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Leaching and crop uptake of N, P and K from organic and conventional cropping systems on a clay soil
Author(s) -
Aronsson H.,
Torstensson G.,
Bergström L.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
soil use and management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.709
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1475-2743
pISSN - 0266-0032
DOI - 10.1111/j.1475-2743.2006.00067.x
Subject(s) - leaching (pedology) , agronomy , cropping system , nutrient , manure , environmental science , crop , cropping , soil water , zoology , chemistry , soil science , biology , agriculture , ecology , organic chemistry
In this study, three types of cropping systems with different nutrient management strategies were studied on a clay soil with the aim of comparing leaching of N, P and K and obtaining knowledge on nutrient budgets. A conventional cropping system with cereals and application of mineral fertilizers (CON) was compared with two organic cropping systems, one without animal manure in which green manure crops were used for N supply (OGM) and one where animal manure (cattle slurry) was applied (OAM). Leaching and crop uptake of N, P and K, and soil mineral N were measured in pipe‐drained plots over a 6‐year period. The mean annual leaching loads of N were moderate and did not differ significantly ( P > 0.05) between treatments; 13 kg N ha −1 in CON, 11 kg N ha −1 in OGM and 7.4 kg N ha −1 in OAM. Average annual P leaching showed greater variation than N leaching and was significantly greater in OGM (0.81 kg ha −1 year −1 ) than in CON (0.36 kg ha −1 ) and OAM (0.41 kg ha −1 ). For all cropping systems, removal in harvested crops was the most important export of nutrients from the field and constituted between 80 and 94% of total N outputs (harvested and leached N). Yields of cereals in the organic systems were considerably less (15–50%) than in the CON system, leading to a less efficient use of N than in the conventional system.