Trade-off between C and N recycling and N2O emissions of soils with summer cover crops in subtropical agrosystems

Background and aims The use of summer cover crops (SCCs) as residue inputs in agricultural systems can lead to a potential environmental trade-off between the amount C and N retained and the emission of N as the potent greenhouse gas, nitrous oxide (N 2 O). Our objectives were to relate N 2 O fluxes...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Plant and soil 2018-12, Vol.433 (1-2), p.213-225
Main Authors: Weiler, Douglas Adams, Giacomini, Sandro José, Recous, Sylvie, Bastos, Leonardo Mendes, Pilecco, Getúlio Elias, Dietrich, Guilherme, Aita, Celso
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agricultural practices
Agricultural sciences
Biomass
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Cajanus cajan
Cellulose
Cover crops
Crop residues
Crops
Ecology
Emission
Emission measurements
Farm buildings
Farming systems
Fluxes
Greenhouse effect
Greenhouse gases
Hemicellulose
Hemp
Jack beans
Life Sciences
Measurement methods
Millet
Nitrous oxide
Pigeonpeas
Plant Physiology
Plant Sciences
Regular Article
Residues
Soil Science & Conservation
Tradeoffs
Winter
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Summary:Background and aims The use of summer cover crops (SCCs) as residue inputs in agricultural systems can lead to a potential environmental trade-off between the amount C and N retained and the emission of N as the potent greenhouse gas, nitrous oxide (N 2 O). Our objectives were to relate N 2 O fluxes to the quality of SCCs residues and to select SCCs species with high C and N addition and low N 2 O emissions. Methods We measured SCC biomass production and N 2 O fluxes after SCCs termination – velvet bean, pearl millet, dwarf pigeonpea, sunn hemp, showy rattlebox and jack bean - under subtropical no-till conditions. Results The N 2 O fluxes in the first 30 days after SCCs termination corresponded to 65% of cumulative N 2 O emissions measured during 165 days in 2010 and 150 days in 2011. The cumulative N 2 O emissions varied from 0.46 to 1.38 kg N ha -1 and were not proportional to aboveground biomass N addition. Cumulative N 2 O emissions were positively correlated to water-soluble C and N and the N content of crop residues and negatively correlated to cellulose and hemicellulose content. The N 2 O emission factor values varied from 0.24 to 0.64% and did not differ among SCCs. Conclusions Sunn hemp and dwarf pigeonpea are the most suitable species for inclusion in crop systems because they combined high C and N input and low N 2 O emissions.
ISSN:0032-079X
1573-5036
DOI:10.1007/s11104-018-3831-2