Diversifying with grain legumes amplifies carbon in management-sensitive soil organic carbon pools on smallholder farms

Witcombe, Alexia M.; Tiemann, Lisa K.; Chikowo, Régis; Snapp, Sieglinde S.

doi:10.1016/j.agee.2023.108611

Cited by 7 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 53 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…In many cases, the potential to select for improved NUE among modern cultivars has been diminished as the desirable traits have been bred out, after many years of selecting for yield response to high N application rates, which may prescribe the inclusion of a wider genetic pool, such as wild relatives and landraces, in the selection process [46,[115][116][117][118][119]. While most research to date has focused on increasing NUE under conditions of high N fertility, future breeding work may include characterization and selection for high NUE under limited N availability [57,116], as is often the case under low-input or in organic production systems [8,120,121].…”

Section: Crop Improvement For Nuementioning

confidence: 99%

“…The fertility of the soil, residual N availability, and NUE may also be improved when legumes are incorporated into a rotation [24,120]. A six-year rotation on farm experiments conducted in Malawi showed improvements in several soil fertility variables when pigeon peas (Cajanus cajan) and peanuts (Arachis hypogaea L.) were included in the rotation, including greater levels of mineralizable and microaggregate carbon [121], indicating the potential of legume-based rotations to improve NUE and long-term productivity.…”

Section: Crop Rotations Effects On Nuementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Cover crops represent an efficient and practical way to incorporate crop diversification within a farming operation, as part of a rotation program [24]. Cover crops may help to improve soil organic matter content and fertility, resulting in improved N cycles, NUE, and yields [27,121,200,212]. Cover crops may consist of legumes that contribute N via biological N fixation; grasses or other non-leguminous species that help to break disease or weed cycles and to serve as 'catch crops' of residual N; and legume-non-legume combinations, to obtain the partial benefit of both types of cover crops [8].…”

Section: System Diversification To Improve Nuementioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Optimizing the Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Vegetable Crops

Valenzuela

2024

Nitrogen

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Nitrogen (N) is the most limiting nutrient for the production of vegetable crops, but anthropogenic sources pose risks due to its transformation into several reactive forms and movement throughout the environment. The bulk of the N research to date to improve Nitrogen Use Efficiency (NUE) has followed a reductionist factorial approach focused on synthetic N application rates and crop growth response, under monocultures. The increased adoption of diversified cropping systems, organic N sources, and alternative management practices makes it more challenging to unravel N form transformation, movement, and crop uptake dynamics, in time and space. Here, based on a selected review of the recent literature, we propose a holistic approach of nutrient management to highlight key management and production variables as well as multilevel cropping system, genetic, environmental, ecological, and socioeconomic interactions to improve the N cycle and NUE. The best management strategies to improve NUE include both organic and inorganic N rate calibration studies, germplasm selection, crop rotations, identification of nutrient x nutrient interactions, and pest and water management. Agroecological practices that may improve NUE include vegetational diversification in time and space, integrated crop–livestock systems, conservation tillage, organic amendment inputs, legume-based cropping systems, as well as a landscape approach to nutrient management.

show abstract

Section: Crop Improvement For Nuementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Crop Rotations Effects On Nuementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: System Diversification To Improve Nuementioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Optimizing the Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Vegetable Crops

Valenzuela

2024

Nitrogen

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Long‐Term Effects of Arable and Tree Cropping Systems on Soil Organic Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics in a Tropical Agroecological Transition Zone

Obour,

Bosompem,

Owusu

et al. 2024

Land Degrad Dev

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Continuous cropping can affect soil carbon and nitrogen stocks and litter decomposition, but research on smallholder farms in Africa is limited. This study, conducted from 2020 to 2023 in Ghana's forest‐savanna transition zone, examined four cropping systems: continuous maize monocrop (M), maize rotated with legumes (ML), young cashew intercropped with maize or legumes (YCM/L), and mature cashew (MC). The objective was to assess the long‐term impact of the cropping systems on soil organic carbon (SOC), nitrogen (N) stocks, and soil organic matter (SOM) decomposition rates using the tea bag protocol. Results showed significant variability in SOC and N stocks across the systems. At a 0–15 cm depth, SOC in the MC and M systems was 160% and 149% higher than in the YCM/L system. At 15–30 cm, SOC in the M and MC systems was 86% and 132% higher than in YCM/L. Soil nitrogen stocks followed a similar trend, with MC and M systems showing 94%–199% higher values than YCM/L at both depths. SOM decomposition rates for green and rooibos tea in the MC and ML systems were statistically similar after 90 days of incubation (p > 0.05). This study, the first to use the tea bag protocol in Ghanaian soils, revealed that mature cashew and sustainable practices, such as adding maize stover, can enhance SOC and N stocks in highly weathered tropical soils. These findings underscore the potential for specific cropping systems to improve soil health on smallholder farms.

show abstract