Research

20 pages, 1208 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Empower Innovations in Routine Soil Testing

by Jan Adriaan Reijneveld, Martijn Jasper van Oostrum, Karst Michiel Brolsma, Dale Fletcher and Oene Oenema

Agronomy 2022, 12(1), 191; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agronomy12010191 - 13 Jan 2022

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3044

Abstract

Conventional soil tests are commonly used to assess single soil characteristics. Thus, many different tests are needed for a full soil fertility/soil quality assessment, which is laborious and expensive. New broad-spectrum soil tests offer the potential to assess many soil characteristics quickly, but [...] Read more.

Conventional soil tests are commonly used to assess single soil characteristics. Thus, many different tests are needed for a full soil fertility/soil quality assessment, which is laborious and expensive. New broad-spectrum soil tests offer the potential to assess many soil characteristics quickly, but often face challenges with calibration, validation, and acceptance in practice. Here, we describe the results of a 20 year research program aimed at overcoming the aforementioned challenges. A three-step approach was applied: (1) selecting and establishing two contrasting rapid broad-spectrum soil tests, (2) relating the results of these new tests to the results of conventional soil tests for a wide variety of soils, and (3) validating the results of the new soil tests through field trials and communicating the results. We selected Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) and multi-nutrient 0.01 M CaCl₂ extraction (1:10 soil to solution ratio; w/v) as broad-spectrum techniques. NIRS was extensively calibrated and validated for the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of soil. The CaCl₂ extraction technique was extensively calibrated and validated for ‘plant available’ nutrients, often in combination with the results of NIRS. The results indicate that the accuracy of NIRS determinations is high for SOM, clay, SOC, ECEC, Ca-CEC, N-total, sand, and inorganic-C (R² ≥ 0.95) and good for pH, Mg-CEC, and S-total (R² ≥ 0.90). The combination of the CaCl₂ extraction technique and NIRS gave results that related well (R² > 0.80) to the results of conventional soil tests for P, K, Mg, Na, Mn, Cu, Co, and pH. In conclusion, the three-step approach has revolutionized soil testing in The Netherlands. These two broad-spectrum soil tests have improved soil testing; have contributed to increased insights into the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of soil; and have thereby led to more sustainable soil management and cropping systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Fertility Management in Cropping Systems: Today's and Future Perspectives)

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23 pages, 1826 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Long-Term Effects of Amendment with Olive Mill Wastewater on Soil Chemical Properties, Microbial Community, and Olive Tree Vegetative and Productive Activities

by Luca Regni, Daniela Pezzolla, Simona Ciancaleoni, Giorgio Marozzi, Emidio Albertini, Giovanni Gigliotti and Primo Proietti

Agronomy 2021, 11(12), 2562; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agronomy11122562 - 16 Dec 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2537

Abstract

The long-term effects of the olive mill wastewater (OMWW) spreading on soil chemical properties, microbial community, and olive tree parameters have been far poorly investigated. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the effect of OMWW application on an olive orchard, and samples were [...] Read more.

The long-term effects of the olive mill wastewater (OMWW) spreading on soil chemical properties, microbial community, and olive tree parameters have been far poorly investigated. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the effect of OMWW application on an olive orchard, and samples were collected at two different depths (0–20 cm and 20–40 cm) and 14 days, one year and two years from the end of the OMWW spreading on soil chemical characteristics and soil microbial structures. Variations of soil chemical parameters (pH, salinity, available P, and water-extractable organic C) were observed particularly at 14 days after spreading at both depths. All these parameters reached similar values to the soil after two years, except for available phosphorus. Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Actinobacteria are the most abundant phyla: only Firmicutes were negatively affected by the OMWW spreading after 14 days, suggesting that Gram-positive bacteria were probably negatively influenced by the addition of OMWW. The abundance of bacterial taxa in the soil is restored along time, except for the decrease of Firmicutes. This evidence suggests that the OMWW spreading in the long term does not affect the endemic soil bacterial community of the olive grove, as well as leaf net photosynthesis, the olive tree vegetative activity, yield, and fruits characteristics. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Fertility Management in Cropping Systems: Today's and Future Perspectives)

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17 pages, 1792 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Drainage Conditions Influence Corn-Nitrogen Management in the US Upper Midwest

by Gabriel Dias Paiao, Fabián G. Fernández and Seth L. Naeve

Agronomy 2021, 11(12), 2491; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agronomy11122491 - 08 Dec 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2167

Abstract

Soil drainage is not considered in the N fertilizer guidelines for corn (Zea mays L.) in the US Midwest. This study investigated the influence of soil drainage on corn grain yield, N requirement, and residual soil N, and evaluated the utility of [...] Read more.

Soil drainage is not considered in the N fertilizer guidelines for corn (Zea mays L.) in the US Midwest. This study investigated the influence of soil drainage on corn grain yield, N requirement, and residual soil N, and evaluated the utility of in-season soil N measurements to guide N application. This 6-year study in Minnesota, US on a corn–soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr.) rotation had drained and undrained conditions and six at planting (PL) (0–225 in 45 kg N ha⁻¹ increments) and four split (SP) N fertilizer rates (at planting/V6-V8—45/45, 45/90, 45/135, 45/179 kg N ha⁻¹). The drained compared to undrained soil produced 8% more grain yield (12.8 vs. 11.9 Mg ha⁻¹), 12% more N uptake (169 vs. 151 kg N ha⁻¹), 16% lower optimal N rate (ONR) (160 vs. 193 kg N ha⁻¹), 3.1% greater grain yield at ONR (13.5 vs. 13.1 Mg ha⁻¹), and similar in season and residual soil N. Compared to SP, PL lowered ONR (151 vs. 168 kg N ha⁻¹) in drained soils, and the opposite occurred for undrained soils (206 vs. 189 kg N ha⁻¹). These results substantiate the agronomic benefits of artificial drainage and the need to incorporate drainage conditions into N management guidelines. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Fertility Management in Cropping Systems: Today's and Future Perspectives)

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15 pages, 1026 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Competition of Plants and Microorganisms for Added Nitrogen in Different Fertilizer Forms in a Semi-Arid Climate

by Markus Koch, Kanat Akshalov, Jannis Florian Carstens, Olga Shibistova, Claus Florian Stange, Simon Thiedau, Alfiya Kassymova, Leopold Sauheitl, Tobias Meinel and Georg Guggenberger

Agronomy 2021, 11(12), 2472; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agronomy11122472 - 04 Dec 2021

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2302

Abstract

In nitrogen (N) -limited agricultural systems, a high microbial immobilization of applied fertilizer-N can limit its availability to plants. However, there is scarce information on the effect of the form of fertilizer used on the plant–microorganism competition in clay-rich soils under a severe [...] Read more.

In nitrogen (N) -limited agricultural systems, a high microbial immobilization of applied fertilizer-N can limit its availability to plants. However, there is scarce information on the effect of the form of fertilizer used on the plant–microorganism competition in clay-rich soils under a severe semi-arid climate. In a field study, we investigated the wheat–microorganism competition after the direct application of NH₄¹⁵NO₃ closely to seeds in arable fields in North Kazakhstan, documenting the effect of the use of liquid versus granular fertilizer and mini-tillage versus no-tillage. Our results barely showed any fertilizer-N translocation in the soil. Plants outcompete microorganisms for fertilizer-N during the vegetation period. Microbial-to-plant ¹⁵N ratios revealed a predominant fertilizer-¹⁵N uptake by plants. The strong competition for N was mainly related to the placement of the fertilizer close to the seeds. Moreover, the long time interval between fertilization and sampling enhanced the competition for N, meaning that previously microbially immobilized N became available to plants through the death of microorganisms and their subsequent mineralization. The fertilizer distribution between microorganisms and plants did depend on the form of fertilizer used, owing to the good solubility of granular fertilizer. The smaller fertilizer-N uptake under the no-tilling condition was probably due to the more intense soil compaction, which caused a reduction in plant growth. The application of fertilizer close to the seeds and the small fertilizer translocation during the vegetation period ultimately resulted in a high level of plant N being derived from the fertilizer. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Fertility Management in Cropping Systems: Today's and Future Perspectives)

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18 pages, 1178 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Trace Metal Accumulation and Phytoremediation Potential of Four Crop Plants Cultivated on Pure Sewage Sludge

by Mirko Salinitro, Sofia Montanari, Andrea Simoni, Claudio Ciavatta and Annalisa Tassoni

Agronomy 2021, 11(12), 2456; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agronomy11122456 - 01 Dec 2021

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1748

Abstract

Phytoremediation is a viable strategy to remove trace metal contaminants from sewage sludge but still is poorly investigated. The aim of this study was to quantify the trace metal removal of B. napus, B. juncea, H. annuus, Z. mays grown [...] Read more.

Phytoremediation is a viable strategy to remove trace metal contaminants from sewage sludge but still is poorly investigated. The aim of this study was to quantify the trace metal removal of B. napus, B. juncea, H. annuus, Z. mays grown on pure sewage sludge. Each species was grown on six different sewage sludge for 8 weeks and sludge were analysed for trace metal content and physico-chemical characteristics. Our results confirmed that all the tested sludge supported plant growth. The tested sludge showed a plant vigorousness lower (46% of sludge) or similar/increased (54% of sludge) compared to control treatment. B. juncea and B. napus were the most efficient species in the bioaccumulation, of trace metals. The average percentage of metals removed by the selected species was 0.2% for As, 0.85% for Cd, 0.09% for Cr, 0.36% for Cu, 0.36% for Ni, 4.2% for Se, 1.2% for Zn. In conclusion, our results showed that phytoremediation can be applied to sewage sludge, despite the chosen species have low efficiency in trace element removal. Further studies using hyperaccumulator species are needed which may lead to a higher efficiency of the process opening up new possibilities for the management strategies of this waste. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Fertility Management in Cropping Systems: Today's and Future Perspectives)

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16 pages, 2926 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Reduction of Nitrogen Losses in Winter Wheat Grown on Light Soils

by Antoni Faber, Zuzanna Jarosz, Agnieszka Rutkowska and Tamara Jadczyszyn

Agronomy 2021, 11(11), 2337; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agronomy11112337 - 18 Nov 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1678

Abstract

Two 16-year-old series of experiments with winter wheat grown in rotation after winter oilseed rape were used in the study. The experiments were located in the cold temperate dry and moist climate zones on light soils. Wheat was fertilized with nitrogen in the [...] Read more.

Two 16-year-old series of experiments with winter wheat grown in rotation after winter oilseed rape were used in the study. The experiments were located in the cold temperate dry and moist climate zones on light soils. Wheat was fertilized with nitrogen in the doses of 40, 80, 120, 160, and 200 kg N·ha⁻¹ per year. Through the several years of the experiment, critical N rates for maximum yield and gross margin from the linear-plus plateau regressions were 149 ± 23.9 and 112 ± 23.6 kg N·ha⁻¹, respectively. The estimated nitrogen indicators for these doses were as follows: nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) 93 and 108%, N surplus (Ns) 6.8 and −10.1 kg·N·ha⁻¹, yield-scaled Ns, N₂O, and NH₃ 3.5 and −0.2; 0.35 and 0.30; 0.31 and 0.25 kg N·Mg⁻¹, respectively. Experiments have shown that two strategies for reducing nitrogen losses on light soils under wheat cultivation are possible: by limiting the N dose to the critical values due to the yield requirements, or due to the gross margin. The analysis of the 11-year data for 2300 farm fields with winter wheat grown on light soils showed that only 10% of them were implementing the first strategy, and as much as 90% chose the second strategy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Fertility Management in Cropping Systems: Today's and Future Perspectives)

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20 pages, 9063 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Nitrogen Fertilizer on Photosynthetic Characteristics, Biomass, and Yield of Wheat under Different Shading Conditions

by Hongzhi Zhang, Qi Zhao, Zhong Wang, Lihong Wang, Xiaorong Li, Zheru Fan, Yueqiang Zhang, Jianfeng Li, Xin Gao, Jia Shi and Fu Chen

Agronomy 2021, 11(10), 1989; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agronomy11101989 - 30 Sep 2021

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 3162

Abstract

Fruit-wheat intercropping is an important way to resolve the land competition between fruit and grain and ensure food security. However, there is little research on the mechanism of wheat yield formation and its response to nitrogen fertilizer under long-term shading. From 2016 to [...] Read more.

Fruit-wheat intercropping is an important way to resolve the land competition between fruit and grain and ensure food security. However, there is little research on the mechanism of wheat yield formation and its response to nitrogen fertilizer under long-term shading. From 2016 to 2017, wheat variety “Xindong 20” was selected, and four shading treatments were set: shading at jointing stage 10%-shading at heading stage 25% (S1), 20%–50% (S2), 30%–75% (S3), normal light (S0) and four nitrogen fertilizer (N0: 0 kg ha⁻¹, N1: 103.5 kg ha⁻¹, N2: 138 kg ha⁻¹, N3: 172.5 kg ha⁻¹). The results show that compared with S0, wheat leaf area index (LAI), chlorophyll a, b and a + b content under S1 increase by 14.9–57.4%, 2.9–24.5%, 16.5–28.9%, 7.8–25.5%, respectively, and they decrease significantly under S2 and S3. With the increase in the shading range, the net photosynthesis rate (Pn), transpiration rate (Tr), stomatal conductance (gs), and non-photochemical quentum coefficient (NPQ) decrease significantly, while the actual photochemical efficiency (ΦPSII) and the photochemical quenching coefficient (qP) increase significantly. Under S1, S2, and S3, the total dry matter accumulation (TDA), the dry matter accumulation of reproductive organs (DAR), and the yield decrease with the increase in shading range. Under the S0 and S1 conditions, compared with other nitrogen treatments, LAI, chlorophyll content, Pn, ΦPSII, qP, TDA, DAR, and yield of wheat under N2 treatment increase by 4.1–366.9%, 5.7–56.3%, 3.0–131.7%, 6.7–87.5%, 3.7–96.9%, 7.1–340.8%, 0.3–323.0%, 1.5–231.2%. Therefore, under jujube-wheat intercropping, and apricot-wheat and walnut-wheat with light shade in the early stage, photosynthetic capacity of wheat leaves and dry matter accumulation and transfer to grains can be regulated by proper nitrogen application, which is beneficial to compensate for the negative effects of insufficient light on wheat yield; under moderate or excessive shading conditions (apricot-wheat and walnut-wheat in full fruit period), the regulating effect of nitrogen application on wheat is reduced, and the nitrogen application should be moderately reduced. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Fertility Management in Cropping Systems: Today's and Future Perspectives)

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16 pages, 2782 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Soil Organic Carbon and System Environmental Footprint in Sugarcane-Based Cropping Systems Are Improved by Precision Land Leveling

by Rama Krishna Naresh, Rajan Bhatt, M. Sharath Chandra, Alison M. Laing, Ahmed Gaber, Samy Sayed and Akbar Hossain

Agronomy 2021, 11(10), 1964; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agronomy11101964 - 29 Sep 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2140

Abstract

A six-year experiment (2009 to 2015) was conducted on sugarcane-based cropping systems in farmers’ fields to examine the effects of precision land leveling (PLL) compared to traditional land leveling (TLL) in terms of soil organic carbon (SOC), greenhouse gas emissions, irrigation water requirements, [...] Read more.

A six-year experiment (2009 to 2015) was conducted on sugarcane-based cropping systems in farmers’ fields to examine the effects of precision land leveling (PLL) compared to traditional land leveling (TLL) in terms of soil organic carbon (SOC), greenhouse gas emissions, irrigation water requirements, and system productivity and profitability. Twelve treatments compared different sugarcane sowing regimes and crops in rotation under both PLL and TLL. Spring-sown sugarcane grown in rotation with rice, potato, and wheat under PLL had the highest production (89.7 kg ha⁻¹ day⁻¹) and required 142 cm irrigation water, which was 35.1% less water than a commonly practiced cropping system with late-sown sugarcane grown in rotation with rice and wheat only under TLL). Cropping systems established under PLL had higher land use efficiency (ranging between 64.9 and 86.2%), higher energy productivity (90.7 to 198.6 GJ ha⁻¹), and lower greenhouse gas emissions (5249.33 to 944.19 kg CO₂ eq ha⁻¹ year⁻¹) than those under TLL. As well, treatments under PLL had increased levels of SOC, particularly in the upper soil layers, relative to SOC in treatments under TLL. Combining PLL with diversification of crops in sugarcane cropping systems has the potential to sustainably increase farmers’ land productivity and profitability while improving soil health and reducing irrigation requirements. These benefits are likely to have applications in other sugarcane-based cropping systems in similar agro-ecologies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Fertility Management in Cropping Systems: Today's and Future Perspectives)

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