Soil organic matter dynamics and losses in manured maize-based forage systems

Soil organic matter (SOM) produces positive effects on multiple soil properties. Increasing its level also provides an opportunity to reduce atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide (CO₂). Recycling animal manure and returning crop residue are among the main practices to enhance organic carbon (C) stock in arable croplands. This study analysed data of soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks from a medium-term field trial (established in 1992) through a Hénin–Dupuis-based equation to determine the proportion of different organic materials retained in the soil as SOM.The treatments included in the experiment simulated different typical management techniques and implied the application to the soil of various organic materials, i.e. cattle slurry, cattle farmyard manure, maize straw, root, maize and ley stubble. Soil organic carbon and total nitrogen (N) (Kjeldhal N) were measured in the 0–30 cm layer during spring 1999 and spring 2003. The relationship between SOC and N stocks measured in 1999 and 2003 and the annual additions of C and N was described by the Hénin–Dupuis-based equation, assuming the presence of two C and N pools (stable and fresh).Our results showed that the application of farmyard manure, slurry and maize straw induced higher C and N content compared to the application of urea without return of crop residue. The different levels of urea application did not produce any significant difference in C and N soil content.We found that approximately 2% of SOC is lost to the atmosphere annually. Furthermore, the amount of C and N retained in the soil each year varied by organic materials: 46% C and 44% N with farmyard manure, 26% C and 11% N with slurry, 28% C and 10% N with root and 6% C with maize straw and ley stubble.These results were used to inform an estimate of C lost or removed to/from atmosphere following manure application and crop residue return for the compilation of greenhouse gas inventories. We found that the most C conservative management is the production and spreading of farmyard manure and that increasing amounts of mineral N fertilizer did not affect the C sequestration extent.     

Production, nitrogen and carbon balance of maize-based forage systems

Nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) surplus can be used as indicators of an agroecosystems’ ability to maintain soil fertility. Maize is the key crop of intensive forage systems in northern Italy, and large amounts of manure are often supplied to this crop. Different maize-based cropping systems and manure managements were compared in this paper. The following were assessed, using the results of an 11-year experiment: crop production and N uptakes; C and N surpluses; soil C and N contents. The treatments were maize for silage (Ms), maize for grain (Mg), double annual crop rotation maize–Italian ryegrass (Mr), and rotation maize–grass ley (Ml). Five fertilization management systems were adopted: 0N control, and bovine slurry and farmyard manure supplied at two levels, ranging from 215 to 385 kg ha⁻¹ of total N.

The dry-matter production of Mr was significantly higher than those of the other systems. The response of maize to fertilization was similar in all the cropping systems, except for Mr, for which the crop showed a high reactivity to N input at both fertilizer levels. Soil reserves were rapidly consumed in the unfertilized treatment of Mr, whereas the high productivity potential of this cropping system was exerted in fertilized plots. The introduction of a ley in rotation with maize reduced the system's DM production, due to the low yield potential of grass compared to that of maize, reduced the system response to fertilization, and diminished the exploitation of organic N at high fertilization rates. Cumulated N surplus caused an enrichment of the soil N pool size: 43% of excess N was retained by the soil. The relationship between the cumulated C surplus and the soil C pool size indicated that 26–27% was retained by the soil. Crop residues of the Mg system were less effective in building up the soil C pool than other C sources. Both slurry and farmyard manure exerted a positive effect on the soil C and N retention. When farmyard manure was used, 18% of C and 45% of surplus N were incorporated into the soil organic matter (SOM). Slurry also built up the SOM content, resulting in 9% of C and 24% of N surplus.     

Influence of Long-term Application of Sewage Sludge and Compost from Garbage with Sewage Sludge on Soil Fertility Criteria

In a long-term field experiment in progress since 1962 on a luvisol derived from loess the influence of increasing amounts of sewage sludge, garbage compost and farmyard manure on the N dynamic and microbiological soil characteristics was investigated.
The following results were obtained:
The application of the organic materials over a period of 24 years resulted in an increase of the total C and total N content of the soil. The increase was mostly pronounced in the plots treated with garbage compost. The higher total N content was caused by higher contents of hydrolyzable as well as non-hydrolyzable organic N compounds. The N mineralization potential of the soil was intensified by the application of all the different organic materials, especially by garbage compost and farmyard manure.
Dehydrogenase activity and soil respiration were positively influenced by all organic treatments with the highest effect in the soils with the highest C, contents.     

Estimation of past and recent carbon input by crops into agricultural soils of southeast Germany

In agricultural soils, the formation of soil organic matter largely depends on the carbon (C) input by crop residues and rhizodeposition, which is thus of decisive importance for the management and prediction of soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks in cropland and grassland. However, there is a remarkable lack of reliable, crop-specific C input data. We used a plant C allocation approach to estimate the C input of major crops and grassland into agricultural soils of Bavaria in southeast Germany. Historic and recent plant C allocation coefficients were estimated and C inputs were calculated for a 60-year period (1951–2010) using long-term agricultural statistics. The spatial distribution of C inputs within Bavaria was derived from county-specific statistical data. The results revealed increases of the C input by 107–139% for cereals, 173–188% for root, forage and leguminous crops and 34% for grassland in the last 60 years. This increase was related to linear yield increases until 1995 despite significant changes of plant C allocation. However, from 1995 onwards, crop yields and related C inputs stagnated, which allowed a robust estimation of recent crop-specific C input values. A total C input of 3.8–6.7 t ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ was estimated for cereals, 5.2–6.3 t ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ for root, forage and leguminous crops and 2.4 t ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ for grassland. These amounts were partly higher compared to estimations in the literature. A generally high spatial variability of C inputs was detected within Bavaria with differences of up to 40% between adjacent counties. The results of this study could be used to optimize the C input of crop rotations and thus promote the formation of soil organic matter and C sequestration in agricultural soils on the basis of a soil carbon model. Moreover, recent estimations of C inputs could be used to model the future development of agricultural SOC stocks. A further stagnation of crop yields and the related C input under an ongoing temperature increase bears the risk of a future decrease of SOC stocks in cropland soils of Bavaria.     

Agronomic effects of bovine manure: A review of long-term European field experiments

To evaluate the agronomic value of animal manure, we quantified the effects of pedo-climatic, crop and management factors on crop productivity, N use efficiency, and soil organic matter, described with simple indicators that compare manures with mineral fertilizers. We selected 80 European long-term field experiments that used bovine farmyard manure or bovine liquid slurry, alone (FYM and SLU) or combined with mineral fertilizers (FYMm and SLUm), and compared them to mineral fertilizer only reference treatments. We collected 5570 measurements from 107 papers. FYM produced slightly lower crop yields (−9.5%) when used alone and higher (+11.3%) yields when used in combination with N fertilizer (FYMm), compared to those obtained using mineral fertilizers only. Conditions promoting manure-N mineralization (lighter soil texture, warmer temperature, longer growing season, and shallower incorporation depth) significantly increased the effect of FYM/FYMm on crop yield and yield N. The production efficiency of FYM (yield:N applied ratio) was slightly lower than that of mineral fertilizers (-1.6%). The apparent N recoveries of FYM and FYMm were 59.3% and 78.7%, respectively, of mineral fertilizers. Manured soils had significantly higher C (+32.9% on average for FYM and FYMm) and N (+21.5%) concentrations. Compared to mineral fertilizers, yield was reduced by 9.1% with SLU, but not with SLUm. Influencing factors were similar to those of FYM/FYMm. Efficiency indicators indicated SLU (but not SLUm) was less effective than mineral fertilizers. Slurry significantly increased SOC (on average for SLU and SLUm by +17.4%) and soil N (+15.7%) concentrations. In conclusion, compared to mineral N fertilizers, bovine farmyard manure and slurry were slightly less effective on the crop, but determined marked increases to SOC and soil N, and thus, to long-term soil fertility maintenance.     

Long-term effects of crop rotation,manure and mineral fertilisation on carbon sequestration and soil fertility

Carbon sequestration, recently advocated to mitigate climate change, needs a thorough knowledge of the dynamics of soil organic carbon (SOC), whose study requires long-term experiments. A field trial started in 1967 is still in progress in the Southeast Po valley (Italy). It compares a 9-year rotation (corn–wheat–corn–wheat–corn–wheat–alfalfa–alfalfa–alfalfa), two 2-year successions (corn–wheat and sugarbeet–wheat), continuous corn and continuous wheat. During the first 18 years (up to 1984) wheat crops were always followed by catch crops of silage corn. Within each rotation, three rates of cattle manure have been factorially combined with three mineral NP rates. In 1984 the highest manure application was stopped. Wheat straw and corn stalks have always been removed from the field. Since 1972 up to now every year we have determined the organic C and total N contents in soil samples collected from 0.40-m depth. During the first 18 years (in the presence of the catch crop) SOC exponentially declined, probably as a consequence of the intensification of tillage depth and crop succession with respect to the previous conventional agriculture. The intensification regarded ploughing, which became deeper, the number of cropped species that in most treatments was reduced, and mineral N application, which, on average, increased. The drop was faster in the sugarbeet–wheat succession than in the 9-yr rotation and continuous wheat. After 1985, without the catch crop, SOC linearly increased, faster in the 9-yr rotation and continuous wheat than in sugarbeet–wheat. The results can be ascribed to the amount and C/N ratio of debris remaining in the field after each crop, even after having taken away wheat straw and corn stalks. The debris consisted of sugarbeet tops, with a low C/N ratio, and of roots and basal culms of the two cereal crops with higher C/N ratio. Mineral fertilizers significantly increased SOC, probably for the greater amount of cereal roots and sugarbeet tops in more fertilized plots. The influence of manure was less intense, but its benefits lasted longer than 18 years after its interruption. Soil N content was more related to accumulated organic matter than to mineral N fertilisation. In conclusion the highest C sequestration was obtained with manure addition, with the highest rate of mineral fertilizers, and in the rotation containing the alfalfa ley. The effects of these factors were not additive.     

Can mineral and organic fertilization help sequestrate carbon dioxide in cropland?

The soil organic matter content represents a huge reservoir of plant nutrients and an effective safeguard against pollution; beside it can sequestrate atmospheric CO₂. Since 1966 up to now in the Southeast Po valley (Italy), the soil organic C (SOC) and total N (TN) dynamics in the 0–0.40 m soil layer under a maize–wheat rainfed rotation are studied as influenced by organic and mineral N fertilizations. Every year in the same plots cattle manure, cattle slurry, and crop residues (i.e. wheat straw and maize stalk) are ploughed under to 0.40 m depth at a same dry matter rate (6.0 and 7.5 t DM ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ after wheat and maize, respectively) and are compared to an unamended control. Each plot is splitted to receive four rates of mineral fertilizer (0–100–200–300 kg N ha⁻¹). In the whole experiment, in 2000 SOC concentration was lower than in 1966 (6.77 and 7.72 g kg⁻¹, respectively), likely for the deeper tillage that diluted SOC and favoured mineralization in deeper soil layer. From 1972 to 2000 SOC stock did not change in the control and N fertilized plots, while it increased at mean rates of 0.16, 0.18, and 0.26 t ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ with the incorporation of residues, slurry and manure, corresponding to sequestration efficiencies of 3.7, 3.8 and 8.1% of added C with the various materials. TN followed the same SOC dynamic, demonstrating how it depends on the soil organic matter. Manure thus confirmed its efficacy in increasing both SOC content and soil fertility on the long-term. In developed countries, however, this material has become scarcely available; slurry management is expensive and implies high environmental risks. Moreover, in a C balance at a farm (or regional) scale, the CO₂ lost during manure and slurry stocking should be considered. For these reasons, the incorporation of cereal residues, even if only a little of their C content was found capable of soil accumulation, appears the best way to obtain a significant CO₂ sequestration in developed countries. Our long-term experiment clearly shows how difficult it is to modify SOC content. Moreover, because climate and soil type can greatly influence SOC dynamic, to increase CO₂ sequestration in cropland, it is important to optimize the fertilization within an agricultural management that includes all the agronomic practices (e.g. tillage, water management, cover crops, etc.) favouring the organic matter build up in the soil.     

生物菌肥在花生上施用效果的研究

为探究不同类型肥料对花生栽培的影响,采用小区试验,研究了不同肥料对花生田间性状、产量性状、品质及根系生长的影响,筛选出适合四川地区花生生长的肥料,促进四川花生产业发展。2014—2015年,在成都平原地区,以四川省农科院经作所培育的花生高产新品系‘1503’为材料,利用生物菌肥、农家肥与普通化肥3种肥料设置8个处理,采用不同梯度、不同肥料混合,考察不同成分的肥料对花生田间性状、产量、营养成分、根系干物质、土壤养分变化等指标的影响。结果表明:生物菌肥与普通化肥配合施用效果最好,单独施用或与农家肥配合施用效果相对较差。生物菌肥配合常规化肥,花生产量最高可增加28.2%,花生含糖量最大可提高18.9%,根系干物质最高增加25.8%,土壤氮、磷、钾及有机物含量较对照提高45.7%、58.2%、38.8%、67.2%。生物菌肥拥有改良土壤,提高产量,增强抗性,提升品质等多种作用,在花生种植业有较好的应用前景。     

Management practices of antecedent leguminous and non-leguminous crop residues in relation to winter wheat yields, nitrogen uptake, soil nitrogen mineralization and simple nitrogen balance

Many studies have been conducted in examining the effects of N fertilizers on cereal yields and nitrogen (N) uptake, the effects of different kind of crop residues and their management practices on cereal yield, nitrogen uptake and simple N balance have not been studied extensively. We studied the effects of antecedent leguminous (white clover and field pea) and non-leguminous (perennial ryegrass and winter wheat) crop residues, each subjected to four different residue management practices (ploughed, rotary hoed, mulched and burned) on grain yield, nitrogen uptake by succeeding winter wheat crops, soil N mineralization and simple N balance. Grain yield and N uptake by the first wheat crop were significantly higher under leguminous than non-leguminous residues, following the order of white clover>pea>ryegrass>wheat. Grain yield under the mulched treatment was significantly lower than those of other management treatments due to lower plant population established. While N uptake was significantly lower under rotary hoed and mulched treatments as compared to other treatments, mulching had a positive residual effect on the grain yield of second wheat crop. Similar to grain yield, total soil N mineralization was greater under leguminous residues during the growing period of first wheat crop and was significantly correlated with C/N ratio of the residues. The calculated simple N balance showed that positive N balances occurred under white clover after one wheat crop when N inputs from only crop residue tops was considered. This also occurred even after two wheat crops when total N inputs from crop residues (tops+roots) were considered. However, with pea, the positive N balance occurred only after the first wheat crop when total N input from crop residues (tops+roots) were considered. These calculations demonstrated the important contribution of root-N to the N economy of the cropping system, which was largely ignored in most studies. The burning of residues showed no significant advantage over other residue management treatments. This was also evident from N balance calculations, which showed, in general, N balance was lower or more negative under residue-burned treatment as compared with other treatments. Overall, present results showed that it is beneficial to retain crop residues in the field, even though non-leguminous residues may cause substantial soil N immobilization initially reducing N availability to the first wheat crop, this N eventually became available to subsequent wheat crops and also increase the fertility of soils in the long-term. Thus, N inputs from crop residues are far more beneficial to the cropping system as compared to the burning of crop residues in the field or their removal from the field.     

Six-year transition from conventional to organic farming: effects on crop production and soil quality

Organic farming has become increasingly important in recent decades as the consumer has grown its focus on the food and environmental benefits of the technique. However, when compared to conventional farming systems, organic farm system are known to yield less.Presented in this paper are the results from two organic cropping systems following six years of organic management. Fertilisation management differentiated the two systems; one was fertilised with green manure and commercial organic fertilisers, while the other was fertilised with dairy manure. A conventional cropping system, managed with mineral fertiliser as typical in the southern Piemonte region (Italy), served as the bussiness as usual crop management. The first hypothesis tested related to crop yield variation during the initial phase of organic management; we expected a sharp reduction in the early phase, then minor reductions later on. The second hypothesis tested related to soil fertility variation; we expected enhanced soil fertility under organic management.Overall, the organic system produced less, relative to the conventional system in interaction with year effect. Yield reduction seemed related to the lower soil nutrient availability of organic fertilisers that provided nutrients consequent to mineralisation. Therefore, summer crops are well-suited to manure-fertilised organic farms as mineralisation happens at higher temperatures, as opposed to winter wheat, which is largely reduced in such systems. Commercial organic fertilisers can, however, limit this effect through their high nutrient availability in the winter and early springAlso shown was that soil quality, defined as a general decrease in soil organic carbon (SOC) over time in the three analysed arable systems, can be mitigated by manure additions. Green manuring can maintain SOC and increase total N in soil, only if introduced for a sufficient number of years during crop rotation. Finally, soil fertility and Potential Mineralisable N in the different systems demonstrated that organic systems managed with commercial organic nitrogen fertilisers and green manure do not improve soil quality, compared to systems managed with mineral fertilisers.     

不同肥料种类对连作烟草根际土壤微生物功能多样性的影响

烟草连作障碍是制约烟草产量与品质的关键因素。以连作12年的烟草土壤为对象,施用不同肥料, 调查施肥后的土壤对连作烟草作物的生长、土壤微生物功能多样性的影响及其对土壤化感自毒的调节作用。结果表明,烟草根际土壤化感自毒潜力以施用常规复合肥最大,施用农家肥最小。基于Biolog平板法的微生物功能多样性研究表明,施用常规复合肥利于氨基酸类、胺类物质为碳源的微生物生长;施用有机肥利于羧酸类物质为碳源的微生物生长;而施用农家肥则利于糖类、脂肪酸、酚酸类物质为碳源的微生物生长。土壤微生物利用单一碳源的主成分分析结果表明,与碳源利用相关的主成分1、主成分2可分别解释变量方差的74.37%和25.63%。在主成分分离中有主要贡献的是糖类、脂肪酸类、酚酸类碳源。相关性分析结果显示,烟草土壤的化感自毒潜力与以糖类和酚酸类物质为碳源的微生物AWCD值呈显著正相关,而与以脂肪酸类物质为碳源的微生物AWCD值呈显著负相关。此外,农家肥施用最利于微生物生长,有机肥次之,常规复合肥最差。     

Auswirkungen differenzierter Bodenbearbeitung auf das Bodengefüge und die Stickstoffdynamik von Lößböden bei viehloser und viehstarker Bewirtschaftung

Effect of different tillage practices on soil structure and nitrogen dynamic in loess soils with and without longterm application of farmyard manure
Field trials were conducted in 1979 and 1980 on two farms with and without longterm application of farmyard manure respectively, to study the effect of different tillage practices (ploughing at low soil moisture in summer and autumn and ploughing at highsoil moisture in autumn) on soil structure and nitrogen dynamic. Soil structure measurements showed great differences between ploughing at low and high soil moisture contents. Ploughing soil at high moisture contents caused a rise in penetrometer resistance as in bulk density and a decrease of macropors as well as in oxygen concentration in top soil and in tillage pan. But little differences were observed between ploughing in summer and autumn at low soil moisture contents.
Ploughing soil at high moisture contents caused a higher soil compaction on the farm without longterm application of farmyard manure compared to the farm with longterm application of farmyard manure.
The differences in soil nitrate content were strongly correlated with soil compaction. Very large differences in soil nitrate content between ploughing at low and high soil moisture contents were always observed in May, when the soil temperature was higher than 15°C These differences in soil nitrate content are due to reduced nitrogen mineralization and an increase of denitrification activity after ploughing at high soil moisture contents.     

淮北砂姜黑土地力贡献与培肥技术研究

对杨柳点长期定位培肥试验和相关小麦施肥试验资料进行分析,结果表明：地力贡献与小麦施肥产量、地力贡献率之间呈线性正相关,高产田块地力贡献在小麦施肥产量中占主要地位。砂姜黑土地力贡献主要受土壤有机质和速效磷含量的影响,速效钾含量尚不是限制因子。长期连续施肥条件下,不同的土壤养分指标受有机无机配比的影响不同。有机质和氮素养分含量偏低的土壤,要通过增施有机肥加以培肥,磷素或钾素养分偏低的土壤可以通过增施有机肥或化肥来培肥。     

Organic fertilizer effects on pea yield,nutrient uptake,microbial root colonization and soil microbial biomass indices in organic farming systems

In the present field experiment, horse manure and compost derived from shrub and garden cuttings were supplied at nearly equivalent N amounts but different C amounts to field peas (Pisum sativum L.), either as a sole crop or intercropped with oat (Avena sativa L.). The objectives were: (1) to evaluate the beneficial effects of C-rich manure and compost on pea productivity in different cropping systems (2) to investigate whether these effects were reflected by microbial root colonization, microbial biomass and CO₂ production and (3) to study the residual effects of the organic fertilizers on the yield of succeeding crop. Short term application of horse manure and compost greatly stimulated soil microbial biomass C, N, P, fungal ergosterol and CO₂ evolution, but failed to stimulate productivity of the current crops. However, significant positive residual effects of organic fertilizer, especially horse manure were observed on the grain yield of the succeeding winter wheat. Mycorrhizal colonization and ergosterol concentration were significantly higher in pea than in oat roots. Intercropping is an important tool for controlling weeds on pea plots under organic farming conditions, but did not affect microbial root colonization, soil microbial biomass indices or CO₂ evolution from the soil surface. According to the extrapolation of the CO₂ evolution rates into amounts per hectare, approximately 40% of the manure C and 24% of the compost C were mineralized to CO₂ during the 124-day experimental period. There were close relationships between grain N and P concentrations in both crops and microbial biomass C, N and P, suggesting that soil microbial biomass can be used as an indicator of nutrient availability to plants.     

不同有机物料施用对灌漠土春小麦产量和土壤肥力的影响

研究了牛粪、沼渣、污泥、鸡粪、菌渣和猪粪6种有机物料施用对灌漠土春小麦产量和土壤肥力的影响,旨在考察6种有机废弃物农用的可行性。采用大田试验方法,分别将6种有机物料与70%常量化肥配合施用,共设置了8个处理。结果表明,与对照相比,6种有机物料与70%常量化肥配合施用均能提高春小麦的籽粒产量和生物产量。与施用常量化肥的处理相比,菌渣、污泥和鸡粪处理能提高春小麦的氮素利用率;菌渣、沼渣和污泥处理能提高春小麦的磷素利用率。菌渣和污泥处理的钾素利用率要远远高于其他有机物料的处理,分别达到了97.47%和94.75%。不同有机物料输入均能显著提高灌漠土的有机质含量,对土壤全量养分含量的影响均表现不显著,对速效养分含量则能产生不同的影响。     

Weed seeds in exogenous organic matter and their contribution to weed dynamics in cropping systems. A simulation approach

Nitrogen fertilizers are crucial for ensuring crop production. Mineral nitrogen fertilizer are often complemented or replaced (e.g. in organic agriculture) by exogenous organic matter (EOM) to limit environmental impacts of mineral fertilization (e.g. reduced carbon storage, nitrate leaching to groundwater, biodiversity erosion). EOM can though cause new problems as it comprises pest propagules, particularly weed seeds. The objective of the present work was to evaluate the impact of EOM on grass–weed dynamics, combining EOM analyses and model simulations. The first step analyzed seven EOM types for their chemical properties (e.g. nitrogen, carbon) and weed seed contents (using germination tests). The tested EOMs were of agricultural or urban origin (e.g. co-compost of green waste and sewage sludge or organic fraction of municipal waste). The most infested EOMs were composted farmyard manure and cattle slurry while fresh manure contained few weed seeds. Urban and green waste composts were nearly seed-free. In total, nineteen weed species and one crop species (Triticum aestivum) were identified with cattle slurry comprising the highest species number (thirteen). Weeds were mostly grass species (Lolium sp., Bromus sterilis, Echinochloa crus-galli, Festuca sp., Poa annua), except for Trifolium sp. In the second step, an existing model (AlomySys) which quantifies the effects of cropping systems on the dynamics of an autumnal grass weed similar to Lolium sp. was amended to account for EOM applications, considering both weed seed addition to the native soil seed bank and additional nitrogen. Finally, the amended model was used to simulate the effects on grass–weed dynamics of applying composted farmyard manure, using the observed EOM characteristics. Simulations focused on a small number of factors potentially interacting with EOM, i.e. EOM application frequency and seed content, tillage strategies, mineral nitrogen fertilization, and initial weed infestation. These simulations showed that for autumnal grass–weed species, adding weed seeds via EOM only increased multi-year weed infestation if fields were initially weed-free or if the simulated weed species was highly dormant in summer. Conversely, the additional EOM nitrogen reduced the fitness of the newly produced grass–weed seeds by affecting their dormancy and germination pattern, having more of them emerge in summer and thus unable to flower. Burying manure by mouldboard ploughing decreased or even cancelled the EOM effect.     

Maximizing Sugarcane Yield by Increasing Plant Population Density, Minimizing NO3-N Leaching and Improving Soil Organic Matter in Different Crop Rotations

In a field experiment conducted during 1992–95 at Lucknow, India, sugarcane was planted in rows 60 and 90 cm apart in three crop rotations (rice-sugarcane-ratoon, Sesbania aculeata for green manure-sugarcane-ratoon, and cowpea-sugarcane-ratoon) with 0, 150 and 300 kg N ha⁻¹ as urea either with or without farmyard manure (FYM) at 10 t ha⁻¹. Sugarcane yields were significantly greater in the Sesbania rotation than in the other because of a larger N uptake. N uptake of the crop was significantly affected by soil organic carbon, and available N and K contents. Ratoon yields, however, were largest in the cowpea sequence followed by the rice rotation, probably due to a prolonged residual effect of cowpea and rice root residues. The residual effect of a Sesbania green manure was negligible as demonstrated by the low NO₃-N content of the soil profile after sugarcane harvest compared to the other two crop sequences. The total cane productivity (main sugarcane plus ratoon) was greater (156 t ha⁻¹) in the cowpea rotation than the Sesbania (152 t ha⁻¹) and rice (140 t ha⁻¹) rotations.     

Einfluß verschiedener organischer Düngemittel auf die Effizienz von Azospirillum lipoferum

Effect of several organic manures on the efficiency of Azospirillum lipoferum
Under greenhouse conditions, it was examined how grass mulch, farmyard manure and compost influence the efficiency of Azospirillum lipoferum with Sorghum bicolor. The organic manures were added at 5 concentrations: 0, 50, 100, 200 and 300 dt/ha.
With the exception of the highest amount the grass mulch always induced a good effect of Azospirillum on plant yield and nutrient uptake. The application of farmyard manure or compost did not improve the growth of the inoculated plants. With farmyard manure the inoculation even lowered shoot dry weights. But in both treatments the inoculated plants showed considerably increased N and P contents. In addition to the N₂ fixation the inoculation with Azospirillum lipoferum apparently can increase the capacity of the sorghum plant roots to absorb P. Primarily, the organic manures create better growing conditions for the bacteria and simultaneously serve as P sources.     

关联度分析在农业生态系统技术调控上的应用

农业生态系统是个“灰箱”.我们运用模糊数学的关联度分析,尝试对这类灰色系统的投入进行技术调控,并取得了良好的效果.通过对农田子系统投入的化肥(尤其是N化肥)、粪肥和还田秸秆进行技术调控的实例证明;它可以作为能、物流分析的辅助手段,互相取长补短.通过关联序分析和关联系数分析,来调整系统的投入结构和投入技艺(时、空、量级及方式的选择).本文提出了应用关联度分析的基本程序和要领以及“贡献曲线”、“潜力曲线”等概念.     

Nutrient surpluses on integrated arable farms

From 1990 to 1993 nutrient fluxes were monitored on 38 private arable farms that had adopted farming strategies aiming at reduced nutrient inputs and substitution of mineral fertilizers by organic fertilizers. The nutrient surplus was defined as the difference between inputs (including inputs through deposition, seeds and biological fixation) and outputs in crop products, and amounted to 117 kg nitrogen (N), 14 kg phosphorus (P) and 21 kg potash (K) ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ on average. Potato and sugar beet had relatively high nutrient surpluses resulting both from crop characteristics and the use of organic manure. The surplus varied markedly among farms due to differences in cropping frequency, fertilizer inputs and crop outputs. Averaged over the years, ca. 70% of the participants achieved surpluses below 150 kg N, 20 kg P and 50 kg K ha⁻¹ year⁻¹.

The amounts of residual soil mineral N (RSMN) exceeded those normally found in field experiments except for data collected after the wet summer of 1993. Distinct differences between crops were observed. Only in the case of potato a significant relationship was observed between the effective N input and RSMN. On a whole-farm level, RSMN amounted to more than 70 kg ha⁻¹ N on 77, 74, 87 and 18% of the farms in the consecutive years.