Preceding crops influence agronomic efficiency in sugar beet cultivation

Abstract

The choice of the crop succession influences the agronomic efficiency (yield per unit agronomic input) and is relevant for the sustainable intensification of crop cultivation. However, such effects are often ignored in assessments of agronomic efficiency. The aim of the study was to propose a concept for the assessment of and to publish data on (i) the effect of the preceding crop on the amount of agronomic inputs used and the yield in sugar beet cultivation and (ii) the agronomic efficiency of the 2-year sum of preceding cropsugar beet successions. As preceding crop (including catch crop)sugar beet successions, we investigated (i) mustardsilage maizesugar beet, (ii) phaceliagrain peamustardsugar beet, and (iii) winter wheatmustardsugar beet in a field trial (Harste, Germany; 2011-2014. We found that fertilizer requirement of sugar beet was highest (108 kg nitrogen ha −1 ; 125 kg phosphate ha −1 ) when mustardsilage maize was the preceding crop and lowest (30 kg nitrogen ha −1 ; 96 kg phosphate ha −1 ) when phaceliagrain peamustard was the preceding crop. The efficiency of the agronomic inputs used for the cultivation of the 2-year sum of preceding cropsugar beet successions was generally highest for the succession with silage maize with the exception of nitrogen-efficiency which was highest for the succession with grain pea. The main effect of the preceding crop on fertilizer requirement was driven by the amount of harvest residues. Results of 2-year agronomic efficiency were affected by the high energy yield of the succession with silage maize (670 GJ ha −1 ) and the low N-fertilization in the succession with grain pea (130 kg N ha −1 ). We show for the first time a methodological approach to assess preceding crop's effects on agronomic efficiency and to illustrate results for decision making towards a sustainable intensification of crop cultivation.

Composted Cattle Manure as a Nitrogen Source for Sugar Beet Production

“…Quality and amount of crop residue and its effects on soil microbial processes, residue decomposition, and soil mineralization are some factors that can affect subsequent crops (Sawyer and Mallarino, 2017). Our result aligns with Jacobs et al (2018) that demonstrated that sugar beet following grain pea had lower N requirement, and subsequently higher N use efficiency compared to sugar beet following silage maize.…”

Rhizosphere Microbiomes Modulated by Pre-crops Assisted Plants in Defense Against Plant-Parasitic Nematodes

“…This may be effective for a prolonged period of time and affect the next plant growing in the same soil ( Lapsansky et al, 2016 ). Agronomically, a preceding crop can affect the yield of a following crop ( Jacobs et al, 2018 ). Understanding plant-microbiome feedbacks was suggested to be one of the keys for exploiting the yield potential of cropping systems ( Ahkami et al, 2017 ).…”

Економічна Ефективність Короткоротаційної Плодозмінної Сівозміни Залежно Від Системи Удобрення Цукрових Буряків

“…Загалом економічна ефективність виробництва цукрових буряків визначається цілою низкою показників, серед яких основними є врожайність, продуктивність праці, собівартість продукції, ціни, рентабельність і розмір прибутку з одиниці посівної площі [22].…”