Phosphorus uptake and rhizosphere properties of intercropped and monocropped maize, faba bean, and white lupin in acidic soil

Little information is available on phosphorus (P) uptake and rhizosphere processes in maize (Zea mays L.), faba bean (Vicia faba L.), and white lupin (Lupinus albus L.) when intercropped or grown alone in acidic soil. We studied P uptake and soil pH, carboxylate concentration, and microbial community structure in the rhizosphere of maize, faba bean, and white lupin in an acidic soil with 0–250 mg P (kg⁻¹ soil) as KH₂PO₄ (KP) or FePO₄ (FeP) with species grown alone or intercropped. All plant species increased the pH compared to unplanted control, particularly faba bean. High KP supply (>100 mg P kg⁻¹) significantly increased carboxylate concentration in the rhizosphere of maize. The carboxylate composition of the rhizosphere soil of maize and white lupin was significantly affected by P form (KP or FeP), whereas, this was not the case for faba bean. In maize, the carboxylate composition of the rhizosphere soil differed significantly between intercropping and monocropping. Yield and P uptake were similar in monocropping and intercropping. Monocropped faba bean had a greater concentration of phospholipid fatty acids in the rhizosphere than that in intercropping. Intercropping changed the microbial community structure in faba bean but not in the other corps. The results show that P supply and P form, as well as intercropping can affect carboxylate concentration and microbial community composition in the rhizosphere, but that the effect is plant species-specific. In contrast to previous studies in alkaline soils, intercropping of maize with legumes did not result in increased maize growth suggesting that the legumes did not increase P availability to maize in this acidic soil.     

Growth and rhizosphere P pools of legume–wheat rotations at low P supply

Legume pre-crops may increase P uptake of the following wheat, but the mechanisms behind this effect are unclear. A rotation study was carried out to assess the concentrations of rhizosphere P pools of three grain legumes and wheat (phase 1) and their effects on P uptake and P pools in the rhizosphere of the following wheat (phase 2). Faba bean, chickpea, white lupin and wheat were grown for 10 weeks in a loamy sand soil with low P availability. The following wheat was grown in the pre-crop soil with and without addition of pre-crop residues. Among the pre-crops, white lupin had the strongest effect on the P pools; it depleted the labile P pools, resin P and NaHCO₃-Pi and also the less labile P pools, NaOH-Pi and residual P; whereas the concentration of NaHCO₃-Po was higher than that in the rhizosphere of the other pre-crops. White lupin had a smaller biomass compared to faba bean which depleted the P pools to a lesser extent. Phosphorus uptake of the following wheat was greatest in white lupin pre-crop soil. Chickpea increased P uptake of the following wheat when residues were added. In the presence of residues, wheat after legumes depleted labile P pools to a greater extent than wheat after wheat, but this coincided with greater P uptake only in wheat after chickpea and white lupin, which may be explained by the small root biomass of wheat after faba bean. The results show that the greater P uptake of the following wheat induced by pre-crops may be due to two mechanisms: P mobilisation (white lupin) or P addition with legume residues (chickpea). This study further showed that P uptake by a crop is only partly a function of the depletion of P in the rhizosphere; another important factor is the ability to exploit a large soil volume.     

Grain legume pre-crops and their residues affect the growth, P uptake and size of P pools in the rhizosphere of the following wheat

Legumes have been shown to increase P uptake of the following cereal, but the underlying mechanisms are unclear. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of legume pre-crops and their residues on the growth, P uptake and size of soil P pools in the rhizosphere of the following wheat. Three grain legumes (faba bean, chickpea and white lupin) were grown until maturity in loamy sand soil with low P availability to which 80?mg P kg^?1 was supplied. This pre-crop soil was then amended with legume residues or left un-amended and planted with wheat. The growth, P uptake and concentrations of P pools in the rhizosphere of the following wheat were measured 6?weeks after sowing. In a separate experiment, residue decomposition was measured over 42?days by determining soil CO₂ release as well as available N and P. Decomposition rates were highest for chickpea residues and lowest for wheat residues. P release was greatest from white lupin residues and N release was greatest from faba bean residues, while wheat residues resulted in net N and P immobilisation. The growth of the following wheat was greater in legume pre-crop soil without residue than in soils with residue addition, while the reverse was true for plant P concentration. Among the legumes, faba bean had the strongest effect on growth, P uptake and concentrations of the rhizosphere P pools of the following wheat. Regardless of the pre-crop and residue treatment, wheat depleted the less labile pools residual P as well as NaOH-Pi and Po, with a stronger depletion of the organic pool. We conclude that although P in the added residues may become available during decomposition, the presence of the residues in the soil had a negative effect on the growth of the following wheat. Further, pre-crops or their residues had little effect on the size of P pools in the rhizosphere of wheat.     

Estimating N rhizodeposition of grain legumes using a N in situ stem labelling method

Grain legumes in crop rotations cause significant increases in yield for succeeding non-legumes, which cannot be explained simply by the small effect that legumes have on the soil nitrogen balance, as found in the analysis of N in crop residues. Besides known positive non-N-effects, other effects, mainly rhizodeposition and its contribution to the N balance and nitrogen dynamics after harvesting the grain, are poorly understood. In this study, N rhizodeposition, defined as root-derived N in the soil after removal of visible roots, was measured in faba bean (Vicia faba L.), pea (Pisum sativum L.) and white lupin (Lupinus albus L.). In a pot experiment the legumes were pulse labelled in situ with ¹⁵N urea using a cotton wick method. About 84% of the applied ¹⁵N was recovered for the three legume species at maturity. The ¹⁵N was comparatively uniformly distributed among plant parts. The N rhizodeposition constituted 13% of total plant N for faba bean and pea and 16% for white lupin at maturity, about 80% of below ground plant N, respectively. Some 7% (lupin)-31% (pea) of the total N rhizodeposits were recovered as micro-roots by wet sieving (200 μm) the soil after all visible roots had been removed. Only 14-18% of the rhizodeposition N was found in the microbial biomass and a very small amount of 3-7% was found in the mineral N fraction. In pea, 48% and in lupin 72% of N rhizodeposits could not be recovered in the mentioned pools and a major part of the unrecovered N was probably immobilised in microbial residues. The results of this study clearly indicate that N rhizodeposition from grain legumes represent a significant pool for N balance and N dynamics in crop rotations.     

Biological nitrogen fixation in faba bean (Vicia faba L.) in the Ethiopian highlands as affected by P fertilization and inoculation

 N₂ fixation by leguminous crops is a relatively low-cost alternative to N fertilizer for small-holder farmers in developing countries. N₂ fixation in faba bean (Vicia faba L.) as affected by P fertilization (0 and 20 kg P ha^–1) and inoculation (uninoculated and inoculated) with Rhizobium leguminosarium biovar viciae (strain S-18) was studied using the ¹⁵N isotope dilution method in the southeastern Ethiopian highlands at three sites differing in soil conditions and length of growing period. Nodulation at the late flowering stage was significantly influenced by P and inoculation only at the location exhibiting the lowest soil P and pH levels. The percentage of N derived from the atmosphere ranged from 66 to 74%, 58 to 74% and 62 to 73% with a corresponding total amount of N₂ fixed ranging from 169 to 210 kg N ha^–1, 139 to 184 kg N ha^–1 and 147 to 174 kg N ha^–1 at Bekoji, Kulumsa and Asasa, respectively. The total N₂ fixed was not significantly affected by P fertilizer or inoculation across all locations, and there was no interaction between the factors. However, at all three locations, N₂ fixation was highly positively correlated with the dry matter production and total N yield of faba bean. Soil N balances after faba bean were positive (12–58 kg N ha^–1) relative to the highly negative N balances (–9–44 kg N ha^–1) following wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), highlighting the importance of rotation with faba bean in the cereal-based cropping systems of Ethiopia. Received: 13 January 2000     

APPLICATION OF INCREASING LEVELS OF ZINC TO SOIL REDUCED ACCUMULATION OF CADMIUM IN LUPIN GRAIN

Yellow lupin (Lupinus luteus L.) and narrow-leafed lupin (L. angustifolius L.) are grown as grain legumes in rotation with spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) on acidic sandy soils of south-western Australia. Yellow lupin can accumulate significantly larger cadmium (Cd) concentrations in grain than narrow-leafed lupin. A glasshouse experiment was undertaken to test whether adding increasing zinc (Zn) levels to soil increased Zn uptake by yellow lupin reducing accumulation of Cd in yellow lupin grain. Two cultivars of yellow lupin (cv. ‘Motiv’ and ‘Teo’) and 1 cultivar of narrow-leafed lupin (cv. ‘Gungurru’) were used. The soil was Zn deficient for grain production of both yellow and narrow-leafed lupin, but had low levels of native soil Cd (total Cd <0.05 mg kg^?1) so 1.6 mg Cd pot^?1, as a solution of cadmium chloride (CdCl₂·H₂O), was added and mixed through the soil. Eight Zn levels (0–3.2 mg Zn pot^?1), as solutions of zinc sulfate (ZnSO₄·7H₂O), were added and evenly mixed through the soil. Yellow lupin accumulated 0.16 mg Cd kg^?1 in grain when no Zn was applied, which decreased as increasing Zn levels were applied to soil, with ～0.06 mg Cd kg^?1 in grain when the largest level of Zn (3.2 mg Zn pot^?1) was applied. Low Cd concentrations (<0.016 mg Cd kg^?1) were measured in narrow-leafed lupin grain regardless of the Zn treatment. When no Zn was applied, yellow lupin produced ～2.3 times more grain than narrow-leafed lupin, indicating yellow lupin was better at acquiring and using indigenous Zn from soil for grain production. Yellow lupin required about half as much applied Zn as narrow-leafed lupin to produce 90% of the maximum grain yield, ～0.8 mg pot^?1 Zn compared with ～1.5 mg Zn pot^?1. Zn concentration in whole shoots of young plants (eight leaf growth stage) related to 90% of the maximum grain yield (critical prognostic concentration) was (mg Zn kg^?1) 25 for both yellow lupin cultivars and 19 for the narrow-leafed lupin cultivar. Critical Zn concentration in grain related to 90% of maximum grain yield was (mg Zn kg^?1) 24 for both yellow lupin cultivars compared with 20 for the narrow-leafed lupin cultivar.     

Effects of intercropping and Rhizobium inoculation on yield and rhizosphere bacterial community of faba bean (Vicia faba L.)

The effects of intercropping with maize and Rhizobium inoculation on the yield of faba bean and rhizosphere bacterial diversity were analyzed by terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism, amplified 16S rDNA restriction analysis (ARDRA), and 16S rDNA sequencing. The results showed that intercropping but not Rhizobium inoculation significantly increased the faba bean yield. Probably the relatively high level of native rhizobia in soil annulled the effect of rhizobia inoculation. ARDRA results showed that intercropping did not affect bacterial diversity whereas Rhizobium inoculation decreased bacterial diversity. The canonical correspondence analysis showed that the composition of bacterial community was changed apparently by intercropping, and there was a positive correlation (P = 0.724) between faba bean yields and intercropping and an apparent correlation (P = 0.648) between intercropping and total N. The available content of K and P had a lower effect on the bacterial community composition than did the total N content, Rhizobium inoculation, and microbial biomass C. Rhizobium inoculation negatively correlated with microbial biomass C (P = −0.827). These results revealed a complex interaction among the intercropped crops, inoculation with rhizobia, and indigenous bacteria and implied that the increase of faba bean production in intercropping might be related to the modification of rhizosphere bacterial community.     

Accumulation of Cadmium by Lupin Species as Affected by Cd Application to Acidic Yellow Sand

Cadmium (Cd) accumulation in the aboveground parts of grain crops, and cultivar variation in uptake are of significant concern in the food supply chain. A glasshouse experiment on an acidic yellow sand was conducted to determine the effect of applied cadmium (0, 0.83, 1.67, 2.5, 3.35 mg Cd kg^?1 soil) on the grain yield of Lupinus angustifolius L. (narrow-leafed lupin; cv. Gungurru) and Lupinus luteus L. (yellow lupin) cultivars, and the concentration and uptake (content) of cadmium by stems and grain. The addition of Cd decreased the grain yield of all varieties of yellow lupin, except Teo-105. However, the grain yield of narrow-leafed lupin was not significantly (p = 0.05) reduced by the addition of Cd to the soil. The grain yield of yellow lupin varieties of P283553 and 94017-3 decreased by 50–60% by the addition of Cd compared to other varieties (Wodjil, 94DO19-1) where grain yield decreased by about 10% with Cd application. Cadmium concentration in plant stems and grain and the content of Cd in lupin plants increased markedly with increasing levels of Cd in the soil. The increase in Cd concentration in stems and grain with the addition of Cd was always higher in yellow lupin than for narrow-leafed lupin. The Cd concentration in the grain of narrow-leafed lupin was about 40% of that of yellow lupin. The concentration of Cd in the stem at maturity was always higher than the Cd concentration in the grain for both Lupinus species. Yellow lupin, except 94DO19-1 had higher concentration of Cd in grain where no Cd was applied to the soil. However, compared to narrow-leafed lupin, all yellow lupin varieties had higher concentration of Cd in grain where Cd was applied to the soil.     

RESPONSES OF COOL-SEASON GRAIN LEGUMES AND WHEAT TO SOIL-APPLIED ZINC

The yield and zinc (Zn) content response of faba bean (Vicia faba L.), chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.), lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) to applications of Zn fertilizer was compared in a glasshouse experiment using two alkaline soils from southwestern Australia. Comparative Zn requirements were determined from yields of 46-day-old dried shoots when no Zn fertilizer was applied, the amount of Zn required to produce the same percentage of the maximum (relative) yield of dried shoots, and the Zn content of dried shoots (Zn concentration multiplied by yield of dried shoots). The concentration of Zn in youngest tissue and in dried shoots was used to determine critical concentrations for Zn in tissue. Faba bean used indigenous soil Zn more effectively than chickpea, followed by wheat and then lentil. The Zn requirement was lowest for faba bean, and increased in the order faba bean < chickpea < wheat < lentil. Zinc concentration in dried youngest tissue and in dried shoots increased with an increase in the amount of added Zn. The critical Zn concentration in the youngest tissue, associated with 90% of the relative yield, was (mg Zn kg^?1): 25 for lentil, 18 for faba bean, 17 for chickpea and 12 for wheat; corresponding values for dried whole tops (mg Zn kg^?1) were: 30 for lentil, 19 for faba bean, 17 for chickpea, and 20 for wheat. Information on comparative responses of the grain legumes to Zn additions relative to wheat, and critical tissue test values, will aid in the fertilizer management of Zn in cool-season grain legumes in the southwestern Australian farming systems.     

Calculating changes of legume rhizosphere soil pH and soil solution phosphorus from phosphorus uptake

Abstract

Some legumes are known to reduce rhizosphere soil pH which in turn usually increases soil solution P, P_li and therefore increases P uptake. In an initial experiment with a nonlegume [corn (Zea mays L.)], observed P uptake agreed closely with predicted P uptake while with a legume [alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)], observed P uptake was greater than predicted P because the rhizosphere was acidified, P_li increased, and more P was absorbed. Using a pot experiment, this investigation calculates the change in rhizosphere pH and P_li necessary to have predicted P uptake obtained with a mechanistic uptake model agree with observed P uptake. The pot experiment was conducted with alfalfa, faba bean (Vicia faba L.) and Austrian winter pea (Lathyrus hirsutus) grown on Chalmers silt loam (fine‐silty, mixed, mesic Typic Haplaquolls) limed to pH levels of 5.72, 6.30, 7.22 and 8.30. Predicted phosphorus uptake at each pH level was calculated with the uptake model using the data for bulk soil. The relation of predicted P uptake to initial soil pH was determined, then this relation was used with observed P uptake to calculate rhizosphere pH. Subsequently, P_li as a function of pH was determined and used to calculate rhizosphere P_li. In this study, the calculations indicate that legumes reduced rhizosphere soil pH by 0.39 to 0.77 units and increased P availability by 20.8 to 241.7%.     

Phosphatversorgung von Sommerweizen (Triticum aestivum L.) in Mischkultur mit Weißer Lupine (Lupinus albus L.)

Phosphorus nutrition of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in mixed culture with white lupin (Lupinus albus L.). Spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L. ?Schirokko”?) and white lupin (Lupinus albus L.) were grown in mixed culture in Mitscherlich pots with 20 kg of soil in a green house. The soil used was a B_t of a Parabraunerde-Pseudogley from loess low in available P and limed from pH 4.6 to pH 6.5. Phosphorus was added as phosphate rock. In half of the pots cylinders of stainless steel screen prevented intertwining of the roots of the plant species. Independent of P addition, white lupin had higher dry matter production and P uptake than wheat, even although wheat had thinner roots and higher root densities than lupin, factors which favour the utilization of soil and fertilizer P. The higher P efficiency of white lupin was due to higher P uptake rates per unit root length mainly through mobilization of P especially in the rhizosphere of the proteoid roots. When the roots of the two species were allowed to intertwine, shoot dry matter production of wheat was nearly double because of improved tillering. Higher P concentrations and a more than 2-fold higher P uptake indicated that the increase in dry matter production of wheat was due to improved P nutrition. Nitrogen concentrations, however, remained unaffected at sufficient levels. An increased P uptake rate per unit root length was responsible for the better utilization of P by wheat, rather than the increase in total root length, due to the extended root volume. White lupin was able to mobilize P in the rhizosphere in excess of its own requirements. Thus mobilized P may be available to less P-efficient plants grown in mixed culture.     

Root Morphology,Proton Release,and Carboxylate Exudation in Lupin in Response to Phosphorus Deficiency

Narrow-leafed lupin (Lupinus angustifolius L.) is widely planted in infertile acidic soils where phosphorus (P) deficiency is one of the major limiting factors for plant growth. A hydroponic experiment was conducted to examine the morphological and physiological responses of roots of narrow-leafed lupin in response to altered P supply at 0, 1, 10, 25 or 75 μ M P as monopotassium phosphate (KH₂PO₄). Low P (P₀ and P₁) significantly decreased the plant biomass, but the supply of 10 μ M P was sufficient to produce similar plant biomass as the maximal P supply (P₇₅), indicating an efficient P acquisition by narrow-leafed lupin. Phosphorus deficiency did not enhance rates of carboxylate exudation and proton release by plant roots, indicating that carboxylate exudation and proton release are not the mechanisms for efficient P acquisition. In contrast, low P supply evidently modified the root morphology by increasing the primary root elongation, and developing a large number of cluster-like first-order lateral roots with dense root hairs, thus allowing efficient P acquisition by narrow-leafed lupin under low P supply.     

Sequential extractions and 31P-NMR spectroscopy of phosphorus forms in animal manures, whole soils and particle-size separates from a densely populated livestock area in northwest Germany

The solubility and forms of phosphorus (P) were investigated in manures from chicken and pigs, eight whole soil samples and clay-, silt-, and sand-size separates from an arable and a grassland soil. Total P (P_t) in liquid pig manure (16.2 g kg^–1) and dry chicken manure (26.2 g kg^–1) was distributed between residual P (39–41% P_t), H₂SO₄–P (17–27% P_t), labile resin- and NaHCO₃–P (24–39% P_t), and NaOH-P (3–10% P_t). Most soils had larger proportions of NaOH-P and residual P, indicating reactions of manure-derived P compounds with pedogenic oxides and humic substances. Clay-size separates had the highest P-concentrations in all fractions and were particularly enriched in exchangeable and labile P forms. Solution ³¹P-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra of 0.5 M NaOH extracts from manures and some soil samples showed greater signal intensities for orthophosphate and monoester P than 0.1 M NaOH extracts. This can be explained by alkaline hydrolysis phosphate diesters at higher NaOH concentrations and/or by preferential extraction of diesters at lower concentrations. The ³¹P-NMR spectra showed differences between the two manures and confirmed that increasing proportions of ester-P can be expected if they are spread to soils. The NaOH extracts of soil samples were characterized by large proportions of orthophosphate-P (mean 77% of assigned P compounds), which seemed to be slightly enriched in clay fractions whereas the extracts from silt contained more ester-P. Sequential extractions and ³¹P-NMR spectroscopy both showed that these excessively manured soils are likely to lose large amounts of P. Received: 15 July 1996     

Aluminium-Toleranz von Ackerbohne (Vicia faba), Lupine (Lupinus luteus), Gerste (Hordeum vulgare) und Roggen (Secale cereale). II. Mineralstoffgehalte in Sproß und Wurzeln in Abhängigkeit vom Aluminium-Angebot

Al tolerance of horse bean, yellow lupin, barley and rye. II. Mineral element concentrations in shoots and roots as affected by Al supply Inhibition of seminal root elongation by Al in solution culture gave the following ranking for Al tolerance: yellow lupin (Lupinus luteus ?Schwako”?) ? rye (Secale cereale ?Kustro)”? « horse bean (Vicia faba ?Herz Freya”?) > barley (Hordeum vulgare ?Roland”?). Exclusion from uptake by inactivation of Al outside the root was not responsible for the higher Al tolerance of lupin and rye, because comparable inhibition of root elongation occured at much higher Al concentration of the root and the root tips (5 mm) compared to barley and horse bean. The plant species differed considerable in nutrient concentrations of the roots: higher Ca concentrations in horse bean and rye, higher Mg concentrations in rye and lupin and higher P concentration in lupin. Al supply reduced Ca and Mg concentrations (Ca > Mg) in shoots and roots of all species. P concentrations were hardly affected. The nutrient concentrations in the root tips did not indicate that induction of nutrient deficiency was responsible for the effect of Al on root elongation and Al sensitivity of barley and horse bean. The considerable differences in Ca, Mg and P concentrations of the roots between the Al-tolerant plant species rye and lupin do not suggest a common physiological mechanism responsible for Al tolerance.     

Evaluating N2 fixation by food grain legumes in farmers’ fields in three agro-ecological zones of Zambia, using 15N natural abundance

A survey of N₂ fixation in farmers’ fields of Northern (>1,000 mm rainfall), Central (800–1,000 mm rainfall), and Southern (<800 mm rainfall) Zambia revealed some significant differences in plant growth and symbiotic performance of different food grain legumes. Of the three grain legumes (i.e., Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea L. Verdc.), cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.), and groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.)) grown in Southern Zambia, cowpea showed greater shoot biomass and significantly lower shoot δ¹⁵N values than groundnut and Bambara groundnut. The lower shoot δ¹⁵N resulted in greater %Ndfa (59%) in shoots and higher amounts of N-fixed, whether per square meters (6,394.0 mg N), per plant (650.8 mg N), or per hectare (63.9 kg N) relative to groundnut and Bambara groundnut, even though the number of cowpea plants per square meter was significantly lower than that of groundnut or Bambara groundnut. Although the shoot δ¹⁵N values of cowpea, Bambara groundnut and common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) were significantly lower than those of groundnut in Central Zambia and their %Ndfa values, therefore, greater, the higher number of groundnut plants per square meter resulted in significantly greater shoot N content, as well as N-fixed per square meter and per hectare relative to the other species. Despite having similar plant density as cowpea in Central Zambia, common bean could fix only 6.0 kg N ha⁻¹ compared with 35.4 kg N ha⁻¹ by cowpea. In Northern Zambia, Bambara groundnut showed the lowest mean shoot δ¹⁵N value (0.54 ± 0.3‰), followed by groundnut (1.59 ± 1.0‰), and then common bean (the three grain legumes grown in that region). As a result, %Ndfa and N-fixed were significantly greater in groundnut (69.7% and 566.0 mg N per plant) and Bambara groundnut (62.9% and 440.1 mg N per plant) than in common bean (2.6% and 2.4 mg N per plant). In Northern Zambia, groundnut, Bambara groundnut and common bean fixed 78.7, 67.6, and 0.9 kg N ha⁻¹, respectively, even though the plant density per square meter of common bean (which fixed the lowest amount of N per hectare) was twice that of groundnut and Bambara groundnut. A species × site analysis showed that cowpea fixed relatively greater amounts of N per plant, per square meter, and per hectare in Southern than Central Zambia. Bambara groundnut and common bean also had significantly lower δ¹⁵N values and higher %Ndfa in Central than Northern Zambia.     

Turnover of grain legume N rhizodeposits and effect of rhizodeposition on the turnover of crop residues

The turnover of N derived from rhizodeposition of faba bean (Vicia faba L.), pea (Pisum sativum L.) and white lupin (Lupinus albus L.) and the effects of the rhizodeposition on the subsequent C and N turnover of its crop residues were investigated in an incubation experiment (168 days, 15 °C). A sandy loam soil for the experiment was either stored at 6 °C or planted with the respective grain legume in pots. Legumes were in situ ¹⁵N stem labelled during growth and visible roots were removed at maturity. The remaining plant-derived N in soil was defined as N rhizodeposition. In the experiment the turnover of C and N was compared in soils with and without previous growth of three legumes and with and without incorporation of crop residues. After 168 days, 21% (lupin), 26% (faba bean) and 27% (pea) of rhizodeposition N was mineralised in the treatments without crop residues. A smaller amount of 15–17% was present as microbial biomass and between 30 and 55% of mineralised rhizodeposition N was present as microbial residue pool, which consists of microbial exoenzymes, mucous substances and dead microbial biomass. The effect of rhizodeposition on the C and N turnover of crop residues was inconsistent. Rhizodeposition increased the crop residue C mineralisation only in the lupin treatment; a similar pattern was found for microbial C, whereas the microbial N was increased by rhizodeposition in all treatments. The recovery of residual ¹⁵N in the microbial and mineral N pool was similar between the treatments containing only labelled crop residues and labelled crop residues + labelled rhizodeposits. This indicates a similar decomposability of both rhizodeposition N and crop residue N and may be attributable to an immobilisation of both N sources (rhizodeposits and crop residues) as microbial residues and a subsequent remineralisation mainly from this pool.Abbreviations C or N_dec C or N decomposed from residues - C or N_mic microbial C or N - C or N_micres microbial residue C or N - C or N_min mineralised C or N - C or N_input added C or N as crop residues and/or rhizodeposits - dfr derived from residues - dfR derived from rhizodeposition - Ndfr N derived from residues - NdfR N derived from rhizodeposition - N_loss losses of N derived from residues - SOM soil organic matter - WHC water holding capacity     

Effect of cropping systems on nitrogen mineralization in soils

 Understanding the effect of cropping systems on N mineralization in soils is crucial for a better assessment of N fertilizer requirements of crops in order to minimize nitrate contamination of surface and groundwater resources. The effects of crop rotations and N fertilization on N mineralization were studied in soils from two long-term field experiments at the Northeast Research Center and the Clarion-Webster Research Center in Iowa that were initiated in 1979 and 1954, respectively. Surface soil samples were taken in 1996 from plots of corn (Zea mays L.), soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.), oats (Avena sativa L.), or meadow (alfalfa) (Medicago sativa L.) that had received 0 or 180 kg N ha^–1 before corn and an annual application of 20 kg P and 56 kg K ha^–1. N mineralization was studied in leaching columns under aerobic conditions at 30  °C for 24 weeks. The results showed that N mineralization was affected by cover crop at the time of sampling. Continuous soybean decreased, whereas inclusion of meadow increased, the amount of cumulative N mineralized. The mineralizable N pool (N _o) varied considerably among the soil samples studied, ranging from 137 mg N kg^–1 soil under continuous soybean to >500 mg N kg^–1 soil under meadow-based rotations, sampled in meadow. The results suggest that the N _o and/or organic N in soils under meadow-based cropping systems contained a higher proportion of active N fractions. Received: 10 February 1999     

Legacy phosphorus in calcareous soil under 33 years of P fertilizer application: Implications for efficient P management in agriculture

Phosphorus (P) fertilizers have long been applied in agriculture. However, the influence of long-term P addition on the evolution of soil P fertility and legacy P characteristics have not been well-documented. Herein, literature data were collected from the Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure Database (CNKI) to explore the evolution of soil P fertility after 33 years of application of P fertilizer; different soil samples were collected from cropland and adjacent uncultivated land to analyse the distribution of P fractions at different soil depths (0–0.8 m) using Guppy's sequential P extraction method. We found that soil Olsen-P significantly increased by 3.6-fold (from 7.2 mg kg⁻¹ in 1981 to 25.9 mg kg⁻¹ in 2013) after 33 years of P application, while total P increased slightly. The ratios of inorganic P fractions in cropland to those uncultivated land followed NaHCO₃-P (1.47) > NaOH-P (1.38) > resin-P (1.37) > residue-P (1.17) > HCl-P (1.11), suggesting that long-term P addition contributed more to labile and moderately labile P rather than non-labile P. Moreover, a principal component analysis could distinguish between cropland and uncultivated land, indicating that long-term application of P fertilizer changed soil P characteristics. Compared to uncultivated land, soil NaHCO₃-P in cropland was closely associated with soil organic C, total nitrogen and carbonate. Collectively, our findings highlight that soil legacy P was notably increased after long-term of P application, and a large portion of the applied P remained in labile and moderately labile forms. Therefore, soil legacy P can be recommended as a useful P management tool.     

Nitrogen turnover of legume seed meals as affected by seed meal texture and quality at different temperatures

The aim was to investigate how legume seed meal texture and corresponding quality affects N turnover at different temperatures. Therefore, the effect of size fractionation ‘fine’ and ‘coarse’ of seed meals of yellow lupin (Lupinus luteus L.), blue lupin (Lupinus angustifolius L.) and faba bean (Vicia faba L.) on net N mineralization and turnover was investigated in an incubation experiment at 5°C, 12°C and 20°C. The differences in N release from the two particle size fractions could not be detected at 12 and 20°C incubation temperature. Moreover, net N mineralization at 5°C was higher during incubation of the coarse particle size fractions than during incubation of the fine fraction. In contrast to the common understanding of temperature dependence of microbial processes, the overall influence of incubation temperature on net N mineralization was less expressed. The formation of microbial biomass was highest at 5°C. The subsequent decrease of soil microbial biomass was only partly reflected by net N mineralization suggesting the formation of microbial residues as a preliminary N sink. The control of the N release from legume seed meals seems to be dominated by the N-immobilizing effects of polyphenols at lower temperatures and of C-rich polymers (hemicelluloses) at higher temperatures.     

Microbial-induced soil aggregate stability under different crop rotations

 Changes in the quantity and quality of soil organic carbon, and their effect on soil aggregate stability as a result of growing different crops in rotation with wheat, were investigated on a red earth (Oxic Paleustalf) in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia. After two cycles of the 1 : 1 rotation, while the total organic carbon in the 0–5 cm soil depth was similar (15.1 g/kg), significant differences in water stable aggregation were observed in the order: wheat/lupin=wheat/barley >wheat/canola>wheat/field pea. Using a selective extraction technique, significant differences in the quality (composition) of the soil organic carbon were detected in the soils from the different rotations. Soil from the lupin rotation had the highest salt- and acid-extractable carbon whereas that from the barley rotation had the highest level of hot-water-extractable carbon and microbial biomass carbon. Rather than total carbon or other extractable fractions, the observed differences in aggregate stability were only significantly (P<0.05) related to microbial biomass carbon, which made up only 1.3–1.7% of the total carbon pool. Multiple linear regression analysis indicated that with the exception of salt-extractable carbon, inclusion of any other of the less labile fractions failed to improve the correlation relationship. The labile nature of the microbial biomass carbon therefore accounted for the transient existence of the differences in aggregate stability under different rotation crops. The latter was found to be transient and disappeared at the end of the subsequent wheat crop. Received: 5 November 1998