandy and loamy). The trees were fertilized either in spring (24 March) or summer (24 July). Spring fertilized trees gave higher fruit yields in sandy than in loamy soils, which exceeded summer fertilized trees in both cases. Summer fertilized trees had greater leaf biomass than spring fertilized trees. Fibrous root weight was 1.9-fold higher in sandy than in loamy soil. At the end of the cycle, tree N recovery from spring application was 45.7% for sandy and 37.7% for loamy soil; from summer fertilization, N recovery was 58.9% and 51.5% for sandy and loamy soils, respectively. The ¹⁵N recovered in the inorganic soil fraction (0?C90?cm) was higher for loamy (1.3%) than for sandy soil (0.4%). Fertilizer N immobilized in the organic matter was lower in sandy (2.5%) than in loamy soil (6.0%). Potential nitrate leaching from fertilizer (¹⁵NO ₃ ^? ?CN in the 90?C110-cm soil layer plus ¹⁵NO ₃ ^? ?CN in drainage water) was 34.8% higher in sandy than in loamy soil. The low N levels in sandy soil resulted from both higher NO ₃ ^? ?CN leaching losses and higher N uptake of plants grown in the former. The great root mass and higher soil temperatures could account for raised plant N uptake in sandy soil and in summer, respectively.     

Effect of phosphorus management in rice–mungbean rotations on sandy soils of Cambodia

Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) deficiencies are key constraints in rainfed lowland rice (Oryza sativa L.) production systems of Cambodia. Only small amounts of mineral N and P or of organic amendment are annually applied to a single crop of rainfed lowland rice by smallholder farmers. The integration of leguminous crops in the pre‐rice cropping niche can contribute to diversify the production, supply of C and N, and contribute to soil fertility improvement for the subsequent crop of rice. However, the performance of leguminous crops is restricted even more than that of rice by low available soil P. An alternative strategy involves the application of mineral P that is destined to the rice crop already to the legume. This P supply is likely to stimulate legume growth and biological N₂ fixation, thus enhancing C and N inputs and recycling N and P upon legume residue incorporation. Rotation experiments were conducted in farmers' fields in 2013–2014 to assess the effects of P management on biomass accumulation and N₂ fixation (δ¹⁵N) by mungbean (Vigna radiata L.) and possible carry‐over effects on rice in two contrasting representative soils (highly infertile and moderately fertile sandy Fluvisol). In the traditional system (no legume), unamended lowland rice (no N, + 10 kg P ha^?1) yielded 2.8 and 4.0 t ha^?1, which increased to 3.5 and 4.7 t ha^?1 with the application of 25 kg ha^?1 of urea‐N in the infertile and the moderately fertile soil, respectively. The integration of mungbean as a green manure contributed up to 9 kg of biologically fixed N (17% Nfda), increasing rice yields only moderately to 3.5–4.6 t ha^?1. However, applying P to mungbean stimulated legume growth and enhanced the BNF contribution up to 21 kg N ha^?1 (36% Nfda). Rice yields resulting from legume residue incorporation (“green manure use”–all residues returned and “grain legume use”–only stover returned) increased to 4.2 and 4.9 t ha^?1 in the infertile and moderately fertile soil, respectively. The “forage legume use” (all above‐ground residues removed) provided no yield effect. In general, legume residue incorporation was more beneficial in the infertile than in the moderately fertile soil. We conclude that the inclusion of mungbean into the prevailing low‐input rainfed production systems of Cambodia can increase rice yield, provided that small amounts of P are applied to the legume. Differences in the attributes of the two major soil types in the region require a site‐specific targeting of the suggested legume and P management strategies, with largest benefits likely to accrue on infertile soils.     

How to calculate nitrogen rhizodeposition: a case study in estimating N rhizodeposition in the pea (Pisum sativum L.) and grasspea (Lathyrus sativus L.) using a continuous N labelling split-root technique

The formulae used in studies with ¹⁵N labelling techniques for estimating the N rhizodeposition (Ndfr) of legumes differ according to the background atom% ¹⁵N values used to determine ¹⁵N excess in the soil and roots grown in soil. Therefore, a continuous ¹⁵N labelling split-root experiment with pea (Pisum sativum L.) and grasspea (Lathyrus sativus L.) was undertaken and the relevant calculations were made to determine a valid method for calculating Ndfr. It is shown that a non-nodulated reference plant or a legume grown on soil without ¹⁵N labelling are required components of experiments which aim to estimate legume-N rhizodeposition, if the ¹⁵N abundance of the total soil N at the start of the experiment and that of the total plant available soil N are different. The standard formula was developed further to calculate Ndfr in a valid way. The impact of using different background atom% ¹⁵N values on the results when estimating Ndfr are demonstrated according to the ¹⁵N abundance of the roots grown in the soil. At physiological maturity, the rhizodeposition of N from roots grown in the soil was 19.8 mg N plant⁻¹ for pea and 14.1 mg N plant⁻¹ for grasspea, which is, respectively, equivalent to 10.5 and 9.2% of their total root and shoot N.     

Release of nonexchangeable NH4-N after planting of ryegrass in relation to soil content and as affected by nitrate supply

The uptake of N by ryegrass grown in pot culture on a range of soils differing widely in content of nonexchangeable NH₄-N (topsoils: 117 to 354 mg kg^?1 soil; subsoils: 117 to 270 mg kg^?1 soil) was measured to indicate whether the amounts of NH₄-N released from clay minerals were correlated with soil NH₄-N. After two cuts soil analysis revealed that the amounts of mobilized nonexchangeable NH₄-N were between 3.5 and 25.2 mg kg^?1 from topsoils and between 0 and 8.2 mg kg^?1 from subsoils. There was no correlation between soil nonexchangeable NH₄-N content and release. The NH₄-N extracted with 1 N HCl and the actual N uptake of the plants correlated highly significant. Assuming that the whole of the NH₄-N released was taken up by ryegrass, NH₄-N accounted for 11.2 to 75.0% of total N uptake from topsoils and 0 to 37.3% from subsoils. The release of nonexchangeable NH₄-N was increased by the application of nitrate.     

Assessment of the relative uptake of added and indigenous soil nitrogen by nodulated legumes and reference plants in the 15N dilution measurement of N2 fixation: Glasshouse application of method

A method for calculating the relative uptake (R) of added N and indigenous soil N by a legume (Trifolium subterraneum) and non-legume (Lolium rigidum), growing together, was investigated in two pot experiments. In the first experiment, ¹⁵N-labelled sodium nitrate was applied to the soil surface at rates equivalent to 0.3 or 1.0kg N ha^?1. Twenty one days later, the legume had fixed about 95% of its total N and this was unaffected by N addition. There was no difference in R values between legume and non-legume at both N rates.In the second experiment using a soil of higher total N, sodium nitrate or ammonium sulphate were surface-applied at a rate equivalent to 1 kg N ha^?1 and harvests were made at 3, 6, 12 and 27 days after N addition. Fixation of atmospheric N₂ by the legume did not begin until day 12 but accounted for about 40% of the total N assimilated by the legume by day 27. There was no difference in R values between legume and non-legume throughout the growth period when sodium nitrate was applied. However, when ammonium sulphate was added to label to soil N, the uptake of added N relative to indigenous soil N was greater for the non-legume than the legume. This caused an overestimation (51 vs 43%) of the proportion on N fixed by the legume when compared with that for the control or sodium nitrate treatments.     

Differing N status and N retention processes of soils under old-growth lowland forest in Eastern Amazonia,Caxiuanã, Brazil

Indirect evidence of the nitrogen (N) status of tropical forests strongly suggests that in heavily weathered soils under old-growth lowland tropical forests nitrogen is in relative excess. However, within the lowland forests of the Amazon basin, there is substantial evidence that soil texture influences soil NH₄⁺ and NO₃^? concentrations and hence possibly N availability and retention in the soil. Here, we evaluate the soil N status of two heavily weathered soils which contrast in texture (sandy versus clay Oxisol). Using ¹⁵N pool dilution, we quantified gross rates of soil N cycling and retention. We also measured the δ¹⁵N signatures from the litter layer down to 50-cm depth mineral soil and calculated the overall ¹⁵N enrichment factor (ε) for each soil type. The clay soil showed high gross N mineralization and nitrification rates and a high overall ¹⁵N enrichment factor, signifying high N losses. The sandy soil had low gross rates of N cycling and ¹⁵N enrichment factor, manifesting a conservative soil N cycling. Faster turnover rates of NH₄⁺ compared to NO₃^? indicated that NH₄⁺ cycles faster through microorganisms than NO₃^?, possibly contributing to better retention of NH₄⁺ than NO₃^?. However this was opposite to abiotic retention processes, which showed higher conversion of NO₃^? to the organic N pool than NH₄⁺. Our combined results suggest that clay Oxisol in Amazonian forest have higher N availability than sandy Oxisol, which will have important consequences for changes in soil N cycling and losses when projected increase in anthropogenic N deposition will occur.     

A comparison of different preservation methods for nitrogen isotopes of soil extractable NO3-

Nitrogen(N) isotope ratio(δ~(15)N) of soil extractable NO_3~- plays a pivotal role in the study of N biogeochemical circulation in ecosystems. However, the NO_3~-concentration and its isotope composition of soil samples are unstable, making sample storage critical for preserving the N isotope composition of extracted soil NO_3~-. Nevertheless, studies on the appropriate selection of storage methods after soil sampling are scarce. In this study, we compared two commonly used methods for storing soil samples and investigated the stability of N isotopes of soil NO_3~-. The results demonstrated that no significant changes in the NO_3~-concentration and δ~(15)N value occurred in the samples stored at-18?C. However, the soil NO_3~-concentration markedly increased, and NO_3~-δ~(15)N value significantly changed after air-drying storage. Meanwhile, we also found that NO_3~-and its δ~(15)N were well preserved in the filtered soil extracts after 1 month. In contrast, the NO_3~-concentration gradually decreased and the~(15)N in NO_3~-was gradually enriched in the bactericidal agent-containing soil mixture solution during the storage period. Overall, our results indicated that N isotopes of NO_3~-could be effectively preserved in frozen-stored soil samples or filtered soil extracts. For field investigations conducted in remote areas and continued for a long-time period(and lacking a refrigerant supply), soil extraction/filtration using a CaSO_4-saturated solution may be a superior preparation and storage method for analyzing N isotopes of soil NO_3~-.     

Comparative Study on Disturbed and Undisturbed Soil Sample Incubation for Estimating Soil Nitrogen-Supplying Capacity

Application of nitrogen (N) fertilizers without knowing the N-supplying capacity of soils may lead to low N use efficiency, uneconomical crop production, and pollution of the environment. Based on the results from pot experiments treated with soil initial nitrate leaching and native soil, long-term alternate leaching aerobic incubation was conducted to study the disturbed and undisturbed soil N-supplying capacity of surface soil samples in 11 sites with different fertilities on the Loess Plateau. The results indicated that the entire indexes and ryegrass (Lolium perenne) uptake N with soil initial nitrate leaching showed a better correlation than that without soil initial nitrate leaching. Except the correlation coefficients for soil initial nitrate (NO₃ ^?)-N and mineral N extracted by calcium chloride (CaCl₂) before aerobic incubation with ryegrass uptake without soil initial nitrate leaching, the correlation coefficients for soil initial NO₃ ^?-N and mineral N extracted by CaCl₂ before aerobic incubation with ryegrass uptake with soil initial nitrate leaching and those for mineralizable N extracted by aerobic incubation, soil initial mineral N and mineralizable N extracted by aerobic incubation, potentially mineralizable N (N₀) and soil initial mineral N + N₀ with ryegrass uptake N under the two cases in disturbed treatment were all higher than those in undisturbed treatment. We concluded that NO₃ ^?-N in soil extracted by CaCl₂ before aerobic incubation can reflect soil N-supplying capacity but cannot reflect soil potential N-supplying capacity. Without soil initial nitrate leaching, the effect of disturbed and undisturbed soil samples incubated under laboratory conditions for estimating soil N-supplying capacity was not good; however, with soil initial nitrate leaching, this method could give better results for soil N-supplying capacity. Based on the results from pot experiments treated with soil initial nitrate leaching and native soil, the mineralization of disturbed soil samples can give provide better results for predicting soil N-supplying capacity for in situ structure soil conditions on the Loess Plateau than undisturbed soil samples.     

Establishment of Critical Sap and Soil Nitrate Concentrations using a Cardy Nitrate Meter for Two Carrot Cultivars Grown on Organic and Mineral Soil

Abstract

Nitrate (NO₃ ^?) meters have been used effectively for crop nitrogen (N) management in many crops, including corn and cabbage. The use of a Cardy NO₃ ^? meter to assess the N status of the carrot crop could improve the utilization of applied N, but critical NO₃‐N concentrations are required. Two carrot cultivars were grown on mineral and organic soils over 3 years at five N application rates to establish critical sap and soil NO₃‐N concentrations and to identify the effects of soil type and cultivar. Although a yield response to N application occurred on mineral soil in 2 of 3 years, consistent critical sap NO₃‐N concentrations could not be established because of variability among years, cultivars, and soil types. Critical soil nitrate concentrations were highly variable, but values of 31 to 36 mg · L^?1 NO₃‐N could be established for the early sampling date to 30 cm deep. Sap NO₃‐N concentrations cannot be used alone for N analysis of carrots, but early‐season soil NO₃‐N assessment could be useful in adjusting N‐fertilization practices.     

‘Non-exchangeable’ ammonium in soils from Swedish long-term agricultural experiments: Mobilization and effects of fertilizer application

Abstract

In intensive agricultural systems, efficient nutrient use is necessary for high crop yields as well as for sustainable environmental management. Recent studies in temperate regions indicate that non-exchangeable NH₄ ⁺-N (NEA), which is fixed in clay minerals, may affect crop productivity and soil N dynamics more than previously thought. To estimate the quantity and plant availability of NEA in Swedish soils, ryegrass (Lolium perenne) was grown in a pot experiment using 18 soils that were collected (0–20?cm depth) from two long-term agricultural experiment series at five locations. Initial NEA, total N and soil K contents were measured, as well as NEA content 56, 112 and 168?days after planting of ryegrass. The results show that the soils (0–20?cm) contained 21–217?mg?NEA?kg^?1 sieved soil (5–300?kg?NEA?ha^?1) estimated as corresponding to 0.1–5.1% of the total soil N. Long-term application of farmyard manure (FYM) did not increase contents of soil NEA. Long-term application of K fertilizer increased soil contents of AL-extractable K, but there was no significant correlation with NEA content. Concurrent with ryegrass growth, NEA content decreased on average by 16% between day 0 and day 112, indicating that NEA was released from the soil and taken up by the plants.     

Natural N abundances of inorganic nitrogen in soil treated with fertilizer and compost under changing soil moisture regimes

This study was conducted to examine whether the applications of N-inputs (compost and fertilizer) having different N isotopic compositions (δ¹⁵N) produce isotopically different inorganic-N and to investigate the effect of soil moisture regimes on the temporal variations in the δ¹⁵N of inorganic-N in soils. To do so, the temporal variations in the concentrations and the δ¹⁵N of NH₄⁺ and NO₃⁻ in soils treated with two levels (0 and 150 mg N kg⁻¹) of ammonium sulfate (δ¹⁵N=−2.3‰) and compost (+13.9‰) during a 10-week incubation were compared by changing soil moisture regime after 6 weeks either from saturated to unsaturated conditions or vice versa. Another incubation study using ¹⁵N-labeled ammonium sulfate (3.05 ¹⁵N atom%) was conducted to estimate the rates of nitrification and denitrification with a numerical model FLUAZ. The δ¹⁵N values of NH₄⁺ and NO₃⁻ were greatly affected by the availability of substrate for each of the nitrification and denitrification processes and the soil moisture status that affects the relative predominance between the two processes. Under saturated conditions for 6 weeks, the δ¹⁵N of NH₄⁺ in soils treated with fertilizer progressively increased from +2.9‰ at 0.5 week to +18.9‰ at 6 weeks due to nitrification. During the same period, NO₃⁻ concentrations were consistently low and the corresponding δ¹⁵N increased from +16.3 to +39.2‰ through denitrification. Under subsequent water-unsaturated conditions, the NO₃⁻ concentrations increased through nitrification, which resulted in the decrease in the δ¹⁵N of NO₃⁻. In soils, which were unsaturated for the first 6-weeks incubation, the δ¹⁵N of NH₄⁺ increased sharply at 0.5 week due to fast nitrification. On the other hand, the δ¹⁵N of NO₃⁻ showed the lowest value at 0.5 week due to incomplete nitrification, but after a subsequence increase, they remained stable while nitrification and denitrification were negligible between 1 and 6 weeks. Changing to saturated conditions after the initial 6-weeks incubation, however, increased the δ¹⁵N of NO₃⁻ progressively with a concurrent decrease in NO₃⁻ concentration through denitrification. The differences in δ¹⁵N of NO⁻₃ between compost and fertilizer treatments were consistent throughout the incubation period. The δ¹⁵N of NO₃⁻ increased with the addition of compost (range: +13.0 to +35.4‰), but decreased with the addition of fertilizer (−10.8 to +11.4‰), thus resulting in intermediate values in soils receiving both fertilizer and compost (−3.5 to +20.3‰). Therefore, such differences in δ¹⁵N of NO₃⁻ observed in this study suggest a possibility that the δ¹⁵N of upland-grown plants receiving compost would be higher than those treated with fertilizer because NO₃⁻ is the most abundant N for plant uptake in upland soils.     

Soil solarization: Effects on soil properties,crop fertilization and plant growth

Summer solarization of six wet field soils of four different textures raised soil temperatures by 10–12°C at 15cm depth. Soil solarization increased concentrations of NO^?₃N and NH⁺₄N up to six times those in nontreated soils. Concentrations of P, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺ and electrical conductivity (EC) increased in some of the solarized soils. Solarization did not consistently affect available K⁺, Fe³⁺, Mn²⁺, Zn²⁺, Cu²⁺, Cl^? concentrations, soil pH or total organic matter. Concentrations of mineral nutrients in wet soil covered by transparent polyethylene film, but insulated against solar heating, were the same as those in nontreated soil. Increases in NO^?₃N plus NH⁺₄N were no longer detected in fallowed soils 9 months after solarization. No significant correlation between mineral-nutrient concentration in plant tissue and plant growth was found. Fresh and dry weights of radish, pepper and Chinese cabbage plants usually were greater when grown in solarized soils than in nontreated soils. Fertilization of solarized soils sometimes resulted in greater plant growth responses than observed in solarized but nonfertilized soils.     

Isotopic evaluation of the role of arbuscular mycorrhizae in the nitrogen preference in Chinese fir seedlings

Chinese fir seedlings grow well in shrubland (including deciduous forest) soils without or less fertilizer application, but they sometimes harbor disease and show symptoms of nitrogen deficiency in ploughed (including several rotation of Chinese fir plantation) soils, where agricultural practice and clear-felling reduce the abundance and diversity of mycorrhizal fungi, and lead to destruction of mycorrhizae. Based on measurements of foliar δ¹⁵N or foliar δ¹⁵N_fol-soil in seedlings collected from 33 nurseries, we compared the effect of an AM-mediated process on nitrogen resource use between shrubland and ploughed soils. In mycorrhizal seedlings growing in shrubland soils, both foliar δ¹⁵N and foliar δ¹⁵N (fol-soil) were significantly higher than those in ploughed soils, likely because of enhanced high δ¹⁵N/NO₃^? absorption through AM-mediated pathways. Those results showed that foliar δ¹⁵N typically reflected the isotopic signature of the source pools of N. We suggest that the dominant N form taken up by fir seedlings growing in ploughed soils was NH₄⁺-N rather than NO₃^?-N, where colonized root epidermis play an important role in exploiting soil N resource. However, the N form taken up by fir seedling growing in shrubland soils was primarily NO₃^?-N compared to NH₄⁺-N, which is attributed to the high efficiency in an AM-mediated process rather than the dominance of N species in the different habitats. It is conceivable that combined colonized root epidermis with AM-mediated process may be more important than root epidermis alone in exploiting different forms of N in nursery soils. Therefore, in low N and acidic ecosystems, species other than the dominant N-NH₄⁺, should be considered to satisfy the N demand for Chinese fir survival and growth, while the efficiency of an AM-mediated process should be determined by soil abiotic conditions.