Inhibitory effects of Plantago lanceolata L. on soil N mineralization

• Published in: Plant and soil 2013-07, Vol.368 (1/2), p.445-458
• Main Authors: Dietz, Marko, Machill, Susanne, Hoffmann, Herbert C., Schmidtke, Knut
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agricultural soils; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Analysis; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Biogeochemical cycles; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Crop production; Ecology; Food quality; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General agronomy. Plant production; Growing season; Leaching; Leaves; Life Sciences; Liquid chromatography; Magnesium; Mineralization; Mineralogy; Nitrates; Nitrification; Nitrogen; Nitrogen cycle; Organic soils; Parasitic plants. Weeds; Phytopathology. Animal pests. Plant and forest protection; Plant extracts; Plant Physiology; Plant Sciences; Plantago lanceolata; Plants; Regular Article; Soil biochemistry; Soil composition; Soil contamination; Soil ecology; Soil microorganisms; Soil science; Soil Science & Conservation; Soil treatment; Soil-plant relationships. Soil fertility; Soil-plant relationships. Soil fertility. Fertilization. Amendments; Soils; Weeds
• ISSN: 0032-079X; 1573-5036
• DOI: 10.1007/s11104-012-1524-9

Background and aims Nitrate leaching from intensively cropped soils represents a huge environmental problem. In order to diversify the range of nitrogen management strategies, this investigation is focused on the effects of ribwort plantain, Plantago lanceolata L., and its allelochemicals on soil N mineralization. Methods High-performance liquid chromatography was used in this study for phytochemical analysis of the major allelochemicals aucubin, catalpol, and verbascoside. Soil incubation experiments demonstrated a significant suppression of soil N mineralization caused by the incorporation of the iridoid glycoside (IG) aucubin, leaf material of two varieties (P. lanceolata cv. Libor and cv. Alterner), and an aqueous extract of P. lanceolata leaves. Results Throughout the growing season, the two varieties conspicuously differed in aucubin and verbascoside contents as well as in leaf dry weight. In soil incubation experiments, incorporated leaf material of both varieties affected long-term low soil nitrate concentrations. Experimental aucubin application resulted in an inhibitory effect on soil N mineralization. This was not true for the IG catalpol. Furthermore, we observed a negative relationship between IG concentrations and inorganic soil nitrogen concentrations when the soil was incubated with aqueous P. lanceolata leaf extract of different concentrations. Conclusion This study enforced the hypothesis that allelochemicals of P. lanceolata have an active role in a suppression effect on soil N mineralization. Further research may be necessary to investigate the specific effects of P. lanceolata allelochemicals on the nitrogen cycle.