Effect of Different Irrigated Crop Successions on Soil Carbon and Nitrogen–Phosphorus–Potassium Budget Under Mediterranean Conditions
Sustainability in agroecosystems relies on the optimized use of resources to achieve consistent yields while maintaining or improving soil health. The monitoring of soil quality is crucial when changes from rainfall-fed to irrigated crop systems occur. The objective of this study was to assess the i...
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2024-10-01
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| author | Cláudia Neto Adriana Catarino Justino Sobreiro José das Dores Manuel Patanita Alexandra Tomaz Patrícia Palma |
| author_facet | Cláudia Neto Adriana Catarino Justino Sobreiro José das Dores Manuel Patanita Alexandra Tomaz Patrícia Palma |
| author_sort | Cláudia Neto |
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| description | Sustainability in agroecosystems relies on the optimized use of resources to achieve consistent yields while maintaining or improving soil health. The monitoring of soil quality is crucial when changes from rainfall-fed to irrigated crop systems occur. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of different crop successions in the Mediterranean area under irrigation and different technical practices. The soil nitrogen–phosphorous–potassium (NPK) and soil organic carbon (SOC) balances were observed in four fields with irrigated annual crops in a two-year succession timeframe, namely, sunflower–maize (P1), sunflower–clover (P2), maize–sunflower (P3), and alfalfa–alfalfa (P4). The SOC and nutrient balance, integrating the total irrigation, mineral fertilizers, and exported yield, was calculated for each farm. Except for maize–sunflower succession (P3), all fields presented a negative SOC balance at the end of the two-year crop succession, indicating losses from 2.84 to 4.91 Mg SOC ha<sup>−1</sup> y<sup>−1</sup>. While in N-fixing plants the soil N decreased, in the remaining crops a surplus was observed, possibly leading to future N losses. The continuous depletion of soil P revealed a potential underestimation of this nutrient. Soil K appears to be related to specific crop management practices, namely, crop residue incorporation after harvest. In annual irrigated crops under Mediterranean conditions, crop succession can induce soil fertility degradation if conservation practices are absent. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2077-0472 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-10-01 |
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| series | Agriculture |
| spelling | doaj-art-ed8abd270b164b7da3ec8a17ea36dc522024-11-26T17:43:17ZengMDPI AGAgriculture2077-04722024-10-011411190810.3390/agriculture14111908Effect of Different Irrigated Crop Successions on Soil Carbon and Nitrogen–Phosphorus–Potassium Budget Under Mediterranean ConditionsCláudia Neto0Adriana Catarino1Justino Sobreiro2José das Dores3Manuel Patanita4Alexandra Tomaz5Patrícia Palma6Instituto Politécnico de Beja, Escola Superior Agrária de Beja, Rua Pedro Soares, 7800-295 Beja, PortugalInstituto Politécnico de Beja, Escola Superior Agrária de Beja, Rua Pedro Soares, 7800-295 Beja, PortugalInstituto Politécnico de Beja, Escola Superior Agrária de Beja, Rua Pedro Soares, 7800-295 Beja, PortugalInstituto Politécnico de Beja, Escola Superior Agrária de Beja, Rua Pedro Soares, 7800-295 Beja, PortugalInstituto Politécnico de Beja, Escola Superior Agrária de Beja, Rua Pedro Soares, 7800-295 Beja, PortugalInstituto Politécnico de Beja, Escola Superior Agrária de Beja, Rua Pedro Soares, 7800-295 Beja, PortugalInstituto Politécnico de Beja, Escola Superior Agrária de Beja, Rua Pedro Soares, 7800-295 Beja, PortugalSustainability in agroecosystems relies on the optimized use of resources to achieve consistent yields while maintaining or improving soil health. The monitoring of soil quality is crucial when changes from rainfall-fed to irrigated crop systems occur. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of different crop successions in the Mediterranean area under irrigation and different technical practices. The soil nitrogen–phosphorous–potassium (NPK) and soil organic carbon (SOC) balances were observed in four fields with irrigated annual crops in a two-year succession timeframe, namely, sunflower–maize (P1), sunflower–clover (P2), maize–sunflower (P3), and alfalfa–alfalfa (P4). The SOC and nutrient balance, integrating the total irrigation, mineral fertilizers, and exported yield, was calculated for each farm. Except for maize–sunflower succession (P3), all fields presented a negative SOC balance at the end of the two-year crop succession, indicating losses from 2.84 to 4.91 Mg SOC ha<sup>−1</sup> y<sup>−1</sup>. While in N-fixing plants the soil N decreased, in the remaining crops a surplus was observed, possibly leading to future N losses. The continuous depletion of soil P revealed a potential underestimation of this nutrient. Soil K appears to be related to specific crop management practices, namely, crop residue incorporation after harvest. In annual irrigated crops under Mediterranean conditions, crop succession can induce soil fertility degradation if conservation practices are absent.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/14/11/1908annual cropscarbon dynamicsmanagement practicessoil macronutrients balance |
| spellingShingle | Cláudia Neto Adriana Catarino Justino Sobreiro José das Dores Manuel Patanita Alexandra Tomaz Patrícia Palma Effect of Different Irrigated Crop Successions on Soil Carbon and Nitrogen–Phosphorus–Potassium Budget Under Mediterranean Conditions Agriculture annual crops carbon dynamics management practices soil macronutrients balance |
| title | Effect of Different Irrigated Crop Successions on Soil Carbon and Nitrogen–Phosphorus–Potassium Budget Under Mediterranean Conditions |
| title_full | Effect of Different Irrigated Crop Successions on Soil Carbon and Nitrogen–Phosphorus–Potassium Budget Under Mediterranean Conditions |
| title_fullStr | Effect of Different Irrigated Crop Successions on Soil Carbon and Nitrogen–Phosphorus–Potassium Budget Under Mediterranean Conditions |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effect of Different Irrigated Crop Successions on Soil Carbon and Nitrogen–Phosphorus–Potassium Budget Under Mediterranean Conditions |
| title_short | Effect of Different Irrigated Crop Successions on Soil Carbon and Nitrogen–Phosphorus–Potassium Budget Under Mediterranean Conditions |
| title_sort | effect of different irrigated crop successions on soil carbon and nitrogen phosphorus potassium budget under mediterranean conditions |
| topic | annual crops carbon dynamics management practices soil macronutrients balance |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/14/11/1908 |
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