How do phosphorus, potassium and sulphur affect plant growth and biological nitrogen fixation in crop and pasture legumes? A meta-analysis

Divito, Guillermo Adrián; Sadras, Víctor O.

doi:10.1016/j.fcr.2013.11.004

Cited by 178 publications

(107 citation statements)

References 88 publications

(96 reference statements)

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“…Under severe soil water limitation as experienced in this experiment, percent N derived from N 2 fixation in T. repens was still around 55% (Hofer et al 2017), indicating substantial N access through this pathway. While under rainfed conditions, N derived from N 2 fixation is generally much higher, the value of 55% can be explained by severe limitation of other growth resources than soil N and concurrent down-regulation of symbiotic N 2 fixation due to a reduced N demand of the plant (Divito and Sadras 2014;Hartwig 1998). Together, this points to a predominant soil and plant water limitation under the five-week measurement period, which was at the end of a ten-week drought period.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

Severe water deficit restricts biomass production of Lolium perenne L. and Trifolium repens L. and causes foliar nitrogen but not carbohydrate limitation

et al. 2017

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Aims We investigated whether drought-induced impairment of grassland species can be explained directly by plant water deficit or by water-driven limitation of nitrogen (N) and/or carbohydrate sources. Methods In a field experiment, a severe drought treatment was applied on monocultures of Lolium perenne L. (cv. Alligator) (Lp) and Trifolium repens L. (cv. Hebe) (Tr) by using rainout shelters excluding all precipitation, and effects were compared to a rainfed control. Three species-fertiliser treatments were set up, crossed with the drought treatment. The two species were fertilised equally with N (200 kg N ha), and an additional high N fertilisation treatment was established for L. perenne (Lp highN , 500 kg N ha). Results Severe soil water deficit led to significantly lower leaf water potentials in all species-fertiliser treatments (P < 0.001) down to approximately −1.2 MPa and, on average, to a 79% reduction in living plant biomass above 7 cm harvest height (P < 0.001), indicating strong plant water deficits. Under the drought treatment, living plant biomass above 7 cm did not differ among species-fertiliser treatments. Plant-available soil N was 84% lower (P ≤ 0.01) and plant N concentrations were 24% less (P < 0.001) under the drought than under the rainfed control treatment, with Lp always being more N limited than Lp highN and Tr. Nitrate concentrations in water-limited plants were generally very low (< 0.85 mg g −1 dry matter), whereas non-structural carbohydrates were distinctly greater under the drought treatment in Lp (+62%), Lp highN (+46%), and Tr (+18%).Conclusions Restricted biomass production of these forage species under severe drought can primarily be explained by plant water deficits and secondarily by drought-induced limitation of N supply. However, growth seems not to be limited by carbohydrate source activity, as carbohydrates accumulated with water deficiency.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

Severe water deficit restricts biomass production of Lolium perenne L. and Trifolium repens L. and causes foliar nitrogen but not carbohydrate limitation

et al. 2017

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“…While the role of grain legumes in increasing soil nitrogen cannot be denied, other macro-and micronutrients cannot be ignored. A deficiency of other nutrients such as phosphorous, boron and molybdenum may hinder nitrogen fixation [44,45,88]. In addition, subsistence farmers often do not use inoculants to stimulate the formation of nitrogen-fixing nodules.…”

Section: Agronomymentioning

confidence: 99%

Expounding the Value of Grain Legumes in the Semi- and Arid Tropics

2017

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Approximately 70% of the population in the semi-and arid tropics reside in rural areas and depend on agriculture for their livelihood. Crop production is primarily focused on a few starchy staple crops. While this can ensure adequate calories, it inadvertently neglects the need for dietary diversity. Consequently, food and nutritional insecurity remains prevalent in the semi-and arid tropics. We reviewed the legume value chain with the aim to identify opportunities and challenges to unlocking their value and promoting them in the tropics. Several grain legumes are rich in proteins and micronutrients. They also possess adaptability to marginal environmental conditions such as drought and low input systems which typify rural landscapes. Adaptability to abiotic stresses such as drought makes them key to agriculture in areas that will receive less rainfall in the future. However, this potential was currently not being realized due to a range of challenges. Aspects related to their seed systems, production, post-harvest handling and marketing remain relatively under-researched. This was especially true for minor legumes. There is a need for transdisciplinary research which will address the entire value chain, as has been done for major starchy crops. This could also unlock significant economic opportunities for marginalized groups such as women. This will unlock their value and allow them to contribute meaningfully to food and nutrition security as well as sustainable and resilient cropping systems.

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“…Generally, an increase in soil phosphorus is observed after use of P fertilizers in the topsoil due to the low mobility of phosphorus, especially in no-till systems (Costa et al, 2007;Pavinatto et al, 2009;Messiga et al, 2010). In several of the CPS sites, there are crop rotations of maize, rice and soybean, and all these crops are fertilized with phosphorus, especially soybean, because phosphorus is an important nutrient in the biological nitrogen fixation process (Divito and Sadras, 2014). The variation in phosphorus concentration with soil depth provides indirect support for this hypothesis.…”

Section: Land-use Changes Alter Nitrogen and Phosphorus Stocksmentioning

confidence: 99%

Changes in soil carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus due to land-use changes in Brazil

Groppo

Lins²,

Camargo³

et al. 2015

Biogeosciences

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Abstract. In this paper, soil carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations and stocks were investigated in agricultural and natural areas in 17 plot-level paired sites and in a regional survey encompassing more than 100 pasture soils In the paired sites, elemental soil concentrations and stocks were determined in native vegetation (forests and savannas), pastures and crop-livestock systems (CPSs). Nutrient stocks were calculated for the soil depth intervals 0-10, 0-30, and 0-60 cm for the paired sites and 0-10, and 0-30 cm for the pasture regional survey by sum stocks obtained in each sampling intervals (0-5, 5-10, 10-20, 20-30, 30-40, 40-60 cm). Overall, there were significant differences in soil element concentrations and ratios between different land uses, especially in the surface soil layers. Carbon and nitrogen contents were lower, while phosphorus contents were higher in the pasture and CPS soils than in native vegetation soils. Additionally, soil stoichiometry has changed with changes in land use. The soil C : N ratio was lower in the native vegetation than in the pasture and CPS soils, and the carbon and nitrogen to available phosphorus ratio (P ME ) decreased from the native vegetation to the pasture to the CPS soils. In the plotlevel paired sites, the soil nitrogen stocks were lower in all depth intervals in pasture and in the CPS soils when compared with the native vegetation soils. On the other hand, the soil phosphorus stocks were higher in all depth intervals in agricultural soils when compared with the native vegetation soils. For the regional pasture survey, soil nitrogen and phosphorus stocks were lower in all soil intervals in pasture soils than in native vegetation soils. The nitrogen loss with cultivation observed here is in line with other studies and it seems to be a combination of decreasing organic matter inputs, in cases where crops replaced native forests, with an increase in soil organic matter decomposition that leads to a decrease in the long run. The main cause of the increase in soil phosphorus stocks in the CPS and pastures of the plot-level paired site seems to be linked to phosphorus fertilization by mineral and organics fertilizers. The findings of this paper illustrate that land-use changes that are currently common in Brazil alter soil concentrations, stocks and elemental ratios of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus. These changes could have an impact on the subsequent vegetation, decreasing soil carbon and increasing nitrogen limitation but alleviating soil phosphorus deficiency.

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How do phosphorus, potassium and sulphur affect plant growth and biological nitrogen fixation in crop and pasture legumes? A meta-analysis

Cited by 178 publications

References 88 publications

Severe water deficit restricts biomass production of Lolium perenne L. and Trifolium repens L. and causes foliar nitrogen but not carbohydrate limitation

Severe water deficit restricts biomass production of Lolium perenne L. and Trifolium repens L. and causes foliar nitrogen but not carbohydrate limitation

Expounding the Value of Grain Legumes in the Semi- and Arid Tropics

Changes in soil carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus due to land-use changes in Brazil

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