Mineralisation of crop residues on the soil surface or incorporated in the soil under controlled conditions

Abiven, Samuel; Recous, Sylvie

doi:10.1007/s00374-007-0165-2

Cited by 41 publications

(33 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…Besides, recalcitrant materials such as grass roots, with high lignin-suberin content (Abiven et al, 2005) lead to a larger diversity of decomposers compared with easily degradable materials (Lindedam, Magid, Poulsin, & Luxshoi, 2009). Furthermore, when the residues are left on the soil surface, as it was the case for brachiaria shoots in this experiment, the decomposition rate is lower than when it is incorporated (Abiven & Recous, 2007).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 79%

“…Although much attention has been paid to the effects of soil surface straw on soil N dynamics and availability (Silva & Rosolem, 2001;Abiven & Recous, 2007;Rosolem et al, 2004;Torres et al, 2005), in this experiment the presence of Congo grass root residues alone was as harmful for cotton growth as the presence of whole plant residues (roots + shoots). Therefore, grasses with root residues with high C/N ratios and high lignin contents as Congo grass may lead to significant decreases in soil N availability.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

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Nitrogen Immobilization by Congo Grass Roots Impairs Cotton Initial Growth

Rosolem¹,

Steiner²,

Zoca³

et al. 2012

JAS

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In crop-livestock integration systems the presence of both grass roots in the soil and straw on the surface can temporarily immobilize nitrogen. This study examined the persistence of grass residues in the system as well as their effects on cotton response to N when grown after Congo grass (Brachiaria ruziziensis, Syn. Urochloa ruziziensis). Congo grass was grown in pots with soil. Next, cotton was grown in the same pots without residues, with whole plant residues (Congo grass roots and shoots) or root residues (grass roots) and fertilized with N as ammonium nitrate. Congo grass and cotton roots were separated using stable carbon isotope fractioning. Congo grass roots showed higher C/N ratio than shoots, losing 14% of its mass after 45 days and increasing soil N immobilization. The lower N availability resulted in N deficient and shorter cotton plants with lower dry matter yields. Nevertheless, the application of 80 to 120 mg kg -1 of N compensated the immobilization by the soil microorganisms, allowing cotton to show normal growth. When Congo grass is present in the cropping system, the effects of the decaying roots on soil N dynamics and availability are more important than those of the straw left on the soil surface.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 79%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

Nitrogen Immobilization by Congo Grass Roots Impairs Cotton Initial Growth

Rosolem¹,

Steiner²,

Zoca³

et al. 2012

JAS

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“…Firstly, reduced or no tillage leads to lower N release from the mineralization of soil organic matter compared to ploughing [39]. Secondly, the retention of dead plant material with a wide C:N ratio (such as cereal residues) may lead to temporary N immobilization, even when retained as surface mulch and not incorporated in the soil [40]. As a result, N stress is commonly observed early in the season in CA systems leading to depressed plant vigor and growth [41].…”

Section: Adapting Nitrogen Management To Ca Systemsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Where to Target Conservation Agriculture for African Smallholders? How to Overcome Challenges Associated with its Implementation? Experience from Eastern and Southern Africa

Baudron

Thierfelder²,

Nyagumbo³

et al. 2015

Environments

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Since the paper by Giller et al. (2009), the debate surrounding the suitability of conservation agriculture (CA) for African smallholders has remained polarized between proponents and opponents. The debate also gave rise to a few studies that attempted to identify the "niche" where CA would fit in the region, but the insight offered by these studies has been limited. In this paper, we first analyze the rationale of adoption where it occurred globally to define "drivers" of adoption. Our analysis suggests that CA has first and foremost been adopted under the premises of being energy-saving (time and/or power), erosion-controlling, and water-use efficient, but rarely to increase yield. We then define the niche where CA fits, based on these drivers of adoption, as systems where (1) the energy available for crop establishment is limited and/or costly (including labor and draft power); (2) delayed planting results in a significant yield decline; (3) yield is limited or co-limited by water; and/or (4) severe erosion problems threaten the short-to medium-term productivity of farmland. In Eastern and Southern Africa, this niche appears rather large and likely to expand in the near future. When implemented within this niche, CA may still be limited by "performance challenges" that do not constitute drivers or barriers to adoption, but limitations to the performance of CA. We argue that most of these performance challenges can (and should) be addressed by agronomic and socio-economic research, and provide four OPEN ACCESSEnvironments 2015, 2 339 examples where the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) and its partners have been successfully alleviating four very different challenges through research and development (R&D) in Eastern and Southern Africa. Finally, we describe an iterative and multi-scale R&D approach currently used by CIMMYT in Eastern and Southern Africa to overcome challenges associated with the implementation of CA by African smallholders. This approach could also be useful for other complex combinations of technologies aiming at sustainable intensification.

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“…To avoid possible effects on microbial degradation by differences in residue-soil contact (e.g. Fruit et al 1999;Abivens and Recous 2007), the residues were thoroughly mixed into the soil before incubation. The CO 2 evolved during decomposition was measured every hour for 34 days using an automatic respirometer (Marstorp 1996) and thereafter by titration (Stotzky 1965) until day 123.…”

Section: Soil and Plant Materialsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influence of non-cellulose structural carbohydrate composition on plant material decomposition in soil

et al. 2008

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The C mineralisation pattern during the early stage of decomposition of plant materials is largely determined by their content of different carbohydrates. This study investigated whether detailed plant analysis could provide a better prediction of C mineralisation during decomposition than proximate analysis [neutral detergent solution (NDF)/acid detergent solution (ADF)]. The detailed analysis included sugars, fructans, starch, pectin, cellulose, lignin and organic N. To determine whether differences in decomposition rate were related to differences in hemicellulose composition, the analysis particularly emphasised the concentrations of arabinose and xylose in hemicelluloses. Carbon dioxide evolution was monitored hourly in soil amended with ten different plant materials. Principal component and regression analysis showed that C mineralisation during day 1 was closely related to free sugars, fructans and soluble organic N components (R 2 = 0.83). The sum of non-cellulose structural carbohydrates (intermediate NDF/ADF fraction) was not related to C mineralisation between days 1 and 9. In contrast, a model including starch and protein in addition to the non-cellulose structural carbohydrates, with the hemicelluloses replaced by arabinose and xylose, showed a strong relationship with evolved CO 2 (R 2 =0.87). Carbon mineralisation between days 9 and 34 was better explained by xylan, cellulose and lignin (R 2 =0.72) than by lignocellulose in the ADF fraction. Our results indicated that proximate analyses were not sufficient to explain differences in decomposition. To predict C mineralisation from the range of plant materials studied, we propose a minimum set of analyses comprising total N, free sugars, starch, arabinose, xylan, cellulose and lignin.

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Mineralisation of crop residues on the soil surface or incorporated in the soil under controlled conditions

Cited by 41 publications

References 11 publications

Nitrogen Immobilization by Congo Grass Roots Impairs Cotton Initial Growth

Nitrogen Immobilization by Congo Grass Roots Impairs Cotton Initial Growth

Where to Target Conservation Agriculture for African Smallholders? How to Overcome Challenges Associated with its Implementation? Experience from Eastern and Southern Africa

Influence of non-cellulose structural carbohydrate composition on plant material decomposition in soil

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