Archives of Agronomy and Soil Science · 2012 · 40 citations · 23 references
AgricultureAgronomySoil SciencesSoil FertilitySoil Organic MatterSoil ScienceCover CropsNutrient AvailabilitySoil Nitrogen ChemistrySoil Nutrient AvailabilitySoil Organic Matter QualityTillage Effects On Soil CarbonLabile Carbon FractionsLabile Soil Organic MatterOrganic Matter AvailabilitySoil Organic CarbonSoil Organic Matter Effects On Nutrient AvailabilitySoil Organic Nitrogen FractionsTillage Effects On Organic MatterVineyard Soil Fertility
Little attention has been given to the utilization of permanent cover crops in vineyard agroecosystems in semi-arid Mediterranean climatic conditions to increase soil organic carbon or its effects on N availability. We evaluated the effect of permanent cover crops with resident vegetation on labile organic matter fractions and inorganic N availability with respect to conventional tillage in a semi-arid vineyard. The field experiment was conducted on Typic Haploxerept soil, located in La Rioja area (Central River Ebro Valley). Soil samples were collected during June 2009, 5 years after covers crops were established. Soil organic carbon (SOC), water-soluble carbon (WSC), potentially mineralizable nitrogen (PMN), nitrate (N-NO3 −) and ammonium (N-NH4 +) were measured. At soil depths of 0–2.5 and 2.5–5 cm the cover crops increased SOC, WSC and PMN. So the results indicated a soil quality improvement. The cover crop treatment reduced soil N-NO3 − and increased the WSC to inorganic N ratio at 0–45 cm depth. PMN and WSC increments suggest a more active microbial biomass that could promote the immobilization and recycling of N-NO3 −, and therefore might partially explain the reduction in N-NO3 − pools under cover crops.
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