Residue Decomposition and Fate of Nitrogen‐15 in a Wheat Crop under Different Previous Crops and Tillage Systems

Abstract

Nitrogen (N) management may be improved by a thorough understanding of the nutrient dynamics during previous‐crop residue decomposition and its impact on fertilizer N fate in the soil–plant system. An experiment was conducted in the Argentine Pampas to evaluate the effect of maize and soybean as previouscrops and plow‐till and no‐till methods on N dynamics and ¹⁵N‐labeled fertilizer uptake during a wheat growing season. Maize and soybean residues released N under both tillage treatments, but N release was faster from soybean residues and when residues were buried by tillage. Net immobilization of N on decomposing residues was not detected. A regression model that accounted for 92% of remaining N variability included time, previous crop, and tillage treatment as independent variables. The rapid residue decomposition with N release was attributed to the high temperatures of the agroecosystem. The recovery of ¹⁵N‐labeled fertilizer in the wheat crop, soil organic matter, and decomposing residues was not statistically different between previous crop treatments or tillage systems. Crop uptake of fertilizer N averaged 52% across treatments. Forty percent of fertilizer N was removed in grains. Immobilization of labeled N on soil organic matter was substantial, averaging 34% of the ¹⁵N‐labeled fertilizer retained, but was very small on decomposing residues, averaging 0.2–3.0%. Fertilizer N not accounted for at harvest in the soil–plant system was 12% and was ascribed to losses. Previous crop or tillage system had no impact on wheat yield, but when soybean was the previous crop, N content of grain and straw+roots increased. Discussion is presented on the potential availability of N retained in wheat straw, roots, and soil organic matter for future crops.     

Crop Residue Retention and Nutrient Management Practices on Stratification of Phosphorus and Soil Organic Carbon in the Soybean–Wheat System in Vertisols of Central India

The long-term crop residue retention coupled with external nutrient inputs are crucial for maintaining soil phosphorus (P) and soil organic carbon (SOC) in Vertisols of Central India. A study was conducted to evaluate the long-term effect of three wheat residue management practices (residue burning, incorporation, and surface retention) in combination with three supplementary nutrient inputs (SNI) [control, fertilizer, and farmyard manure (FYM)] on stratification of P and SOC in the soybean–wheat system in Vertisol. The wheat residue either incorporated or retained on the soil surface increased the availability of P and SOC content as compared to the common practices of residue burning. Residue retention or incorporation increased stratification of P and soil organic carbon over the residue burning. Irrespective of the nutrient treatments, greater stratification ratio of SOC and P were registered under wheat residue incorporation or retention compared to residue burning. It is evident from the study that wheat residue incorporation or retention plus addition of FYM could be an effective strategy for increasing the soil fertility in a soybean–wheat system of Vertisols of Central India.     

Effect of Vesicular Arbuscular–Mycorrhizal Fungi and Phosphorus Application through Soil-Test Crop Response Precision Model on Crop Productivity,Nutrient Dynamics,and Soil Fertility in Soybean–Wheat–Soybean Crop Sequence in an Acidic Alfisol

A field experiment was conducted in a phosphorus (P)–deficient acidic alfisol of the northwestern Himalayas using three vesicular arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) cultures: a local culture developed by CSK Himachal Pradesh Agricultural University, Palampur (Glomus mosseae), VAM culture from Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi (Glomus mosseae), and a culture from the Centre for Mycorrhizal Research, The Energy Research Institute (TERI), New Delhi (Glomus intraradices). These were applied alone or in combination with 25 to 75% of recommended P₂O₅ and recommended nitrogen (N) and potassium (K) based on soil-test crop response (STCR) precision model with an absolute control, farmers’ practice, and 100% of recommended P₂O₅ dose based on the STCR model. The results revealed that sole application of either of the three VAM cultures have produced 2.68 to 9.81% and 25.06 to 28.62% greater grain yield than the control in soybean and wheat crops, respectively. Besides greater straw yield, NPK uptake as well as soil nutrient buildup increased. Increase in P fertilization from 25 to 75% of recommended P₂O₅ dose coupled with VAM inoculation with either of the three VAM cultures resulted in consistent and significant improvement in crop productivity (grain and straw yields), NPK uptake, and improved soil nutrient status, though significantly greatest magnitude was obtained with sole application of 100% of the recommended P₂O₅ dose. The targeted grain yields of soybean (25 q ha^?1) and wheat (30 q ha^?1) were achievable with 75% of recommended P₂O₅ dose along with mycorrhizal biofertilizers, thereby indicating that application of efficient VAM fungi with 75% of recommended P₂O₅ dose can economize the STCR precision model fertilizer P dose by about 25% without impairing crop yield targets or soil fertility in a soybean-based cropping system in an acidic alfisol.     

Kinetic Characteristics of Nitrate Uptake by Wheat and Rape and Their Determination

15－day old seedlings of wheat and rape were grown in a series of solutions with different concentrations of KNO3 for a definite period of time.The changes in NO3^- concentration of the solutions were determined by the double ion-selective electrode method,and then the amount of NO3^- taken up by the plants was estimated and values of Km and Imax of the Michealis-Mentan equation were calculated.Results show that both the method and conditions of determination affected the values of Km and Imax.For example,the Km value was appreciably reduced when the volume of culture solution was increased or when the duration of nutrient uptake was shortened;the Km value obtained with short-term depletion method was higher than that obtained with long-term one.Similar Variations were found for the values of Imax.There was a considerable difference in the characteristics of uptake kinetics between wheat and rape when determined under the same conditions of determination.The isotherm of NO3^- uptake by wheat could be separated into saturated and unsaturated parts,and when the concentration of NO3^- exceeded 180μM,the relationship between the rate of NO3^- uptake and NO3^- concentration tended to be linear.However,the isotherm of NO3^- uptake by rape was found to fit the Michealis-Menten equation and no linear relationship could be found.     

Effect of Incorporation of Wheat Straw and Urea into Soil on Biomass Nitrogen and Nitrogen-Supplying Characteristics of Paddy Soil

Pot experiments were carried out to study the effect of incorporation of wheat straw and/ or urea into soil on biomass nitrogen and mineral nitrogen and its relation to the growth and yield of rice.The combined appliation of wheat straw and urea increased much more biomass nitrogen in soil than the application of wheat straw or urea alone and consequently increased the immobilization of urea nitrogen added and reduced the loss of urea nitrogen.An adequate nitrogen-supplying process to rice plant could be obtained if C/ N ratio of the material added was about 20.The three yield components of rice were affected significantly by the status of nitrogen supplying.More than 30mg N/ kg soil of mineral nitrogen at effective tillering stage,panicle initiation stage and filling stage should be maintained in order to get high rice yield,though the criteria varied with the different experimental conditions.     

Kinetics of Decomposition of Un‐conventional Farm‐Based Crop Residues and Their Composting and Quality Monitoring

Abstract

Castor and sunflower, drought‐tolerant crops, are cultivated in the semi‐arid tropics of the world. The nutrient‐rich residues of these crops are mostly burnt because of their high C/N (C/N)‐ratios. These high C/N‐ratio residues can be composted and recycled successfully, if they are supplemented with other low C/N‐ratio farm‐based organics and some chemical additives. To study the rate kinetics and half‐life of decomposition of castor (C/N ratio: 75∶90) and sunflower (C/N ratio 57∶47) residue mixtures and the manure value of the compost thus prepared, two on‐farm experiments were conducted at Hayathnagar Research Farm (17° 18′ N latitude, 78° 36′ E longitude, and an elevation of 515 m above sea level) of Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture, Hyderabad, India. The decay rate constants obtained on the basis of the exponential functions using the data on weight loss, C concentration, and C/N ratios indicated that among the four combinations of treatments, castor stalks+gliricidia loppings+cattle dung had the fastest rate of decomposition with an average rate constant value of 0.0043 day^?1. To achieve 50% decomposition (half‐life), the time periods computed for castor stalks+gliricidia loppings+cattle dung and sunflower stalks+gliricidia loppings+cattle were 197 and 278 days, respectively. On an average basis, sunflower‐based manure contained a significantly higher amount of total N (14.6 gm kg^?1) than castor‐based manures (12.2 gm kg^?1). The corresponding total hydrolyzable N values were 8.2 and 8.15 gm kg^?1, respectively. Amino acid N was found to be the predominant constituent of the total acid hydrolyzable N in the manure. Use of earthworms in composting enriched the manure in terms of mineral [nitrate (NO₃)+ammonium (NH₄)‐N] and hexosamine‐N fractions. The full article deals with the decomposition patterns (periodical changes in weight loss, C concentration and C/N ratios), decay‐prediction functions, composting, and manure quality of the castor‐ and sunflower‐based residue mixtures.     

Transformation of Fertilizer-N in Rhizosphere Soils of Wheat

INTRODUCTION There is a close relationship between the transformation of fertilizer-N and the statusof nitrogen nutrition in rhizosphere soils.Previously,Harmsen and Jager(1962)made ananalysis of N and C contents in the rhizosphere soils of upland crops and found thatclose to the root zone there was an enrichment of these substances.     

Direct,Residual, and Cumulative Effects of Mixed Sludge Generated by Coca-cola Soft-Drink Industry on Crop Yield,Soil Fertility,and Heavy-Metal Uptake in Rice–Wheat Cropping Sequence

A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of directly, residually, and cumulatively applied mixed sludge generated by the soft-drink industry on rice and wheat yields, soil fertility, grain heavy-metal uptake, depthwise distribution of micronutrients and heavy-metals after 3 years of application. Crop (rice/wheat) yield (grain/straw) increased significantly with direct sludge application at 10.0 t ha^?1 year^?1, either alone or jointly with fertilizers, over the absolute control. Interestingly, the effects of sludge application on crop (rice/wheat) yield either applied directly at 10.0 t ha^?1 year^?1, residually at 30.0 t ha^?1 year^?1, and/or cumulatively at 15.0 t ha^?1 were nonsignificant. Direct sludge application at 5.0/10.0 t ha^?1 year^?1 resulted in significant increase in heavy-metal uptake over the absolute control. The micronutrient/heavy-metal contents in surface soil were significantly greater with sludge application than those in subsurface layers. The results thus show that sludge application results in significant improvement in yield and soil fertility.     

Tetraploid Wheat—A Resource for Genetic Improvement of Durum Wheat Quality

The tetraploid relatives (subspecies) of commercial durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. subsp. turgidum conv. durum (Desf.) MacKey) offer a source of economically useful genes for the genetic improvement of durum cultivars. Tetraploid wheat subspecies show a wide diversity in grain protein composition and content, which are major factors determining the pasta-making quality of durum cultivars. In this study, the specific focus was the identification of accessions expressing one or more superior pasta-making traits. In all, 33 accessions were surveyed representing five different subspecies; var. durum (13 accessions), polonicum (7 accessions), persicum (3 accessions), turanicum (6 accessions), and turgidum (4 accessions). These accessions and the durum cultivars Wollaroi and Kamilaroi (in both years) and Yallaroi (in 1998 only) were grown at Tamworth, Australia in 1997 and 1998. Grain, semolina, and spaghetti cooking quality were evaluated using a range of tests. Several accessions were identified with larger grain size and protein content and higher semolina extraction. Although many of the accessions were weaker in dough strength, a few were equal to the commercial cultivars and produced pasta of comparable quality. The main disadvantage with these accessions was the low yellow color. These quality defects can be corrected by conventional breeding.     

Nitrogen‐Supplying Capacity of Soils for Rice and Wheat and Nitrogen Availability Indices in Soils of Northwest India

Abstract

Quantitative assessment of soil nitrogen (N) that will become available is important for determining fertilizer needs of crops. Nitrogen‐supplying capacity of soil to rice and wheat was quantified by establishing zero‐N plots at on‐farm locations to which all nutrients except N were adequately supplied. Nitrogen uptake in zero‐N plots ranged from 41.4 to 110.3 kg N ha^?1 for rice and 33.7 to 123.4 kg N ha^?1 for wheat. Availability of soil N was also studied using oxidative, hydrolytic, and autoclaving indices, salt‐extraction indices, light‐absorption indices, and aerobic and anaerobic incubation indices. These were correlated with yield and N uptake by rice and wheat in zero‐N plots. Nitrogen extracted by alkaline KMnO₄ and phosphate borate buffer and nitrogen mineralized under aerobic incubation were satisfactory indices of soil N supply. For rice, 2 M KCl and alkaline KMnO₄ were the best N‐availability indices. Thus, alkaline KMnO₄ should prove a quick and reliable indicator of indigenous soil N supply in soils under a rice–wheat cropping system.     

Efficiency of Phosphogypsum and Mined Gypsum in Reclamation and Productivity of Rice–Wheat Cropping System in Sodic Soil

In this study, efficacies of mined gypsum and phosphogypsum (PG), when applied at equivalent doses, were compared for sodic soil reclamation and productivity of rice–wheat system. Application of PG, followed by karnal grass as first crop, resulted in the greatest reduction of soil pH and exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) followed by PG applied at 10 Mg ha^?1 alone. Application of PG at 10 Mg ha^?1 resulted in greater yields of both rice and wheat than other treatments. Ditheylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA)–extractable micronutrients of PG-treated soil were greater than in mined gypsum–treated soil. A greater portion of applied P entered the calcium (Ca)–phosphorus (P) fraction in PG-treated soil, which also resulted in more soluble P than the mined gypsum–treated soil. Phosphogypsum effected greater increase in aggregation, soil organic carbon, microbial biomass carbon, and aggregate associated carbon and decrease in zeta potential, leading to increased hydraulic conductivity and moisture retention capacity in soil over mined gypsum–treated soil.     

Fertilizer Economy through Vesicular Arbuscular Mycorrhizae Fungi under Soil-Test Crop Response Targeted Yield Model in Maize–Wheat–Maize Crop Sequence in Himalayan Acid Alfisol

The effect of three vesicular arbuscular mycorrhizae (VAM) cultures with or without inorganic phosphorus (P) was studied in a maize–wheat–maize crop sequence in a P-deficient acidic Alfisol. Application of these three VAM cultures (Glomus mosseae, developed by CSK Himachal Pradesh Agricultural University, Palampur; Glomus intraradices, developed by the Energy and Resources Institute, New Delhi; and Glomus mosseae, developed by the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi) alone or with 25% to 75% of recommended P₂O₅ dose based on soil-test crop response (STCR) precision model along with 100% of recommended nitrogen (N) and potassium (K) caused significantly greater grain and straw yield, NPK uptake, and soil nutrient buildup over the control and also increased crop yield and NPK uptake consistently and significantly with increases in applied P from 25% to 75% P₂O₅ dose. Results implied that application of either of the three VAM cultures with 75% P₂O₅ dose can economize the yield-targeted fertilizer P dose to the extent of about one fourth of the P requirement in maize–wheat–maize crop sequence without impairing yield targets and soil fertility in a P-deficient acidic alfisol.     

Effect of Zinc Humate on Growth of Soybean and Wheat in Zinc‐Deficient Calcareous Soil

Abstract

Humic acids have many benefits for plant growth and development, and these effects may be maximized if these materials are combined with micronutrient applications. In the present study, pot experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of zinc (Zn) humate and ZnSO₄ on growth of wheat and soybean in a severely Zn‐deficient calcareous soil (DTPA‐Zn: 0.10 mg kg^?1 soil). Plants were grown for 24 (wheat) and 28 days (soybean) with 0 or 5 mg kg^?1 of Zn as either ZnSO₄ or Zn humate. Zinc humate used in the experiments was obtained from Humintech GmbH, Germany, and contained 5% of Zn. When Zn was not supplied, plants rapidly developed visible symptoms of Zn deficiency (e.g., chlorosis and brown patches on young leaves in soybean and necrotic patches on middle‐aged leaves in wheat). Adding Zn humate eliminated Zn‐deficiency symptoms and enhanced dry matter production by 50% in soybean and 120% in wheat. Zinc‐humate and ZnSO₄ were similarly effective in increasing dry matter production in wheat; but Zn humate increased soybean dry matter more than ZnSO₄. When Zn was not supplied, Zn concentrations were 6 mg kg^?1 for wheat and 8 mg kg^?1 for soybean. Application of Zn humate and ZnSO₄ increased shoot Zn concentration of plants to 36 and 34 mg kg^?1 in wheat and to 13 and 18 mg kg^?1 in soybean, respectively. The results indicate that soybean and wheat plants can efficiently utilize Zn chelated to humic acid in calcareous soils, and this utilization is comparable to the utilization of Zn from ZnSO₄. Under Zn‐deficient soil conditions, plant growth and yield can be maximized by the combined positive effects of Zn and humic acids.     

Chemiqal Behavior of Cadmium in Wheat Rhizosphere

The present study deals with some chemical behavior,including Cd extractability,species transformation and adsorption-desorption characteristics,of Cd in the rhizosphere(R) of wheat seedlings grown on both yellow-brown earth(YBE) and red earth (RE).Results indicated an increase of pH about 0.5 unit in the R of the yellow-brown earth and a decrease about 0.4 unit in the R of red earth in comparison with their respective bulk soils(NR).More Cd adsorbed and less Cd desorbed,and hence less Cd extracted in the R of YBE than those in the NR were found.The opposite cases were got for the R of RE.Fractionation experiment showed that in the R of YBE,more Cd was bound to Mn oxides and organic matter,less Cd was in exchangeable form,and little Cd was bound to amorphous and crystal iron oxides.However,little difference of the Cd species between the R and NR of RE was found. Regression analysis indicated that pH was one of the dominant factors affecting the chemical behavior of Cd in rhizosphere.     

Cover Crop Seeding Rate Effects on Forage Yields of Oat and Barley and Underseeded Bromegrass–Alfalfa Mixture

Annual cover crops compete with underseeded perennial forages for light, moisture, and nutrients and may suppress their establishment and growth. Field experiments were established in 2000 and 2001 at Nipawin and in 2002 and 2003 at Melfort in northeastern Saskatchewan to determine the effects of seeding rates of cover crops of oat (19, 38, and 112 kg ha^?1) and barley (31, 62, and 124 kg ha^?1) on forage dry-matter yield (DMY) of the cover crop cut as greenfeed in the seeding year, DMY of the underseeded meadow bromegrass–alfalfa mixture in the following 1 or 2 years after establishment, and forage quality [concentration of crude protein (CP), acid detergent fiber (ADF) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF)]. In the first establishment year, the no cover crop treatment produced considerably less DMY than the treatments with cover crops. Oat seeded at 112 kg ha^?1 produced greater DMY than when it was seeded at 19 or 38 kg ha^?1 in all four site-years, but DMY differences between the 19 or 38 kg ha^?1 seeding rates were not significant in any site-year. For barley, there was no significant difference in DMY among the three seeding rates in 2000, 2001, and 2002. In 2003, barley seeded at 62 or 124 kg ha^?1 produced greater DMY than when it was seeded at 31 kg ha^?1, but DMYs were not significantly different between the 62 and 124 kg ha^?1 seeding rates. The use of a cover crop did reduce DMY in 2003 of bromegrass–alfalfa mixture underseeded in 2002, but the type of cover crop and its seeding rate did not appear to affect DMY in any site-year. Forage quality in the seeding year was consistently superior in no cover crop treatment compared to that in treatments with cover crops, especially related to CP concentration. There was no consistent trend of forage quality in the cover crop treatments, indicating cover crops and their seeding rates had little effect on forage quality. In conclusion, oat appeared to be more sensitive to seeding rate than barley for forage DMY in the establishment year, but in the subsequent 1 or 2 years after establishment there was little effect of cover crop type and its seeding rate on DMY of bromegrass–alfalfa mixture, although DMY was considerably greater in the no cover treatment than that in treatments with cover crops in 1 site-year.     

Influence of Gyttja on Shoot Growth and Shoot Concentrations of Zinc and Boron of Wheat Cultivars Grown on Zinc‐Deficient and Boron‐Toxic Soil

Abstract

Greenhouse experiments were carried out to study the influence of gyttja, a sedimentary peat, on the shoot dry weight and shoot concentrations of zinc (Zn) and boron (B) in one bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L., cv. Bezostaja) and one durum wheat (Triticum durum L., cv. Kiziltan) cultivar. Plants were grown in a Zn‐deficient (DTPA‐Zn: 0.09 mg kg^?1 soil) and B‐toxic soil (CaCl₂/mannitol‐extractable B: 10.5 mg kg^?1 soil) with (+Zn = 5 mg Zn kg^?1 soil) and without (?Zn = 0) Zn supply for 55 days. Gyttja containing 545 g kg^?1 organic matter was applied to the soil at the rates of 0, 1, 2.5, 5, and 10% (w/w). When Zn and gyttja were not added, plants showed leaf symptoms of Zn deficiency and B toxicity, and had a reduced growth. With increased rates of gyttja application, shoot growth of both cultivars was significantly enhanced under Zn deficiency, but not at sufficient supply of Zn. The adverse effects of Zn deficiency and B toxicity on shoot dry matter production became very minimal at the highest rate of gyttja application. Increases in gyttja application significantly enhanced shoot concentrations of Zn in plants grown without addition of inorganic Zn. In Zn‐sufficient plants, the gyttja application up to 5% (w/w) did not affect Zn concentration in shoots, but at the highest rate of gyttja application there was a clear decrease in shoot Zn concentration. Irrespective of Zn supply, the gyttja application strongly decreased shoot concentration of B in plants, particularly in durum wheat. For example, in Zn‐deficient Kiziltan shoot concentration of B was reduced from 385 mg kg^?1 to 214 mg kg^?1 with an increased gyttja application. The results obtained indicate that gyttja is a useful organic material improving Zn nutrition of plants in Zn‐deficient soils and alleviating adverse effects of B toxicity on plant growth. The beneficial effects of gyttja on plant growth in the Zn‐deficient and B‐toxic soil were discussed in terms of increases in plant available concentration of Zn in soil and reduction of B uptake due to formation of tightly bound complexes of B with gyttja.     

Effects of Continuous Use of Chemical Fertilizers and Manure on Soil Fertility and Productivity of Maize–Wheat under Rainfed Conditions of the Western Himalayas

Long-term effects of continuous use of chemical fertilizers and manure on soil fertility and productivity of a maize–wheat system were investigated in the ongoing long-term fertilizer experiment, during rabi (2007–2008) and kharif (2008) seasons at the research farm of Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar Himachal Pradesh Agricultural University–Hill Agricultural Research and Extension Centre, Dhaulakuan. After 16 cropping cycles, bulk density decreased in plots where farmyard manure (FYM) was applied, whereas pH decreased in all the treatments. The organic carbon content of the soil increased in all the treatments except 100% nitrogen (N). Cation exchange capacity (CEC) increased in all the treatments over the initial status of the soil. Available N showed buildup over the initial status in most of the treatments. Available phosphorus (P) declined from initial status in treatments where only N was applied alone or with FYM. There was reduction in available potassium (K) status in all the treatments except 100% NPK. Continuous addition of FYM with balanced application of inorganic fertilizers improved content of exchangeable calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) over initial status compared to imbalanced application of fertilizers. Continuous use of imbalanced inorganic fertilizers resulted in lesser crop yields and nutrient uptake compared to that with the application of balanced dose of inorganic fertilizers with FYM.     

Does Fumigation of Durum Wheat and Semolina with Sulfuryl Fluoride Affect Quality of the Grain,Semolina, and Derived Spaghetti and Bread?

There is no information on the effect of sulfuryl fluoride (SF) on durum wheat technological properties and products made from fumigated durum wheat. Durum wheat and semolina were exposed to a range of SF applications under conditions that might be typically encountered in bulk storage facilities used in many countries. SF greatly reduced the germination percentage of fumigated durum wheat, with increasing impact under higher SF concentration, grain moisture content, and fumigation temperature. SF greatly reduced seed germination percentage, impacting more the higher the SF concentration. SF had little to no effect on grain test weight, 1,000‐grain weight, hardness, protein content, semolina ash content, and mixograph properties. At the highest SF concentration (31.25 mg/L for 48 h) there was a tendency for pasta cooking loss to be increased but still acceptable, and other pasta properties were largely unaffected. Fumigation with SF did not have any impact on the baking properties of a wholemeal durum flour–commercial flour mix. Therefore, SF is not recommended if the grains are to be used as seeds for agricultural production, but for the production of semolina, pasta, and bread, SF used under typical fumigation conditions has little to no impact on technological properties of durum wheat.     

Soil Properties as Influenced by Incorporation of Crop Residues

Chemical transformation,nutrient release and changes in the energy content of decomposing rape,sunflower and soybean residues confined in buried fiberglass bage were assessed in a laboratory study during a 340-day incubation period.The organic C decreased by about 70% while total N,after initial decay,remained almost constant for each type of residue.The NH4^ -N was progressively oxidized and,consequently,the NO3^-N increased.The C/N ratio narrowed with loss of C.Hemicellulose,cellulose and lignin decreased with different trends for each crop residue.The energy content,was reduced to about 25% in rape,30% in sunflower and 20% in soybean residues.Total P,K,Ca and Mg contents decreased for each type of residue The results suggest that the three residues could imporve the nutrient pool of the soil.     

Evaluation of Crop Responses to Applied Fertilizer Phosphorus and Derivation of Optimum Recommendations using the Mitscherlich–Bray Equation

Abstract

In this article, the responses of three important crops (rice, wheat, and soybeans) to applied phosphorous (P) were examined and economically optimum P fertilizer recommendations using the Mitscherlich–Bray model were derived for the three crops at four locations in India. Crop‐yield responses were related to extractable P concentrations estimated by the Olsen method, employing a modification of Mitscherlich's equation. The parameters were considered reliable enough to use for the estimation of fertilizer recommendations at different fertilizer cost–price ratios (p) and marginal rate of return (R). The b parameter value explains how much soil P can substitute for fertilizer P. Thus, for each incremental unit of extractable P, fertilizer P could be reduced by 2.0, 2.9, 1.5, and 1.5 kg P/ha for rice (Periyar), rice (Bhubaneswar), wheat (Hisar), and soybean (Raipur), respectively. Optimum fertilizer rates for rice, wheat, and soybean were generated for different soil P fertility levels. There is also need for such information for other soils and crops.