The influence of fertilization and rotation on soil organic matter and plant yields in the long-termEternal Rye trial in Halle (Saale), Germany

Abstract

Six forms of fertilizers and three rotations have been examined for 120 years in the ”︁Eternal Rye trial” in Halle (central German arid region, Haplic Phaeozem on sandy loess). Rank analysis, trend analysis and a new component model have been found to be suitable statistical methods to evaluate long‐term results without true replications. In this trial it was shown that mineral fertilization maintains like farmyard manuring the yield potential although at lower content of soil organic matter (SOM). Without fertilization, yield decline was greater with potato and silage maize than winter rye (Secale cereale L.). Deficiencies in N fertilization lead immediately, and in PK supply after more than 20 years, to a significant yield decrease which could be quickly compensated by full fertilization. Rye and maize monocultures also resulted in yield decreases. The establishing of new steady states in the turnover of SOM took about 50 years after changes in fertilization. Contrary to rye monoculture, both silage maize monoculture and potato alternating with winter rye caused considerable decomposition of SOM. According to analytical pyrolysis (Py‐FIMS and Py‐GC/MS), fertilization affects the SOM composition more than rotation. Without fertilization, a higher percentage of thermically stable SOM remained in comparison to the FYM soils. The introduction of potato into the rotation enhanced the content of easily decomposable SOM.

Analytical Pyrolysis and Soft‐Ionization Mass Spectrometry

“…For other compound classes the effect of manuring was inconsistent among experiments. For the " Eternal Rye " cultivation the relative enrichments of the manured soil in phenols and lignin monomers and N -containing compounds confi rm Schmidt et al (2000) . In the Static Experiment, the relative enrichment of the manured soil in lignin dimers and lipids refl ects the input relatively stable primary organic matter with FYM.…”

Effect of Repeated Application of Manure on Herbage Yield, Quality and Wintering Ability during Cropping of Dwarf Napiergrass with Italian Ryegrass in Hilly Southern Kyushu, Japan

“…Since manure has a high concentration of organic matter, its application as a fertilizer helps decelerate depletion of organic matter in arable land, especially when there is a high frequency of heavy erosion [12][13][14]. It also increases the soil levels of the macroelements of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) [15][16][17][18][19], improves soil physical properties [20,21], enhances DM yield [22][23][24][25], and improves the crude protein concentration of herbages [26].…”

Tillage-induced short-term soil organic matter turnover and respiration

“…Pyrolysis-field ionisation mass spectrometry (Py-FIMS) is a very sensitive method and has been applied successfully to investigate differences in the chemical composition of SOM under different fertiliser treatments like mineral NPK fertiliser or farmyard manure (Jandl et al, 2004;Leinweber et al, 2008;Schmidt et al, 2000). Even very small alterations in the composition and stability of dissolved organic matter -a very reactive part of SOMduring storage in the refrigerator (Schulten et al, 2008) or diurnal cycles of CO 2 assimilation and respiration (Kuzyakov et al, 2003;Melnitchouck et al, 2005) have been detected and resolved by multivariate statistics of mass-spectrometric fingerprints.…”