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Field measurement of lupin belowground nitrogen accumulation and recovery in the subsequent cereal-soil system in a semi-arid Mediterranean-type climate

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Abstract

In situ 15N-labelling was used to provide a quantitative assessment of the total contribution of lupin (Lupinus angustifolius) to below-ground (BG) N accumulation during a growing season under field conditions, and to directly trace the fate of the lupin BG N in the next season, including quantifying the N benefit from lupin to a following wheat (Triticum aestivum) crop. The experiments were conducted at two sites, both experiencing a semi-arid Mediterranean-type climate in the wheat-growing region of Western Australia but with differing soil types, a deep sand (Moora) and a sand-over-clay shallow duplex soil (East Beverley, EB). Lupin shoot and root dry matter and total plant N accumulation, proportional dependence on nitrogen fixation and grain yield were greater at the deep sand site than the duplex soil site, although there was a similar proportion of shoot N to estimated total BG N at both sites. The proportion of total plant BG N decreased from the vegetative stage (42–51%) to peak biomass (25–39%) and maturity (23–34%). From 56–67% of BG N on the deep sand and 74–86% on the duplex soil was not recovered in coarse roots (>2 mm) or as soluble N, but was present in the insoluble organic N fraction. There was evidence for cycling of lupin root-derived N into soil microbial biomass and soluble organic N during lupin growth (by the late vegetative stage), but no evidence for leaching of legume derived BG N during the lupin season. Estimates of fixed N input BG were at least four times greater if based on total lupin BG N rather than on N recovered in coarse roots (>2 mm). There were no apparent losses of lupin BG N during the summer fallow period subsequent to lupin harvest at either site. Also, immediately prior to sowing of wheat there were similar proportions of lupin BG N in the inorganic (20–25%) and microbial biomass (6–9%) pools at both sites, with the majority of BG N detected in the <2 mm fraction of the soil column. However, the proportion of residual lupin BG N estimated to benefit the aboveground wheat biomass was relatively low, 10% on the deep sand and only 3% on the shallow duplex. Some (14%) residual lupin BG N was leached as nitrate to 1 m on the deep sand compared to 8% of residual lupin BG N leached to the clay layer (0.3 m) on the shallow duplex. About 27% of the residual lupin BG N on the deep sand at Moora had apparently mineralised by the end of the succeeding wheat season (i.e. recovered either in the wheat shoots, as inorganic N in the soil profile or as leached nitrate) compared to only 12% at EB. There was an unaccounted for large loss of residual lupin BG N (50%) from the duplex soil at EB during the wheat season, postulated to be chiefly via denitrification. At both sites after the wheat season a substantial proportion (32–55%) of legume derived BG N was still present as residual insoluble organic N, considered to be an important contribution to structural and nutritional long-term sustainability of these soils.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to H & D Morrell, Glenferrie Farms, East Beverley and Michael Brennan, Ninnan Farms, Moora for access to land; also AgWA for routine agronomic maintenance of the sites. We thank Chunya Zhu, Steve Dearle and Donna Campbell for highly efficient technical services as well as Richard Topham for assistance in the field.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Co-operative Research Centre for Legumes in Mediterranean Agriculture, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia

    A. M. McNeill & I. R. P. Fillery

  2. Soil & Land Systems, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Roseworthy Campus, SA 5371, Adelaide, Australia

    A. M. McNeill

  3. CSIRO Plant Industry Floreat, Wembley, WA, Australia

    I. R. P. Fillery

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  1. A. M. McNeill
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Correspondence to A. M. McNeill.

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McNeill, A.M., Fillery, I.R.P. Field measurement of lupin belowground nitrogen accumulation and recovery in the subsequent cereal-soil system in a semi-arid Mediterranean-type climate. Plant Soil 302, 297–316 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-007-9487-y

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