Early nitrogen supply as an alternative management for a cover crop-maize sequence under a no-till system

Author(s)

Momesso, Letusa ^{[1, 2, 3]} ; Crusciol, Carlos A. C. ^[3] ; Soratto, Rogerio P. ; Nascimento, Carlos A. C. ^[4] ; Rosolem, Ciro A. ; Moretti, Luiz G. ; Kuramae, Eiko E. ^{[1, 2]} ; Cantarella, Heitor ^[5]

Affiliation

^[1] Netherlands Inst Ecol, Dept Microbial Ecol, Droevendaalsesteeg 10, NL-6708 PB Wageningen - Netherlands

^[2] Univ Utrecht, Inst Environm Biol, Ecol & Biodivers, Padualaan 8, NL-3584 CH Utrecht - Netherlands

^[3] Sao Paulo State Univ UNESP, Coll Agr Sci, Dept Crop Sci, Ave Univ, 33789, Lageado Expt Farm, BR-18610034 Botucatu, SP - Brazil

^[4] Univ Sao Paulo USP ESALQ, Ave Padua Dias 235, BR-13418900 Piracicaba, SP - Brazil

^[5] Agron Inst Campinas IAC, Ave Barao de Itapura 1481, BR-1307630 Campinas, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: NUTRIENT CYCLING IN AGROECOSYSTEMS; v. 121, n. 1 JUL 2021.
• Web of Science Citations: 1

Abstract

Optimizing agronomic efficiency (AE) of nitrogen (N) fertilizer use by crops and enhancing crop yields are challenges for tropical no-tillage systems since maintaining crop residues on the soil surface alters the nutrient supply to the system. Cover crops receiving N fertilizer can provide superior biomass, N cycling to the soil and plant residue mineralization. The aims of this study were to (i) investigate N application on forage cover crops or cover crop residues as a substitute for N sidedressing (conventional method) for maize and (ii) investigate the supply of mineral N in the soil and the rates of biomass decomposition and N release. The treatments comprised two species, i.e., palisade grass {[}Urochloa brizantha (Hochst. Ex A. Rich.) R.D. Webster] and ruzigrass {[}Urochloa ruziziensis (R. Germ. and C.M. Evrard) Crins], and four N applications: (i) control (no N application), (ii) on live cover crops 35 days before maize seeding (35 DBS), (iii) on cover crop residues 1 DBS, and (iv) conventional method (N sidedressing of maize). The maximum rates of biomass decomposition and N release were in palisade grass. The biomass of palisade grass and ruzigrass were 81 and 47% higher in N application at 35 DBS compared with control in ruzigrass (7 Mg ha(-1)), and N release followed the pattern observed of biomass in palisade and ruzigrass receiving N 35 DBS (249 and 189 kg N ha(-1)). Mineral N in the soil increased with N application regardless of cover crop species. Maize grain yields and AE were not affected when N was applied on palisade grass 35 DBS or 1 DBS (average 13 Mg ha(-1) and 54 kg N kg(-1) maize grain yield) compared to conventional method. However, N applied on ruzigrass 35 DBS decreased maize grain yields. Overall, N fertilizer can be applied on palisade grass 35 DBS or its residues 1 DBS as a substitute for conventional sidedressing application for maize. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 15/50305-8 - A virtual joint centre to deliver enhanced nitrogen use efficiency via an integrated soil-plant systems approach for the UK & Brazil
• Grantee: Ciro Antonio Rosolem
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 15/17953-6 - Nitrogen antecipation for upland rice crops in succession to Urochloa brizantha and Urochloa ruziziensis in no-till system
• Grantee: Aron Aielo Sandoval
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• FAPESP's process: 16/12317-7 - Nucleus: a virtual joint centre to deliver enhanced nitrogen use efficiency via an integrated soil-plant systems approach for the UK and Brazil
• Grantee: Carlos Antonio Costa Do Nascimento
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral