Organically grown Brassica napus – use of border strips and Trichoderma

Oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) is a very difficult crop to cultivate organically. Only few organic methods are effective in reducing damage from insects and diseases. The current investigation assessed the use of the beneficial ascomycete Trichoderma asperellum (Samuels, Lieckf & Nirenberg) and a trap crop of Brassica rapa L. turnip rape cv. “Brachina,” both with and without an application of slurry fertilizer, for pest suppression and yield enhancement of winter oilseed rape cv. “Californium.” The presence of the trap crop significantly increased 1000 grain weight but not total yield or lipid content of the oilseed rape because turnip rape was not attractive enough to prevent colonization of the principal crop. Increase in 1000 grain weight, lipid content, and total seed yield were found in oilseed rape sprayed with three applications of T. asperellum, but the ascomycete had no influence on the insect pests observed. The effects of the fertilizer are about equal to the effects of the fungus on 1000 grain weight and on lipid content.     

Fatty Acid Inheritance in Wide Reciprocal Oilseed Crosses (Brassica rapa and B. napus)

Abstract

Erucic acid content and inheritance were studied in Brassica alboglabra, B. rapa and resynthesized B. napus from these parental species. Although significant variation in erucic acid content was found between the 20 B. alboglabra lines, all of them had to be classified as high erucic types. No major erucic acid gene polymorphism was identified.

In B. rapa the erucic acid content was regulated by one major gene, which showed partial dominance in three of the four crosses analysed. The high erucic gene seemed to function more efficiently in the Yellow Sarson cytoplasm, resulting in maternal differences when reciprocal crosses were compared. In crosses where modern low erucic acid lines were used as female parents the zero erucic acid F₂-individuals occurred more frequently than expected.

Segregation of the erucic acid content in crosses involving resynthesized B. napus showed a good fit to a two locus model. No maternal effects were found, but deviations from mid-parent values in the high erucic acid direction occurred in most of the F₁-hybrids, indicating partial dominance. Crosses between resynthesized oilseed rape and natural oilseed rape resulted in oleic acid transgressive F₅-lines.     

Identifying difficulties in rapeseed root penetration in farmers’ fields in northern European conditions

Tap‐rooted rapeseed is generally considered sensitive to soil compaction. We examined 473 Finnish rapeseed fields sown in 2007 to 2009 to both spring turnip rape Brassica rapa L. (dominant crop) and oilseed rape Brassica napus L. Roots were rated late in the growing season according to penetration capacity. Roots in each field were rated from G1 (no problems with root penetration) to G5 (failure to penetrate deeper soil layers). There were significant effects of year, crop species, soil type, special soil properties and soil cultivation methods on frequency of G1 and G4+5 roots. Restricted root penetration was a common phenomenon. Typically, fields had <30% G3 and G4+5 roots, however, some fields had >70% G4+5 roots and were cases for serious concern. Yield loss was linearly related to the incidence of G4+5 plants in 2007, but there was no relationship with the other years. Oilseed rape had a greater proportion of G4+5 roots than turnip rape and twice the proportion of G4+5 roots occurred in direct‐drilled fields than in reduced or fully tilled fields. Rapeseed yield decline may at least partly be related to poor root penetration and it is a useful indicator crop to demonstrate the degree of soil compaction and should be cultivated in fields where sufficient root penetration is possible.     

Role of Cover Crops and Planting Dates for Improved Weed Suppression and Nitrogen Recovery in No till Systems

ABSTRACT

Cover crops improve the recovery and recycling of nitrogen and impart weed suppression in crop production. A two-year study with six weekly plantings of cover crops including non-winterkilled species (hairy vetch, Vicia villosa L.; winter rye Secale cereale L.) and winterkilled species (oat, Avena sativa L.; forage radish, Raphanus sativus L.) were assessed for effects on growth of forage rape (Brassica napus L.) and weed suppression. Early planting of cover crops gave the highest biomass and highest nitrogen accumulation. Delaying planting from early-September to mid-October suppressed cover-crop biomass by about 40%. Forage radish produced more biomass in the fall than other cover crops but was winter killed. Spring biomass was highest with rye or vetch. All cover crops suppressed weeds, but suppression was greatest under rye or hairy vetch. Hairy vetch accumulated the largest nitrogen content. Forage rape plants yielded more biomass after a cover crop than after no-cover crop.     

Early season nitrogen accumulation in winter wheat

Cereal rye (Secale cereale L.) is widely used as a winter cover crop to conserve soil residual nitrogen (N) in the mid‐Atlantic region of the United States. Cereal rye, however, has agronomic drawbacks that may make other winter small grain crops more desirable alternatives. Winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a small grain that could substitute for cereal rye as a cover crop because it would give growers the flexibility of using it as a cover crop or growing it to maturity. There is currently little information on early season N accumulation of winter wheat cultivars, which is critical for the success of a small grain cover crop. To determine the degree of variation in early season N accumulation and early season biomass yield in soft red winter wheat in the mid‐Atlantic region, twenty‐five commercially available cultivars were evaluated at Beltsville, MD in the 1996/1997 and 1997/1998 growing seasons. Acereal rye cultivar ("Wheeler") was included as a cover crop control. Samples of plant tissue were taken at Feekes growth stage 5 and at physiological maturity each year. There were significant differences among cultivars for early season N accumulation and biomass yield. A large group of wheat cultivars had similar early season N accumulation and biomass yield as the cereal rye cover crop control. This suggests that some cultivars of winter wheat may be as effective as cereal rye as a winter cover crop. Early season N accumulation was highly correlated (r=0.90***) with early season biomass yield rather than with plant N content. These results indicate that soft red winter wheat has potential as a dual grain and cover crop and could be considered an alternative to cereal rye as a winter cover crop for conserving residual soil nitrogen in the mid‐Atlantic region of the United States.     

冬季作物-双季稻轮作种植模式氮、磷、钾养分循环与产量可持续性特征

研究分析农业生态系统NPK养分循环和产量的可持续性,对实现养分资源优化管理和农业可持续发展具有重要意义。基于长期冬季作物-双季稻轮作种植定位试验,分析了2004—2017年冬闲-双季稻、马铃薯-双季稻、紫云英-双季稻、黑麦草-双季稻、油菜-双季稻等轮作种植模式早、晚稻产量的可持续性与稳定性;采用投入产出法（Input-Output Analysis）分析不同轮作种植模式NPK养分循环与平衡状况。结果表明：1）黑麦草-双季稻模式早稻产量变异系数与可持续性指数分别为0.09和0.81,说明稻田冬种黑麦草有利于促进早稻产量稳定性和可持续性的提高;油菜-双季稻模式晚稻产量变异系数与可持续性指数分别为0.07和0.82,说明稻田冬种油菜有益于晚稻产量稳定性和可持续性的提高;2）长期冬季作物-双季稻轮作种植未影响水稻产量和糙米NPK养分含量（P>0.05）;3）在稻田轮作种植周年内目前的NPK投入水平下,黑麦草-双季稻、紫云英-双季稻、油菜-双季稻、马铃薯-双季稻等模式均存在严重的K亏缺现象,K亏缺量分别为375.70 kg（K）·hm^-2、279.98 kg（K）·hm^-2、363.71 kg（K）·hm^-2、93.74 kg（K）·hm^-2;黑麦草-双季稻、紫云英-双季稻、油菜-双季稻等模式均在冬季作物种植季存在严重的K亏缺现象,K亏缺量分别为240.07 kg（K）·hm^-2、89.57 kg（K）·hm^-2、140.08 kg（K）·hm^-2,但马铃薯-双季稻模式在马铃薯种植季K盈余为255.21 kg（K）·hm^-2;同时黑麦草-双季稻模式和紫云英-双季稻模式均存在冬季作物种植季存在N亏缺,N亏缺量分别为59.47 kg（N）·hm^-2和89.17 kg（N）·hm^-2;油菜-双季稻模式和马铃薯-双季稻模式在晚稻种植季均存在严重的K亏缺现象,K亏缺量分别为45.93 kg（K）·hm^-2、124.33 kg（K）·hm^-2。冬季作物-双季稻轮作种植模式的养分循环是冬季作物和外部投入的NPK肥料共同驱动的养分循环,建议科学管理冬季作物和3季的NPK养分投入。     

Taxonomic and functional diversity of the soil microbiome recruited from alternative crops in a rotation system

Intensive cropping is considered to contribute to negative effects both on soil physiochemical properties and on long-term grain yield, which can be alleviated by appropriate crop rotations. The soil microbial community can vary with different crop rotations, which in turn affect soil quality and grain yield. Therefore, it is of great significance to elucidate the response of the soil microbial community to crop rotation. In this study, the structural and functional changes of microbial community in different crop rotations were analyzed using high-throughput sequencing and metagenomics analysis in a field experiment. The continuous winter wheat-summer maize cropping system was the control, and three crop rotations were established in October 2016 as follows: (1) spring peanut→winter wheat-summer maize, (2) winter wheat-summer peanut→winter wheat-summer maize and (3) spring sweet potato→winter wheat-summer maize. Soil samples were collected in September 2021 for soil microbial assessment. The results showed that the relative abundance of Actinobacteriota in the soil of spring sweet potato→winter wheat-summer maize was significantly higher (15.2%) than that in the control. The relative abundance of Ascomycota was significantly higher (19.8%–23.2%) in the soil following crop rotation compared with the control. Compared with the control, spring peanut→winter wheat-summer maize enriched energy metabolism genes, and spring sweet potato→winter wheat-summer maize reduced the genes related to plant–pathogen interaction. Compared with the control, crop rotation significantly decreased the relative abundance of the inorganic phosphorus solubilization gene (gcd) and the phosphorus transport gene (upgE) and increased the abundance of organic phosphorus mineralization genes (phoA and phyA). Based on these results, we concluded that the composition of the soil microbial community and functional genes can be altered by crop rotation, and spring peanut→winter wheat-summer maize and spring sweet potato→winter wheat-summer maize had more significant effects. This study provided a reference for the selection of crop rotations in the North China Plain based on the soil microbial community and its function.     

Crop rotation effects on yield of oilseed rape,wheat and barley and residual effects on the subsequent wheat

Economic conditions are forcing farmers to grow crops with high revenue leading to cereal-dominated crop rotations with increasing risk due to unfavourable preceding crops or preceding crop combinations. Based on a long-term field trial (1988–2001) with 15 different rotations including winter oilseed rape (OSR), winter wheat, winter barley, spring peas and spring oats, the effects of different preceding crops, pre-preceding crops and crop rotations on the grain yield of mainly OSR, winter wheat and winter barley were quantified. In the subsequent 2 years (2001/2002 and 2002/2003), winter wheat was grown on all plots in order to test the residual effects of the former crops (as preceding crops in 2002 and as pre-preceding crops in 2003) and crop rotations on growth, grain yield and yield components.

Unfavourable preceding crops significantly decreased yield of OSR, wheat and barley by 10% on average, however, with a large year-to-year variation. In addition, break-crop benefits in both crops, wheat and OSR, persisted to the second year. Wheat as preceding crop mainly decreased the thousand grain weight, and to a lesser extent, the ear density of the subsequent wheat crop. The amount of wheat yield decrease negatively correlated with the simple water balance (rainfall minus evapotranspiration) in May–July. In 2001/2002 and 2002/2003, the preceding crop superimposed the crop rotation effects, thus resulting in similar effects as observed in 1988–2001.

Our results clearly reveal the importance of a favourable preceding crop for the yield performance of a crop, especially wheat and OSR.     

WINTER CROPS AS BIOASSAYS OF SOIL NITROGEN-SUPPLYING CAPACITY

Soil nitrogen (N)-supplying capacity bioassays could present alternatives to traditional soil tests. Objectives were to identify winter crops and associated characteristics with bioassay potential. Saint Joseph and Bossier City, LA experiments used randomized complete block designs with factorial N fertilizer and winter crop treatment arrangements. Nitrogen rates were applied to corn (Zea mays L.) in 2004. Unfertilized winter wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.), cereal rye (Secale cereale L.), native winter vegetation, and weed-free winter fallow treatments followed corn. At Saint Joseph, cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) followed winter crop treatments. Greater corn N rate consistently increased winter crop biomass and N accumulation, suggesting potential as bioassays, and increased Saint Joseph seedcotton yield. Winter crop-seedcotton yield N-response relationships were non-significant by familywise error rate criteria. However, some winter crop characteristics, such as rye N accumulation, for which a relationship to seedcotton yield closely approached significance, may merit further research as soil N-supplying capacity bioassays.     

Nitrous oxide emissions after incorporation of winter oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) residues under two different tillage treatments

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of crop residues from winter oilseed rape on N₂O emissions from a loamy soil and to determine the effect of different tillage practices on N₂O fluxes. We therefore conducted a field experiment in which crop residues of winter oilseed rape (Brassica napus L., OSR) were replaced with ¹⁵N labelled OSR residues. Nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions and ¹⁵N abundance in the N₂O were determined for a period of 11 months after harvest of OSR and in the succeeding crop winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivated on a Haplic Luvisol in South Germany. Measurements were carried out with the closed chamber method in a treatment with conventional tillage (CT) and in a treatment with reduced soil tillage (RT). In both tillage treatments we also determined N₂O fluxes in control plots where we completely removed the crop residues. High N₂O fluxes occurred in a short period just after OSR residue replacement in fall and after N‐fertilization to winter wheat in the following spring. Although N₂O emissions differed for distinct treatments and sub‐periods, cumulative N₂O emissions over the whole investigation period (299 days) ranged between 1.7 kg and 2.4 kg N₂O‐N ha^?1 with no significant treatment effects. More than half of the cumulative emissions occurred during the first eight weeks after OSR replacement, highlighting the importance of this post‐harvest period for annual N₂O budgets of OSR. The contribution of residue N to the N₂O emission was low and explained by the high C/N‐ratio fostering immobilization of mineral N. In total only 0.03% of the N₂O‐N emitted in the conventional tillage treatment and 0.06% in the reduced tillage treatment stemmed directly from the crop residues. The ¹⁵N recovery in the treatments with crop residues was 62.8% (CT) and 75.1% (RT) with more than 97% of the recovered ¹⁵N in the top soil. Despite our measurements did not cover an entire year, the low contribution of the OSR residues to the direct N₂O emissions shows, that the current IPCC tier 1 approach, which assumes an EF of 1%, strongly overestimated direct emissions from OSR crop residues. Furthermore, we could not observe any relationship between tillage and crop residues on N₂O emission, only during the winter period were N₂O emissions from reduced tillage significantly higher compared to conventional tillage. Annual N₂O emission from RT and CT did not differ.     

Single-flowered vetch (Vicia articulata Hornem.): A relic crop in Italy

Single-flowered vetch (Vicia articulata Hornem.), a crop native of the Mediterranean area, is widespread mainly in south Europe, in west Asia and Australia for forage, green manure and human food. In Italy this crop was still cultivated in the 1950s but, later, no records concerning its cultivation were available. This strongly suggested to place V. articulata among the Italian crop species that disappeared in the 20th century. In the course of a collecting expedition in Sardinia, a relic population, mistaken for lentil, was found. This population has been characterised from a botanical, nutritional and cytological point of view. V. articulata appears to be lower in nutritional quality than lentil. However, within the framework of a sustainable agriculture, V. articulata could find interesting opportunities. In fact, its role in soil conservation and rescue of marginal areas could be interesting, as well as its potentialities as a source of useful genes in breeding programmes.     

Changes in N leaching and crop production as a result of measures to reduce N losses to water in a 6‐yr crop rotation

The effects of various measures introduced to increase nitrogen (N)‐use efficiency and reduce N losses to water in a 6‐yr crop rotation (winter wheat, spring barley, green manure, winter wheat, spring barley, spring oilseed rape) were examined with respect to N leaching, soil mineral N (SMN) accumulation and grain yield. An N‐use efficient system (NUE) with delayed tillage until late autumn and spring, direct drilling of winter wheat, earlier sowing of winter and spring crops and use of a catch crop in winter wheat was compared with a conventional system (CON) in a field experiment with six separately tile‐drained plots in south‐western Sweden during the period 1999–2011 (two crop rotation cycles). Total leaching of NO₃‐N from the NUE system was significantly 46 and 33% lower than in the CON system during the first and second crop rotation cycle, respectively, with the most pronounced differences apparently related to management strategies for winter wheat. Differences in NO₃‐N leaching largely reflected differences in SMN during autumn and winter. There was a tendency for lower yields in the NUE system, probably due to problems with couch grass. Overall, the measures for conserving N, when frequently used within a crop rotation, effectively reduced NO₃ concentrations in drainage water and NO₃‐N leaching losses, without severely affecting yield.     

Yield,yield formation,and blackleg disease of oilseed rape cultivated in high-intensity crop rotations

The short-term economic benefit has in recent years prompted farmers to grow oilseed rape (OSR) (Brassica napus L.) and thus the frequency of this crop increased in German crop rotations. Here, we investigate the impact of high-intensity OSR crop rotations on yield, yield formation, and blackleg disease (Leptosphaeria maculans) in a rotation experiment in the Hercynian dry region of Central Germany over two seasons (2014/2015?–?2015/2016). The preceding crop combinations compared were winter wheat (WW) (Triticum aestivum L.)-WW, WW-OSR, OSR-OSR, and an OSR monoculture. Furthermore, the fertilizer treatments 120 kg N ha^?1 and 180 kg N ha^?1 were analyzed.

Higher OSR cropping intensity decreased seed yields, however, with a variation among years and oil yield was highest when OSR was following WW-WW over both years. Minor differences were observed among the yield components, but significantly less pods per m² were developed in a long-term OSR monoculture. The disease assessment clearly showed an increased blackleg incidence and severity when OSR was grown successively.

Results of our study emphasize that high-intensity OSR production will very likely be unsustainable over the long term associated with yield losses and increased infestation levels of blackleg disease.     

不同冬种模式对稻田土壤碳库管理指数的影响

长江中下游地区是我国水稻生产的重要基地,在保障我国粮食安全中占有重要地位,但该地区农田可持续性不高,稻田冬季利用率较低。本研究通过探讨不同冬季种植模式对土壤质量的影响,为冬闲田合理开发利用,提高稻田可持续性提供理论依据。设置5种冬种模式,分别为冬季休闲、冬种紫云英、冬种油菜、冬种大蒜和冬季轮作（马铃薯、紫云英、油菜）模式,通过测定不同土层土壤养分、土壤有机碳、活性有机碳和微生物生物量碳等,进一步分析不同冬种模式的土壤碳库管理指数及其综合效应。结果表明,在0~30 cm稻田土壤,与冬闲处理相比,不同冬季种植模式土壤有机碳提高6.12%~7.17%、活性有机碳提高13.56%~20.76%、微生物生物量碳提高0.13%~14.34%、可溶性有机碳提高3.49%~19.15%,土壤活性有机碳有效率提高6.74%~17.20%,冬季轮作（马铃薯、紫云英、油菜）模式能显著促进稻田土壤总有机碳及可溶性有机碳的积累;不同冬种模式提高了稻田土壤碳库活度指数和碳库指数,并且土壤碳库管理指数增加14.37%~27.29%。土壤有机碳与活性有机碳呈极显著相关（P<0.01）,土壤碳库管理指数与总有机碳呈显著相关（P<0.05）、与活性有机碳间存在极显著（P<0.01）的相关性。对土壤碳库管理指数影响因素的灰色关联度综合分析表明,冬季轮作（马铃薯、紫云英、油菜）模式排名第1。可见,不同冬季种植模式能增加土壤有机碳含量和提高土壤碳库管理指数,冬季轮作（马铃薯、紫云英、油菜）模式的综合评价最好,其次为冬种大蒜模式。     

Winter cover crops influence on cotton yield and selected soil properties

Abstract

Winter cover crop studies were conducted for 17 years with cotton grown on a Dubbs‐Dundee soil complex at the University of Arkansas Delta Branch Experiment Station. This experiment was established in 1972 to investigate the changes induced by winter cover crops of rye, vetch, and lupine. The rye and lupine were later changed to rye + vetch and rye + crimson clover, resp. Cotton yield responses to cover crops were found to be highly dependent on the growing season. Although the cover crops averaged a seedcotton yield increase, certain years had drastic yield reductions. This experiment was not designed with sufficient scope to address why yield responses occurred as they did. Soil physical properties of hydraulic conductivity, water retention, porosity, and proportion of large pores were found to be measurable changed by having winter cover crops. In general the change in soil physical properties resulting from the cover crops would result in faster infiltration and transmission of water, more stored water, less crusting, better ability of soil to ameliorate and degrade herbicides and improve soil tilth. The change in these properties may be too small to result in practically cost effective changes. However, it would seem reasonable to assume that if current trends continue the impact would eventually become large enough to become a major concern.     

Analysis of Genetic Diversity in the Brassica napus L. Gene Pool Using SSR Markers

Genetic diversity throughout the rapeseed (Brassica napus ssp. napus) primary gene pool was examined by obtaining detailed molecular genetic information at simple sequence repeat (SSR) loci for a broad range of winter and spring oilseed, fodder and leaf rape gene bank accessions. The plant material investigated was selected from a preliminary B. napus core collection developed from European gene bank material, and was intended to cover as broadly as possible the diversity present in the species, excluding swedes (B. napus ssp. napobrassica (L.) Hanelt). A set of 96 genotypes was characterised using publicly available mapped SSR markers spread over the B. napus genome. Allelic information from 30 SSR primer combinations amplifying 220 alleles at 51 polymorphic loci provided unique genetic fingerprints for all genotypes. UPGMA clustering enabled identification of four general groups with increasing genetic diversity as follows (1) spring oilseed and fodder; (2) winter oilseed; (3) winter fodder; (4) vegetable genotypes. The most extreme allelic variation was observed in a spring kale from the United Kingdom and a Japanese spring vegetable genotype, and two winter rape accessions from Korea and Japan, respectively. Unexpectedly the next most distinct genotypes were two old winter oilseed varieties from Germany and Ukraine, respectively. A number of other accessions were also found to be genetically distinct from the other material of the same type. The molecular genetic information gained enables the identification of untapped genetic variability for rapeseed breeding and is potentially interesting with respect to increasing heterosis in oilseed rape hybrids.     

Sowing date influence on winter oilseed rape overwintering in Estonia

Abstract

In 2001–2005 an overwintering investigation of winter oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) was carried out at the Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences of the Estonian University of Life Sciences. In our trial we used two winter oilseed rape varieties: ‘Wotan’ and ‘Express’. The sowing was performed at four different times, with weekly intervals: 8, 15, 22 and 29 August. The soil type was Stagnic Luvisol by WRB classification; the texture was sandy loam with a humus layer of 20–30 cm. Our research indicated that successful wintering of winter oilseed rape depends directly on sowing date. From the data obtained it may be seen that differences between sowing dates and overwintering were statistically significant. Overwintering depends on numbers of growing-degree-days (GDD) in the autumn vegetative period. Three years’ data showed that in the autumn period plants need 416 GDD for developing a strong root system and to prepare for wintering.     

Nitrogen uptake,nitrate leaching and root development in winter‐grown wheat and fodder radish

Early seeding of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) has been proposed as a means to reduce N leaching as an alternative to growing cover crops like fodder radish (Raphanus sativus L.). The objective of this study was to quantify the effect of winter wheat, seeded early and normally, and of fodder radish on N dynamics and root growth. Field experiments were carried out on a humid temperate sandy loam soil. Aboveground biomass and soil inorganic N were determined in late autumn; N uptake and grain yield of winter wheat were measured at harvest. Nitrate leaching was estimated from soil water samples taken at 1 m depth. Root growth was measured late autumn using the core break and root washing methods. Winter wheat root growth dynamics were followed during the growing season using the minirhizotron method. The 2013–2014 results showed that early seeding of wheat improved autumn growth and N uptake and reduced N leaching during the winter compared with the normal seeding time. Early‐seeded wheat (WW_early) was, however, not as efficient as fodder radish at reducing N leaching. Proper establishment of WW_early was a prerequisite for benefiting from early seeding, as indicated by the 2012–2013 results. Early seeding improved root growth throughout the 2013–2014 growing season compared with normal seeding time, but had no significant effect on crop grain yield. Our results indicate the potential of using early seeding as a tool to limit drought susceptibility and increase nutrient uptake from the subsoil.     

Sowing a winter catch crop can reduce nitrate leaching losses from winter‐applied urine under simulated forage grazing: a lysimeter study

Grazing of winter forage crops is a common management option used in the dairy industry of New Zealand, particularly in the South Island, where they are used to feed nonlactating, pregnant dairy cows prior to calving. However, there is concern that the large crop yields per hectare grazed, combined with a high stocking density of cows, lead to large amounts of urinary nitrogen (N) deposited on bare, wet soil that, in turn, could lead to large nitrate leaching losses. We report the results of a simulated winter forage grazing event using field lysimeters planted with a kale (Brassica oleracea L.) crop. The effect of sowing a ‘catch crop’ of oat (Avena sativa L.) following the simulated winter forage grazing on nitrate leaching losses from urine applied at different times throughout the winter was measured. A catch crop sown between 1 and 63 days after the urine deposition in early winter reduced N leaching losses from urine patches by ~34% on average (range: 19–49%) over the winter–spring period compared with no catch crop. Generally, the sooner the catch crop was sown following the crop harvest, the greater the uptake of N by the catch crop and the greater the reduction in nitrate leaching losses. The results indicate that sowing of a catch crop following winter crop grazing could be an effective management strategy to reduce nitrate leaching as well as increase the N‐use efficiency of dairy winter forage grazing systems.     

农茬口对土壤特性及熟地当归育苗的调控效应

利用高寒草甸生荒地进行当归育苗的传统方式造成严重的水土流失。为了探讨农茬口调控土壤特性继而影响后茬当归育苗的效应,在道地产区甘肃省卓尼县熟地培育农作物茬口后进行当归育苗,测定育苗期土壤特性、成苗数和产量。结果表明,农茬口对后茬当归育苗田土壤特性具有显著影响,与休耕茬田比较,马铃薯、油菜、蚕豆茬田土壤电导率极显著降低, pH显著提高,青稞茬田土壤pH和电导率均降低,农茬口极显著提高了后茬土壤阳离子含量,降低了阴离子含量。各茬口土壤K~+含量依次为青稞蚕豆油菜马铃薯休耕, Na~+含量为马铃薯青稞蚕豆油菜和休耕, Cl~-含量为休耕马铃薯青稞油菜蚕豆。随土层加深,紧实度增加,孔隙度减少,含水量随土层和茬口而异。0～15 cm土层的土质疏松且含水量高则有利于保苗。当归成苗数和苗产量与土壤电导率、Cl~-含量均呈显著负相关;苗产量与pH、K~+含量呈显著正相关,与5～10 cm土层容重呈显著负相关;苗数与0～5 cm土层总孔隙度呈显著正相关。各茬口育成苗产量排序与综合评价指数顺序一致,综合评价指数依次为蚕豆(0.986)油菜(0.682)青稞(0.668)马铃薯(0.297)休耕(0.159)。因此,优异的茬口特性可优化当归幼苗赖以生存的农田土壤环境,改善土壤性质,富集营养,促生保苗,蚕豆茬口更为优异。