N-fertiliser application or legume integration enhances N cycling in tropical pastures

Homem, Bruno Grossi Costa; Lima, Italo Braz G. de; Spasiani, Paola Palauro; Guimarães, Bianca Costa; Guimarães, Gustavo D.; Bernardes, Thiago Fernandes; Rezende, Cláudia de Paula; Boddey, Robert M.; Casagrande, Daniel Rume

doi:10.1007/s10705-021-10169-y

Cited by 13 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 69 publications

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“…They recommended 95% LI as the upper limit to start grazing these mixtures to enhance nutrient cycling. In another study with Marandu palisadegrass and pintoi peanut, legume integration replaced N fertilizer application and resulted in similar conservation of soil N reserves compared with the C4 grass monoculture without legume or N (Homem et al, 2021). Kohmann et al (2018Kohmann et al ( , 2019 found similar results on bahiagrass in monoculture or mixed with rhizoma peanut, indicating that grass-legume mixtures are an alternative to N fertilizer for enhancing litter N cycling in grasslands when contrasted with bahiagrass in monoculture.…”

Section: Nutrient Cyclingmentioning

confidence: 93%

“…In Minas Gerais, Brazil (21°14′ S; annual rainfall of 950 mm during study; 22 °C), a 2.5-year study compared Marandu palisadegrass grown in monoculture with either zero or 150 kg N ha −1 year −1 , or grown in mixture with pintoi peanut (Homem et al, 2021). Pastures were continuously stocked using a variable SR to maintain canopy height of 20 to 25 cm.…”

Section: Mixture Vs Monoculture With Both No N and Moderate/high N Ratesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Gain ha −1 is a function of both daily gain and SR, the latter dictated in variable SR studies by forage accumulation rate. This can provide advantages in gain ha −1 for monocultures that receive greater amounts of N (e.g., Homem et al, 2021). Thus, unless they are not consumed readily by livestock or compete significantly with the grass component (e.g., mimosa in Silva et al, 2021a), the greater nutritive value of most legumes will support greater daily gain per animal regardless of N rate, but comparisons of gain ha −1 are more likely to be dependent upon amount of N applied to the grass monoculture and its effect on SR.…”

Section: Provisioning Ecosystem Services Synthesismentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In fact, these grass-legume systems were able to sustain similar productivity compared with the high-N input system, despite using only 15% of the N fertilizer input (Jaramillo et al, 2021b). Homem et al (2021) also investigated excreta return in N-fertilized Marandu palisadegrass (150 kg N ha −1 year −1 ) or palisadegrass mixed with pintoi peanut without N fertilizer application, or the grass monoculture without N fertilizer or legume. They observed greater fecal and urinary N output per area in the N-fertilized grass.…”

Section: Nutrient Cyclingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The amount of BNF varies with species, proportion in the botanical composition, management, soil N, and other environmental conditions that affect the growth potential of the target legume species. Although variable, typical BNF in warm-climate, grass-legume mixtures ranges from 50 to 150 kg N ha −1 year −1 (Homem et al, 2021;Jaramillo et al, 2021a). If legumes are grown in monoculture, BNF can exceed these values.…”

Section: Biological N Fixationmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Warm-climate, legume-grass forage mixtures versus grass-only swards: An ecosystem services comparison

Sollenberger¹,

Júnior²

2022

Revista Brasileira De Zootecnia

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Integrating warm-climate forage legumes into grass monocultures has received significant research attention during the past 70 years, but widespread adoption by end users has been elusive. The objectives of this review are to provide historical context regarding legume use in warm-climate grasslands; synthesize the current literature addressing contributions to grassland ecosystem services of warm-climate, grass-only vs. legume-grass mixed swards; and consider how to achieve more widespread adoption of legume technology in warm climates. For this review, warm-climate grasslands are considered those in areas between latitudes 30° N and 30° S, where C4 perennial grasses dominate. The literature suggests measurable advantages in animal performance, soil carbon accumulation, and nutrient cycling of legume-grass mixtures are most likely when grass-only swards receive little or no N fertilizer. Advantages are less or may disappear when mixtures are compared with grasses receiving high N fertilizer rates. In contrast, amelioration of greenhouse gas emissions is often most pronounced for mixtures when compared with grass-only swards receiving high rates of N, because of the magnitude of N fertilizer effects on emissions. Going forward, there is need to focus on selecting for, and thoroughly documenting legume persistence, achieving low-risk and affordable legume establishment methods, assessing compatibility of legumes in mixture with grasses prior to legume cultivar release, emphasizing adoption of both legume species and optimal management practices, and recognizing scientists must assume a larger and more intentional role in encouraging adoption by end-users of research innovations, in addition to our traditional role in technology and product development.

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Section: Nutrient Cyclingmentioning

confidence: 93%

Section: Mixture Vs Monoculture With Both No N and Moderate/high N Ratesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Provisioning Ecosystem Services Synthesismentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Nutrient Cyclingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Biological N Fixationmentioning

confidence: 99%

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