scholarly journals Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium Resorption Responses of Alfalfa to Increasing Soil Water and P Availability in a Semi-Arid Environment

Agronomy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 310 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meng Kong ◽  
Jing Kang ◽  
Cheng-Long Han ◽  
Yan-Jie Gu ◽  
Kadambot H.M Siddique ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Water ◽  
Forage Yield ◽  
Nutrient Resorption ◽  
P Availability ◽  
P Fertilization ◽  
Resorption Efficiency ◽  
P Concentration ◽  
K Concentration ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Semi Arid

In semi-arid areas, alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is widely grown, but its growth is often restricted due to limited rainfall and soil nutrients, particularly phosphorus (P). Nutrient resorption is an effective strategy for dealing with nutrient shortages. Alleviation of these limited resources using film mulch and P fertilization—which are common practices in semi-arid areas—can affect the internal recycling of such nutrients. Little is known about such effects in alfalfa and the relationship between resorption efficiency and forage yield. We conducted a two-year field experiment in the semi-arid Loess Plateau of China using film mulch and P fertilization to investigate the response to long-term increasing soil water and P availability on leaf nitrogen (N), P, and potassium (K) concentrations and nutrient resorption characteristics in alfalfa. In green leaves, mulching significantly increased P concentration by an average of 5.5% but it had no significant effect on N concentration over two years, and it decreased K concentration by 16.1% in 2017. P fertilization significantly increased N concentrations to a greater degree in 2018 (8.1%) than 2017 (1.6%). P fertilization also significantly increased P concentrations by an average of 34.1% over two years. In contrast, P fertilization significantly decreased K concentration in the mulched treatment by an average of 17.3% in 2017 and 21.8% in 2018, but it had no effect in the no-mulch treatment. In senescent leaves, mulching significantly increased N concentration by an average of 3.9% and P concentration by an average of 16.7%, but it had no significant effect on K concentration over two years, while P fertilization significantly decreased N and K concentrations over two years by an average of 7.5%, and 32.8%, respectively. P fertilization significantly increased senesced P concentration by an average of 11.9% in 2017 and 17.5% in 2018; and year × mulching × P fertilization had a significant interaction on senesced leaf P concentration. For resorption efficiency, mulching decreased P resorption efficiency by an average of 3.0%, but it had no impact on N or K resorption efficiency, while P fertilization increased the N, P, and K resorption efficiencies in alfalfa by an average of 6.8%, 6.2%, and 76.4% over two years, respectively. Interactive effects of mulching and P fertilization were found on P and K resorption efficiencies over time. In addition, N and K resorption efficiencies were significantly higher in 2018 than in 2017. The application of P fertilizer without mulching resulted in positive correlations between forage yield and N, P, and K resorption efficiencies, but no correlations were observed under film mulch. That is, mulching changed the relationship between forage yield and N, P, and K resorption efficiencies in alfalfa, suggesting that N, P, and K resorption efficiencies may not be related to high yield. Our results provide new insights into the role of nutrient resorption in alfalfa in response to increasing soil water and P availability and the relationship between resorption efficiency and forage yield, which will help us to improve alfalfa yield in semi-arid regions.

Alfalfa forage yield, soil water and P availability in response to plastic film mulch and P fertilization in a semiarid environment

2018 ◽  
Vol 215 ◽  
pp. 94-103 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yan-Jie Gu ◽  
Cheng-Long Han ◽  
Jing-Wei Fan ◽  
Xiao-Peng Shi ◽  
Meng Kong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Water ◽  
Forage Yield ◽  
P Availability ◽  
Plastic Film ◽  
P Fertilization ◽  
Semiarid Environment

Effects of defoliation timing on plant nutrient resorption and hay production in a semi-arid steppe

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tongrui Zhang ◽  
Frank Yonghong Li ◽  
Hao Wang ◽  
Lin Wu ◽  
Chunjun Shi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nutrient Cycling ◽  
Nutrient Resorption ◽  
Plant Production ◽  
Conservation Strategy ◽  
Plant Nutrient ◽  
Resorption Efficiency ◽  
Nutrient Return ◽  
Peak Biomass ◽  
Arid Steppe ◽  
Semi Arid

Abstract Aims Nutrient resorption is a key plant nutrient conservation strategy, and its response to environmental and management changes is linked to nutrient cycling and production of ecosystems. Defoliation is a major pathway of mowing affecting plant nutrient resorption and production in grasslands, while the effect of defoliation timing has not been unexplored. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of defoliation timing on plant nutrient resorption and production in a steppe ecosystem. Methods We conducted a field experiment in a semi-arid steppe of Inner Mongolia including four treatments: early defoliation, peak defoliation, late defoliation and non-defoliation. We measured plant nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) resorption at species and community levels, and quantified plant N and P fluxes in resorption, litter return and hay output. Plant production in the mowing system was assessed by hay production and quality. Important Findings Peak and late defoliation, but not early defoliation, reduced plant community N and P resorption proficiency (RP); and late defoliation reduced N resorption efficiency (RE) but not P resorption efficiency. Peak and late defoliation, but not early defoliation, reduced plant nutrient resorption flux and litter nutrient return flux. Defoliation timing did not alter root nutrient accumulation as nutrient uptake from soil likely compensated the deficit of nutrient resorption. Peak defoliation had the highest hay production and quality, while early defoliation had the lowest. Our results provide new insights into the nutrient cycling in mowing grassland, and imply that the mowing timing can be used as a tool to mediate the balance between conservation and production of steppes, and the early mowing before plant peak biomass period is recommended for conservation of the steppes while keeping sustainable pastoral production.

scholarly journals Different responses of plant N and P resorption to overgrazing in three dominant species in a typical steppe of Inner Mongolia, China

PeerJ ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. e9915
Author(s):  
Zhen Wang ◽  
Saheed Olaide Jimoh ◽  
Xiliang Li ◽  
Baoming Ji ◽  
Paul C. Struik ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Nutrient Resorption ◽  
Grass Species ◽  
Resorption Efficiency ◽  
Typical Steppe ◽  
P Concentration ◽  
N Resorption ◽  
Senesced Leaves ◽  
Dominant Grass ◽  
Leaf N

Nutrient resorption from senesced leaves is an important mechanism for nutrient conservation in plants. However, little is known about the effect of grazing on plant nutrient resorption from senesced leaves, especially in semiarid ecosystems. Here, we evaluated the effects of grazing on N and P resorption in the three most dominant grass species in a typical steppe in northern China. We identified the key pathways of grazing-induced effects on N and P resorption efficiency. Grazing increased N and P concentrations in the green leaves of Leymus chinensis and Stipa grandis but not in Cleistogenes squarossa. Both L. chinensis and S. grandis exhibited an increasing trend of leaf N resorption, whereas C. squarrosa recorded a decline in both leaf N and P resorption efficiency under grazing. Structural equation models showed that grazing is the primary driver of the changes in N resorption efficiency of the three dominant grass species. For L. chinensis, the P concentration in green and senesced leaves increased the P resorption efficiency, whereas the senesced leaf P concentration played an important role in the P resorption efficiency of C. squarrosa. Grazing directly drove the change in P resorption efficiency of S. grandis. Our results suggest that large variations in nutrient resorption patterns among plant species depend on leaf nutritional status and nutrient-use strategies under overgrazing, and indicate that overgrazing may have indirect effects on plant-mediated nutrient cycling via inducing shifts in the dominance of the three plant species.

A method for calculating the population/yield relations of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea) in semi-arid climates

1993 ◽  
Vol 121 (2) ◽  
pp. 213-222 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. N. Azam-Ali ◽  
R. C. Nageswara Rao ◽  
J. Craigon ◽  
K. D. R. Wadia ◽  
J. H. Williams
Keyword(s):  
Soil Water ◽  
Harvest Index ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Crop Productivity ◽  
Plant Population ◽  
Planting Density ◽  
Pod Yield ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Water Holding ◽  
Semi Arid

SUMMARYBetween 1980 and 1986, six field experiments were conducted to investigate the relations between planting density, total dry matter and pod yield of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L. cv. TMV2) grown at different levels of irrigation and rainfall at two sites in central India. In general, the relationship between total dry matter and planting density for most treatments was well described by the function:where W is the crop dry weight per unit ground area, wm is the maximum weight per plant, Wm is the maximum crop weight per unit ground area and P is the plant population. Because the harvest index, h, was constant for each treatment irrespective of plant population, a similar equation described the relationship between pod yield and planting density. When nine of the eleven treatments planted in a square (i.e. 1:1) arrangement were compared, the asymptotic value Wm varied between treatments depending on available soil water and atmospheric demand. To quantify the effects of plant and environmental factors on crop productivity, a ‘transpiration equivalent’ (ωw; (g/kg)/kPa), i.e. the product of the dry matter/water ratio and mean seasonal saturation deficit D, was used as a crop constant to calculate productivity at each site or season from a knowledge of seasonal rainfall and/or irrigation and soil water-holding capacity. Thus, total crop productivity, W'8, was calculated using the equation W'8 = ωwS/D where S (mm) is a soil supply term dependent on soil water-holding capacity and monthly values of rainfall and/or irrigation. When values for Wm and W'8 were plotted against each other, a linear regression was obtained with a slope = 1·02 (R2 = 0·78). The mean harvest index of 0·38 was used to predict pod yield from a knowledge of W'8. It was concluded that of all the climatic, soil and management factors that influence crop growth in semi-arid situations, it is the interaction between the supply of and demand for water that ultimately determines total productivity, pod yield and optimum plant population.

scholarly journals Soil Salinity Type Effects on the Relationship between the Electrical Conductivity and Salt Content for 1:5 Soil-To-Water Extract

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 3395
Author(s):  
Amin I. Ismayilov ◽  
Amrakh I. Mamedov ◽  
Haruyuki Fujimaki ◽  
Atsushi Tsunekawa ◽  
Guy J. Levy
Keyword(s):  
Electrical Conductivity ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Salinity ◽  
Arid Regions ◽  
Clayey Soil ◽  
Salt Content ◽  
Water Extract ◽  
Soluble Salts ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Semi Arid

Soil salinity severely affects soil ecosystem quality and crop production in semi-arid and arid regions. A vast quantity of data on soil salinity has been collected by research organizations of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS, formerly USSR) and many other countries over the last 70 years, but using them in the current international network (irrigation and reclamation strategy) is complicated. This is because in the CIS countries salinity was expressed by total soluble salts as a percentage on a dry-weight basis (total soluble salts, TSS, %) and eight salinity types (chemistry) determined by the ratios of the anions and cations (Cl−, SO42−, HCO3−, and Na+, Ca2+, Mg2+) in diluted soil water extract (soil/water = 1:5) without assessing electrical conductivity (EC). Measuring the EC (1:5) is more convenient, yet EC is not only affected by the concentration but also characteristics of the ions and the salinity chemistry. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between EC and TSS of soils in a diluted extract (1:5) for eight classic salinity types. We analyzed extracts (1:5) of 1100 samples of a clayey soil (0–20 cm) collected from cultivated semi-arid and arid regions for EC, TSS, soluble cations (Na+, Ca2+, Mg2+), and anions (HCO3−, Cl−, SO42−). Results revealed that (i) the variation in the proportional relationships (R2 ≥ 0.91–0.98) between EC (0.12–5.6 dS m−1) and TSS (0.05–2.5%) could be related to salinity type, and (ii) the proportionality coefficient of the relationships (2.2 2–3.16) decreased in the following order of salinity type: SO4 < Cl(SO4)–HCO3 < Cl(HCO3)–SO4 < SO4 (HCO3)–Cl < Cl. The findings suggest that once the salinity type of the soil is established, EC (1:5) values can be safely used for the evaluation of the soil salinity degree in the irrigated land in the context of sustainable soil and crop management.

Sward age and weather effects on alfalfa yield at a semi-arid location in southwestern Saskatchewan

1997 ◽  
Vol 77 (4) ◽  
pp. 595-599 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. G. Jefferson ◽  
H. W. Cutforth
Keyword(s):  
Medicago Sativa ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Forage Yield ◽  
Yield Variability ◽  
Monthly Precipitation ◽  
Yield Data ◽  
Medicago Sativa L ◽  
One Year ◽  
The Relationship

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) yield in the first and second years after establishment is typically much greater than yield in subsequent years under dryland production systems in semiarid regions. Alfalfa is a deep-rooted perennial that uses soil water stored at soil depths below the reach of shallow-rooted cereals and grasses. Since alfalfa yield is positively related to evapotranspiration, this study was conducted to determine the relationship between historical alfalfa yield data and weather variables as affected by sward age. Rambler alfalfa yields collated by sward age during cultivar yield trials from 1951 to 1994 at Swift Current, Saskatchewan, were statistically related to monthly precipitation (April to August) and monthly pan evaporation (May to September) during the growing season, and to the fall and winter total precipitation (September to March). One-year-old swards yielded more than 3-, 4- or 5-yr-old swards. For 1- and 2-yr-old alfalfa swards, weather accounted for 50% and 47% of the yield variability, respectively. However, weather accounted for 85, 87 and 96%, respectively, for 3-, 4- and 5-yr-old swards. We hypothesize that soil water stored deep in the profile accounted for much of the remaining yield variability in one and two year old swards. Researchers must measure soil water use from soil depths to at least 3 m when assessing dryland alfalfa yields. Key words: Medicago sativa L., weather, modelling, forage yield

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