Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-22dnz Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-25T17:21:28.526Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Combinations of cover crop mixtures and bio-waste composts enhance biomass production and nutrients accumulation: a greenhouse study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 October 2015

Aime Jean Messiga ,
Mehdi Sharifi  and
Sheena Munroe
Aime Jean Messiga
Affiliation:
Environmental and Resource Studies Program, Trent University, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, ON, K9J 7B8, Canada.
Mehdi Sharifi*
Affiliation:
Environmental and Resource Studies Program, Trent University, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, ON, K9J 7B8, Canada.
Sheena Munroe
Affiliation:
Environmental and Resource Studies Program, Trent University, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, ON, K9J 7B8, Canada.
*
*Corresponding author: mehdisharifi@trentu.ca
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Improved farming practices are needed to produce more food in a sustainable way. This study assessed 12 combinations of cover crop mixtures and amendment treatments and their effects on shoot and root dry (matter (DM) weights, nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) uptakes in plants, Mehlich-3 extractable P (PM3) and K (KM3). Shoot and root DM weights were increased by 30–63% with combinations of clover-based cover crop mixtures and 65 Mg ha−1 of municipal solid food waste (MSFW) compared with synthetic fertilizer. The combination of clover-based cover crop mixtures with MSFW increased N uptake by 38 and 30%, P uptake by 57 and 40% and K uptake by 77 and 77% compared with fertilized and unfertilized treatments, respectively. The combination of vetch-based cover crop mixtures with MSFW had no effect on N uptake, but increased P uptake on average by 43%, and K uptake on average by 11% compared with fertilized and unfertilized treatments. The highest soil PM3 and KM3 values were obtained with additions of MSFW, while the lowest were obtained with synthetic fertilizer indicating that the amount of P and K added with MSFW were greater than cover crop needs. Combining cover crop mixtures and MSFW at levels recommended for N fertilization allows meeting cover crops’ nutrient needs and increases biomass inputs to agricultural soils, but long-term monitoring of soil P is required to limit potential P build-up.

Keywords

cover crop mixturesdry matter yieldgrassesleguminous plantsmunicipal solid food wasteplant nutrient uptake
Type
Research Papers
Information
Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems , Volume 31 , Issue 6 , December 2016 , pp. 507 - 515
Check for updates
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2015 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1 Wezel, A., Casagrande, M., Celette, F., Vian, J.-F., Ferrer, A., and Peigne, J. 2014. Agroecological practices for sustainable agriculture: A review. Agronomy for Sustainable Development 34:1–20.Google Scholar
2 Messiga, A.J., Sharifi, M., Hammermeister, A., Gallant, K.S., Fuller, K., and Tango, M. 2015. Soil quality response to cover crops and amendments in a vineyard in Nova Scotia, Canada. Scientia Horticulturae 188:6–14.Google Scholar
3 Sharifi, M., Lynch, D.H., Hammermeister, A., Burton, D.L., and Messiga, A.J. 2014. Effect of green manure and supplemental fertility amendments on selected soil quality parameters in an organic potato rotation in Eastern Canada. Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems 100:135–146.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
4 Wang, K.-H., Radovich, T., Pant, A., and Cheng, Z. 2014. Integration of cover crops and vermicompost tea for soil and plant health management in a short-term vegetable cropping system. Applied Soil Ecology 82:26–37.Google Scholar
5 Teasdale, J.R., Abdul-Baki, A.A., and Park, Y.B. 2008. Sweet corn production and efficiency of nitrogen use in high cover crop residue. Agronomy for Sustainable Development 28:559–565.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
6 Kramberger, B., Gselman, A., Janzekovic, M., Kaligaric, M., and Bracko, B. 2009. Effects of cover cops on soil mineral nitrogen and on the yield and nitrogen content of maize. European Journal of Agronomy 31:103–109.Google Scholar
7 Lynch, D.H., Sharifi, M., Hammermeister, A., and Burton, D. 2012. Nitrogen management in organic potato production. In He, Z., Larkin, R.P., and Honeycutt, C.W. (eds) Sustainable Potato Production: Global Case Studies. Springer Science Business Media, New York, p. 209–231.Google Scholar
8 Thorup-Kristensen, K., Magid, J., and Jensen, L.S. 2003. Catch crops and green manures as biological tools in nitrogen management in temperate zones. Advances in Agronomy 79:227–302.Google Scholar
9 Gan, Y., Liang, C., Chai, Q., Lemke, R.L., Campbell, C.A., and Zentner, R.P. 2014. Improving farming practices reduces the carbon footprint of spring wheat production. Nature Communications 5:5012–5025.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
10 Sanchez, J.E., Harwood, R.R., Willson, T.C., Kizilkaya, K., Smeenk, J., Parker, E., Paul, E.A., Knezek, B.D., and Robertson, G.P. 2004 Managing soil carbon and nitrogen for productivity and environmental quality. Agronomy Journal 96:769–775.Google Scholar
11 Constantin, J., Beaudoin, N., Laurent, F., Cohan, J.-P., Duyme, F., and Mary, B. 2011. Cumulative effects of catch crops on nitrogen uptake, leaching and net mineralization. Plant and Soil 341:137–154.Google Scholar
12 Ranells, N.N. and Wagger, M.G. 1997. Grass–legume bicultures as winter annual cover crops. Agronomy Journal 89:659–665.Google Scholar
13 Boldrini, A., Guiducci, M., Benincasa, P., Tosti, G., and Tei, F. 2006. Can we modulate N supply and release from green manure crops? In Proc. of the 9th ESA Congress, Warsaw, Poland, 4–7 September 2006, p. 371–372.Google Scholar
14 Benincasa, P., Tosti, G., Tei, F., and Guiducci, M. 2010. Actual N availability from winter catch crops used for green manuring in maize cultivation. Journal of Sustainable Agriculture 34:705–723.Google Scholar
15 Tosti, G., Benincasa, P., Farneselli, M., Tei, F., and Guiducci, M. 2014. Barley–hairy vetch mixture as cover crop for green manuring and the mitigation of N leaching risk. European Journal of Agronomy 54:34–39.Google Scholar
16 Kramberger, B., Gselman, A., Kristl, J., Lesnik, M., Sustar, V., Mursec, M., and Podvrsnik, M. 2014. Winter cover crop: The effects of grass–clover mixture proportion and biomass management on maize and the apparent residual N in the soil. European Journal of Agronomy 55:63–71.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
17 Kuo, S. and Jellum, J. 2002. Influence of winter cover crop and residue management on soil nitrogen availability. Agronomy Journal 94:501–508.Google Scholar
18 Tonitto, C., David, M.B., and Drinkwater, L.E. 2006. Replacing bare fallows with cover crops in fertilizer-intensive cropping systems: A meta-analysis of crop yield and N dynamics. Agriculture Ecosystem and Environment 112:58–72.Google Scholar
19 Diacono, M. and Montemurro, F. 2010. Long-term effects of organic amendments on soil fertility: A review. Agronomy for Sustainable Development 30:401–422.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
20 Martinez-Blanco, J., Lazcano, C., Christensen, T.H., Munoz, P., Rieradevall, J., Moller, J., Anton, A., and Boldrin, A. 2013. Compost benefits for agriculture evaluated by life cycle assessment: A review. Agronomy for Sustainable Development 33:721–732.Google Scholar
21 Mondini, C. and Sequi, P. 2008. Implication of soil C sequestration on sustainable agriculture and environment. Waste Management 28:678–684.Google Scholar
22 Soil Survey Staff 2010. Keys to Soil Taxonomy. 11th ed. NRCS, Washington, DC.Google Scholar
23 Webb, K.T. and Marshall, L.B. 1999. Ecoregions and Ecodistricts of Nova Scotia. Crops and Livestock Research Centre, Research Branch, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Truro, Nova Scotia; Indicators and Assessment Office, Environmental Quality Branch, Environment Canada, Hull, Quebec. p. 39.Google Scholar
24 Westerman, R.L. 1990. Soil Testing and Plant Analysis. 3rd ed. SSSA Book Series 3. Soil Science Society of America, Madison, WI.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
25 Ziadi, N. and Tran, S.T. 2008. Mehlich-3 extractable phosphorus. In Carter, M.R. and Gregorich, E.G. (eds). Soil Sampling and Methods of Analysis. 2nd ed. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL. p. 81–88.Google Scholar
26 SAS Institute 2010. SAS User's Guide: Statistics. Version 9.3 ed. SAS Inst., Cary, NC. p. 4.Google Scholar
27 Lithourgidis, A.S., Vasilakoglou, I.B., Dhima, K.V., Dordas, C.A., and Yiakoulaki, M.D. 2006. Forage yield and quality of common vetch mixtures with oat and triticale in two seeding ratios. Field Crops Research 99:106–113.Google Scholar
28 Liang, S., Grossman, J., and Shi, W. 2014. Soil microbial responses to winter legume cover crop management during organic transition. European Journal of Soil Biology 65:15–22.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
29 Pratt, M.R., Tyner, W.E., Muth, D.J. Jr, and Kladivko, E.J. 2014. Synergies between cover crops and corn stover removal. Agricultural Systems 130:67–76.Google Scholar
30 Sainju, U.M., Singh, B.P., and Whitehead, W.F. 2002. Long-term effects of tillage, cover crops, and nitrogen fertilization on organic carbon and nitrogen concentrations in sandy loam soils in Georgia, USA. Soil and Tillage Research 63:167–179.Google Scholar
31 Lindström, B.E.M., Frankow-Lindberg, B.E., Sigrun Dahlin, A., Watson, C.A., and Wivstad, M. 2014. Red clover increases micronutrient concentrations in forage mixtures. Field Crops Research 169:99–106.Google Scholar
32 Uchino, H., Iwama, K., Jitsuyama, Y., Ichiyama, K., Sugiura, E., Yudate, T., Nakamura, S., and Gopal, J. 2012. Effect of interseeding cover crops and fertilization on weed suppression under an organic and rotational cropping system. 1. Stability of weed suppression over years and main crops of potato, maize and soybean. Field Crops Research 127:9–16.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
33 Uchino, H., Iwama, K., Jitsuyama, Y., Yudate, T., and Nakamura, S. 2009. Yield losses of soybean and maize by competition with interseeded cover crops and weeds in organic-based cropping systems. Field Crops Research 113:342–351.Google Scholar
34 Uchino, H., Iwama, K., Jitsuyama, Y., Ichiyama, K., Sugiura, E., and Yudate, T. 2011. Stable characteristics of cover crops for weed suppression in organic farming systems. Plant Production Science 14:75–85.Google Scholar
35 Marques, M.J., García-Muñoz, S., Muñoz-Organero, G., and Bienes, R. 2010. Soil conservation beneath grass cover in hillside vineyards under Mediterranean climatic conditions (Madrid, Spain). Land Degradation and Development 21:122–131.Google Scholar
36 Ruiz-Colmenero, M., Bienes, R., Eldridge, D.J., and Marques, M.J. 2013. Vegetation cover reduces erosion and enhances soil organic carbon in a vineyard in the central Spain. Catena 104:153–160.Google Scholar
37 Rodrigues, M.Â., Correia, C.M., Claro, A.M., Ferreira, I.Q., Barbosa, J.C., Moutinho-Pereira, J.M., Bacelar, E.A., Fernandes-Silva, A.A., and Arrobas, M. 2013. Soil nitrogen availability in olive orchards after mulching legume cover crop residues. Scientia Horticulturae 158:45–51.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
38 Epie, K.E., Cass, S., and Stoddard, F.L. 2015. Earthworm communities under boreal grass and legume bioenergy crops in pure stands and mixtures. Pedobiologia 58:49–54.Google Scholar
39 Poeplau, C. and Don, A. 2015. Carbon sequestration in agricultural soils via cultivation of cover crops—A meta-analysis. Agriculture Ecosystem & Environment 200:33–41.Google Scholar
40 Pinamonti, F., Nicolini, G., Dalpiaz, A., Stringari, G., and Zorzi, G. 1999. Compost use in viticulture: Effects on heavy metal levels in soil and plants. Communication in Soil Science and Plant Analysis 30(9–10):1531–1549.Google Scholar
41 Zheljazkov, V. and Warman, P.R. 2004b. Phytoavailability and fractionation of copper, manganese, and zinc in soil following application of two composts to four crops. Environmental Pollution 131:187–195.Google Scholar
42 Logan, T.J., Henry, C.L., Schnoor, J.L., Overcash, M., and McAvoy, D.C. 1999. An assessment of health and environmental risks of trace elements and toxic organics in land-applied municipal solid waste compost. Compost Science and Utilization 7(3):38–53.Google Scholar
43 Dinnes, D.L., Karlen, D.L., Jaynes, D.B., Kaspar, T.C., Hatfield, J.L., Colvin, T.S., and Cambardella, C.A. 2002. Nitrogen management strategies to reduce nitrate leaching in tile-drained Midwestern soils. Agronomy Journal 94:153–171.Google Scholar
44 Garnier, E. 1992. Growth analysis of congeneric annual and perennial grass species. Journal of Ecology 80:665–675.Google Scholar