Soil net nitrogen mineralization and leaching under Miscanthus &nbsp;×&nbsp; giganteus and Zea mays

Studt, Jacob E.; McDaniel, Marshall D.; Tejera, Mauricio D.; VanLoocke, Andrew; Howe, Adina; Heaton, Emily A.

doi:10.1111/gcbb.12875

Soil net nitrogen mineralization and leaching under Miscanthus × giganteus and Zea mays

Journal Article · Sat Jul 10 00:00:00 EDT 2021 · Global Change Biology. Bioenergy

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1111/gcbb.12875· OSTI ID:1807599

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Department of Agronomy Iowa State University Ames IA USA, Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation University of Illinois Urbana‐Champaign Urbana IL USA
Department of Agronomy Iowa State University Ames IA USA
Plant Research Laboratory Michigan State University East Lansing MI USA
Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation University of Illinois Urbana‐Champaign Urbana IL USA, Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Iowa State University Ames IA USA
Department of Agronomy Iowa State University Ames IA USA, Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation University of Illinois Urbana‐Champaign Urbana IL USA, Department of Crop Sciences University of Illinois Urbana‐Champaign Urbana IL USA

Abstract

The winter fallow period common in annual cropping systems leaves soils vulnerable to erosion and nutrient loss, especially to nitrogen (N) leaching. This vulnerability can be mitigated with perennial crops that have living roots in the ground year‐round. The mechanisms, magnitude, and consistency with which perennial crops retain N are not clear. We used an experiment to test whether a perennial crop, miscanthus ( Miscanthus × giganteus Greef et Deu.), would leach less N than continuous maize ( Zea mays L.) and how soil net N mineralization (N _min ) may explain observed leaching under varied environment and management conditions. The experiment included three crossed factors: (1) cropping system (maize, juvenile miscanthus = 1–2 years old, mature miscanthus = 3–4 years old); (2) N fertilization (0 and 224 kg N ha ⁻¹ ); and (3) environment (four site‐years at two locations in Iowa, USA, that differed in climate and soil fertility). We measured N cycling dynamics, including: inorganic soil N (ammonium + nitrate), in situ N _min , N leaching, crop N uptake, and calculated system N use efficiency. There were many complex interactions among factors. On average, cumulative N _min under juvenile miscanthus was 111% greater than maize, but as miscanthus matured, there was no difference in N _min between the perennial crop and maize. There was no difference in N leaching between juvenile miscanthus and maize, but mature miscanthus decreased N leaching by 42% and 88% compared to maize (with and without N fertilization, respectively). Across all treatments, there was no relationship between N _min and N leaching, suggesting other mechanisms are regulating N leaching. Overall, mature miscanthus shows promise as a tool to reduce N losses in areas dominated by annual row‐crops.

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Research Organization:: Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation (CABBI), Urbana, IL (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: National Inst. of Food and Agriculture; USDOE; USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER)

Grant/Contract Number:: SC0018420

OSTI ID:: 1807599

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1807603
OSTI ID: 1808572

Journal Information:: Global Change Biology. Bioenergy, Journal Name: Global Change Biology. Bioenergy Journal Issue: 9 Vol. 13; ISSN 1757-1693

Publisher:: Wiley-BlackwellCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United Kingdom

Language:: English

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Soil net nitrogen mineralization and leaching under Miscanthus × giganteus and Zea mays

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