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Nitrogen balance and seasonal fluctuations in soil nitrogen contents in a corn ( Zea mays L)‐rye ( Secale cereale L) rotation field
Author(s) -
Kurokawa Yuzo,
Iijima Yoshiaki,
Tanaka Haruo,
Shioya Tetsuo,
Suzuki Sohzoh
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
grassland science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.388
H-Index - 19
eISSN - 1744-697X
pISSN - 1744-6961
DOI - 10.1111/j.1744-697x.2005.00012.x
Subject(s) - secale , agronomy , dry matter , crop rotation , nitrogen balance , nitrogen , fertilizer , chemistry , crop residue , soil water , andosol , crop , zoology , environmental science , biology , soil science , ecology , organic chemistry , agriculture
In a corn ( Zea mays L)‐rye ( Secale cereale L) rotation field, the N output (plant uptake) and N input (crop residue and fertilizer applied) were measured for two years in order to evaluate the N balance in a forage production field. The soil was Low‐humic Andosol (mesic Typic Hapludand). The disappearance of crop residues on both a dry matter and N basis, and the seasonal fluctuations of total, inorganic, and available soil N content in the field were investigated. The interaction between the nitrogen balance and the soil N contents are discussed. The total plant N uptake of the corn and rye exceeded the sum of the N input of the fertilizer applied and the N from crop residues, so the N balance of the corn‐rye rotation had a negative value (two year average: −8.4 gN m −2 ). After the gradual disappearance of crop residue on the dry matter basis, rapid disappearance on the N basis was observed. At the same time, the C/N ratio decreased to less than 20. The soil available (38.4–55.3 mg kg −1 ) and inorganic (21.5–45.2 mg kg −1 ) N had their lowest values in spring. After they increased in early summer, they decreased in late summer and increased in autumn. The total N (0.5–0.7%) gradually decreased during the experimental period. The results indicated that the soil‐available N and inorganic N in the present study were highly dependent on the fertilizer‐applied N. The relation among management practices, N input and soil available N contents are discussed. It is suggested that the negative N balance is one of the causes for a decrease in soil total N.