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Gross nitrogen mineralization and immobilization in temperate maize-soybean intercrops

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Abstract

Background and aims

Reliance on nitrogen (N) fertilizers to maintain crop productivity requires a thorough understanding of the transformation of this nutrient within the soil-plant system. Organic matter input from a mixture of crop residues, such intercrop systems, influence N transformations differently compared to sole crops. We tested the hypothesis that N mineralization and immobilization differ between cereal-legume intercrops and sole crops.

Methods

A short-term experiment using 15N isotopic pool dilution was conducted in 2007 and 2012 in maize (Zea mays L.) and soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) sole crops and 1:2 (1 row maize:2 rows soybean) and 2:3 (two rows maize:3 rows soybean) intercrops. Soil characteristics, gross mineralization and immobilization, and net immobilization to a 10 cm depth were quantified.

Results

Soil characteristics (pH, bulk density, soil organic carbon (C), total N, and C:N) were not significantly different (P < 0.05) among treatments, but differed significantly (P < 0.05) between years (2007 vs. 2012). Soil NH4 +-N was significantly lower (P < 0.05) in the maize sole crop. Gross N mineralization, immobilization and net immobilization, were significantly different (P < 0.05) among treatments and between years. Relative NH4 +-N immobilization was significantly different (P < 0.05) among treatments and between years, showing the lowest values in the intercrops. The amount of NH4 +-N mineralized per day was significantly greater (P < 0.05) in the 2:3 intercrop and was significantly different (P < 0.05) between years in the 2:3 intercrop. Residence time of NH4 +-N was significantly longer (P < 0.05) in the soybean sole crop and 1:2 intercrop followed by the 2:3 intercrop and the maize sole crop.

Conclusions

Intercropping contributed to the long-term immobilization of N and therefore was a more sustainable land-management practice than sole cropping. The adoption of cereal-legume intercrops will curb our currently growing reliance on N fertilizers.

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Acknowledgments

Funding for this study was provided by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and the Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI). This work was supported by the University of Waterloo, the Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria (INTA), Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, the National Research Council of Argentina (CONICET), and a scholarship to A. Regehr from NSERC, the Inter-American Institute for Co-operation on Agriculture (IICA-Canada) and the University of Waterloo. We also thank J. Schimel for his constructive editorial comments, and the anonymous reviewers that helped improve this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environment and Resource Studies, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada

    Alison Regehr & Maren Oelbermann

  2. University of Mar del Plata Balcarce, Ruta 226 km 73.5, C.C. 276 (7620), Balcarce, Argentina

    Cecilia Videla

  3. CONICET, EEA INTA Balcarce, Ruta 226 km 73.5, C.C. 276 (7620), Balcarce, Argentina

    Laura Echarte

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  1. Alison Regehr
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  2. Maren Oelbermann
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Correspondence to Maren Oelbermann.

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Regehr, A., Oelbermann, M., Videla, C. et al. Gross nitrogen mineralization and immobilization in temperate maize-soybean intercrops. Plant Soil 391, 353–365 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-015-2438-0

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