Nitrogen balance in a plant-soil system under different cover crop-soybean cropping in Argentina

• Autores: Landriscini, María Rosa; Galantini, Juan Alberto; Duval, Matias Ezequiel; Capurro, Julia Ester
• Año de publicación: 2018
• Idioma: inglés
• Tipo de recurso: artículo
• Fuente: Applied Soil Ecology 133 : 124-131 (January 2019)
• Materia: Plantas de Cobertura; Soja; Fijación Biológica del Nitrógeno; Suelo; Nitrógeno; Sistemas de Sultivo; Cover Plants; Soybeans; Biological Nitrogen Fixation; Soil; Nitrogen; Cropping Systems; Argentina
• Institución: Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria

Cover crops (CC) provide many benefits for the soil and the following crop but their effects on nitrogen (N) release and balance in continuous no-tillage soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) production are little known. Estimation of the biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) in intensive agricultural systems under soybean is essential to understanding the N dynamics and to determining the balances and crop demands. This study (2006–2011) was performed on a Typic Argiudoll under no-tillage in the province of Santa Fe, Argentina. The aims were to study the effect of fall winter CC, such as wheat (W), oats (O), oats + vetch (O + V) and vetch (V), on the yield and N-content of the following crop (soybean) and to quantify the contribution of the BNF and N-balance. Three methodologies were used for BNF estimation: 1) a linear regression model between BNF and N-uptake by soybean; 2) the natural 15N abundance in soybean and 3) the average BNF in the Pampa region. Gramineous CC developed more dry matter than pure legume species, with intermediate values for the gramineous-legume mixture. Biological fixation provides 60–70% of absorbed N, according to the estimation method. Within the rainfall range of 500–1000 mm during the soybean cycle, CC did not affect the grain yield or soybean dry matter production. The partial N-balance was always positive, with differences between the techniques used for BNF estimation. Cover crops have contributed to the positive soil N-balance. Gramineous CC stored 22% more N-content in the soil surface layer than the others. Cover crops showed 15% higher index of N-stratification on the surface compared to the control soil. Using CC would be an efficient alternative to produce biomass and to supply N to the soil for the subsequent crop.
EEA Oliveros
Fil: Landriscini, María Rosa. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Centro de Recursos Naturales Renovables de la Zona Semiarida. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Centro de Recursos Naturales Renovables de la Zona Semiarida; Argentina
Fil: Galantini, Juan Alberto. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas; Argentina. Centro de Recursos Naturales Renovables de la Zona Semiarida. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Agronomía; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca; Argentina
Fil: Duval, Matias Ezequiel. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Agronomía; Argentina
Fil: Capurro, Julia Ester. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Oliveros. Agencia de Extensión Rural Cañada de Gómez; Argentina