Nitrogen fertilization enhances soil quality in the short-term in irrigated intensified maize systems
Aim of study: This study had a double objective that consisted of: (i) assessing the effects of N fertilisation on soil quality under different cropping systems (monocropping vs. double-annual cropping systems) under irrigated maize conditions; and (ii) identifying soil parameters related to soil q...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
2025-03-01
|
| Series: | Spanish Journal of Agricultural Research |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://sjar.revistas.csic.es/index.php/sjar/article/view/20996 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849312790647406592 |
|---|---|
| author | Victoria Lafuente Ana Bielsa María Alonso-Ayuso Samuel Franco-Luesma Carmen Castañeda Laura B. Martínez-García José L. Arrúe Jorge Álvaro-Fuentes |
| author_facet | Victoria Lafuente Ana Bielsa María Alonso-Ayuso Samuel Franco-Luesma Carmen Castañeda Laura B. Martínez-García José L. Arrúe Jorge Álvaro-Fuentes |
| author_sort | Victoria Lafuente |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
Aim of study: This study had a double objective that consisted of: (i) assessing the effects of N fertilisation on soil quality under different cropping systems (monocropping vs. double-annual cropping systems) under irrigated maize conditions; and (ii) identifying soil parameters related to soil quality that respond quickly to short-term management changes in Mediterranean irrigated maize systems.
Area of study: Zaragoza province, Spain
Material and methods: The field experiment involved a strip plot design with three growing systems – maize monoculture (MM), pea-maize (PM), and barley-maize (BM)– and three fertilisation levels: unfertilised (0N), medium nitrogen (MN), and high nitrogen (HN). After two years, soil samples were collected at two depths (0-10 cm and 10-30 cm). Soil parameters measured related to soil quality were total soil organic carbon (SOC), water-stable macro aggregates (WSM), macroaggregate C concentration (Macro-C), particulate organic matter carbon (POM-C), permanganate-oxidisable organic carbon (POxC), soil microbial biomass carbon (MBC), and enzyme activity: dehydrogenase (Dhns) and ß-glucosidase (Gds).
Main results: Our research showed that in intensified systems, the highest fertilisation rate improved soil parameters in the topsoil by enhancing all the soil parameters tested except for the dehydrogenise enzyme activity. In contrast, in the monoculture, the highest fertilisation rate only increased SOC and Macro-C. Fertilisation had a higher impact on soil quality in the BM system compared to the PM system, probably related to greater quantities of crop residues in the BM system under a high fertilisation rate.
Research highlights: Nitrogen fertilisation improves soil parameters related to soil quality in intensified systems and the magnitude of the fertilisation impact may depend on crop species and residues. The impact of N fertilisation on soil quality can be detected in the short term when testing early indicators of soil quality.
|
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-119f1b0f6d834ae08cb0bdae9b07db93 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1695-971X 2171-9292 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Spanish Journal of Agricultural Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-119f1b0f6d834ae08cb0bdae9b07db932025-08-20T03:52:57ZengConsejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)Spanish Journal of Agricultural Research1695-971X2171-92922025-03-0123110.5424/sjar/2025231-20996Nitrogen fertilization enhances soil quality in the short-term in irrigated intensified maize systemsVictoria Lafuente0Ana Bielsa1María Alonso-Ayuso2Samuel Franco-Luesma3Carmen Castañeda4Laura B. Martínez-García5José L. Arrúe6Jorge Álvaro-Fuentes7Estación Experimental de Aula Dei (EEAD), CSIC, Montañana Av. 1005, 50059 Zaragoza, SpainEstación Experimental de Aula Dei (EEAD), CSIC, Montañana Av. 1005, 50059 Zaragoza, SpainInstituto Tecnológico Agrario de Castilla León (ITACyL), Crta. Burgos Km. 119, 47071, Valladolid, SpainEstación Experimental de Aula Dei (EEAD), CSIC, Montañana Av. 1005, 50059 Zaragoza, SpainEstación Experimental de Aula Dei (EEAD), CSIC, Montañana Av. 1005, 50059 Zaragoza, SpainEstación Experimental de Aula Dei (EEAD), CSIC, Montañana Av. 1005, 50059 Zaragoza, SpainEstación Experimental de Aula Dei (EEAD), CSIC, Montañana Av. 1005, 50059 Zaragoza, SpainEstación Experimental de Aula Dei (EEAD), CSIC, Montañana Av. 1005, 50059 Zaragoza, Spain Aim of study: This study had a double objective that consisted of: (i) assessing the effects of N fertilisation on soil quality under different cropping systems (monocropping vs. double-annual cropping systems) under irrigated maize conditions; and (ii) identifying soil parameters related to soil quality that respond quickly to short-term management changes in Mediterranean irrigated maize systems. Area of study: Zaragoza province, Spain Material and methods: The field experiment involved a strip plot design with three growing systems – maize monoculture (MM), pea-maize (PM), and barley-maize (BM)– and three fertilisation levels: unfertilised (0N), medium nitrogen (MN), and high nitrogen (HN). After two years, soil samples were collected at two depths (0-10 cm and 10-30 cm). Soil parameters measured related to soil quality were total soil organic carbon (SOC), water-stable macro aggregates (WSM), macroaggregate C concentration (Macro-C), particulate organic matter carbon (POM-C), permanganate-oxidisable organic carbon (POxC), soil microbial biomass carbon (MBC), and enzyme activity: dehydrogenase (Dhns) and ß-glucosidase (Gds). Main results: Our research showed that in intensified systems, the highest fertilisation rate improved soil parameters in the topsoil by enhancing all the soil parameters tested except for the dehydrogenise enzyme activity. In contrast, in the monoculture, the highest fertilisation rate only increased SOC and Macro-C. Fertilisation had a higher impact on soil quality in the BM system compared to the PM system, probably related to greater quantities of crop residues in the BM system under a high fertilisation rate. Research highlights: Nitrogen fertilisation improves soil parameters related to soil quality in intensified systems and the magnitude of the fertilisation impact may depend on crop species and residues. The impact of N fertilisation on soil quality can be detected in the short term when testing early indicators of soil quality. https://sjar.revistas.csic.es/index.php/sjar/article/view/20996cropping diversificationdouble-annual cropping systemsenzyme activitiesirrigated maizeMediterranean agroecosystemsnitrogen fertilization |
| spellingShingle | Victoria Lafuente Ana Bielsa María Alonso-Ayuso Samuel Franco-Luesma Carmen Castañeda Laura B. Martínez-García José L. Arrúe Jorge Álvaro-Fuentes Nitrogen fertilization enhances soil quality in the short-term in irrigated intensified maize systems Spanish Journal of Agricultural Research cropping diversification double-annual cropping systems enzyme activities irrigated maize Mediterranean agroecosystems nitrogen fertilization |
| title | Nitrogen fertilization enhances soil quality in the short-term in irrigated intensified maize systems |
| title_full | Nitrogen fertilization enhances soil quality in the short-term in irrigated intensified maize systems |
| title_fullStr | Nitrogen fertilization enhances soil quality in the short-term in irrigated intensified maize systems |
| title_full_unstemmed | Nitrogen fertilization enhances soil quality in the short-term in irrigated intensified maize systems |
| title_short | Nitrogen fertilization enhances soil quality in the short-term in irrigated intensified maize systems |
| title_sort | nitrogen fertilization enhances soil quality in the short term in irrigated intensified maize systems |
| topic | cropping diversification double-annual cropping systems enzyme activities irrigated maize Mediterranean agroecosystems nitrogen fertilization |
| url | https://sjar.revistas.csic.es/index.php/sjar/article/view/20996 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT victorialafuente nitrogenfertilizationenhancessoilqualityintheshortterminirrigatedintensifiedmaizesystems AT anabielsa nitrogenfertilizationenhancessoilqualityintheshortterminirrigatedintensifiedmaizesystems AT mariaalonsoayuso nitrogenfertilizationenhancessoilqualityintheshortterminirrigatedintensifiedmaizesystems AT samuelfrancoluesma nitrogenfertilizationenhancessoilqualityintheshortterminirrigatedintensifiedmaizesystems AT carmencastaneda nitrogenfertilizationenhancessoilqualityintheshortterminirrigatedintensifiedmaizesystems AT laurabmartinezgarcia nitrogenfertilizationenhancessoilqualityintheshortterminirrigatedintensifiedmaizesystems AT joselarrue nitrogenfertilizationenhancessoilqualityintheshortterminirrigatedintensifiedmaizesystems AT jorgealvarofuentes nitrogenfertilizationenhancessoilqualityintheshortterminirrigatedintensifiedmaizesystems |