THE FERTILIZER VALUE OF SUMMER CATCH CROPS PRECEEDING VEGETABLES AND ITS VARIATION IN THE CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS
Marzena Błażewicz-Woźniak
University of Life Sciences in LublinDariusz Wach
University of Life Sciences in LublinAbstract
With the uptake of organic farming the importance of green manures increases, and the cultivation of cover crops plays an ever important role both in agriculture and in horticulture. The fertilizer value of plants cultivated for green manures is largely dependent on the biomass produced, and also the nutrients that were accumulated within it. The aim of this work is to determine the influence of weather conditions in the second half of summer on the fertilizer value of catch crops intended for cultivation of vegetables. The research included: spring rye (Secale cereale), oats (Avena sativa), common vetch (Vicia sativa), white mustard (Sinapis alba), tancy phacelia (Phacelia tanacetifolia), buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum), fodder sunflower (Helianthus annuus). The catch crop plants, cultivated as a pre-crop for the cultivation of vegetables proved to be a rich source of organic matter and nutrients for the following crops. The course of weather had a major influence on the volume of biomass, and the chemical composition and fertilizer value of cover crops. Shortage of water and high temperatures after rainfalls, causing the formation of crust on the soil did mostly limit the growth of catch crops. The biggest biomass among the investigated catch crops was created by sunflowers, phacelia and rye, the lowest by common vetch. White mustard and sunflower provided the biggest amount of nitrogen in their role as catch crops. The sunflower proved to be a rich source of K, Ca and Mg. The most Ca was left in the field by tancy phacelia, which also proved to be a good source of K. The biomass
of buckwheat provided large amounts of Mg, but it was poor in N, P and S. Rye and oats proved to be a rich sources of P, but they also contained small amount of Ca and Mg. The most sulphur was left over by the biomass of white mustard. The common vetch proved to be the most weather-sensitive of all plants. Its biomass left the least P, K, Mg and S in the field, the Ca content was also small, compared to other catch crops. Nitrogen content of dry matter of common vetch was high, but not the highest in the three year average.
Keywords:
precipitation, temperature, green manuresReferences
Błażewicz-Woźniak M., Kęsik T., Wach D., Konopiński M., 2008. The influence of conservation tillage on the mineral elements content in soil and chemical composition of onion. Acta Sci. Pol. Hortorum Cultus 7(2), 61–72.
Błażewicz-Woźniak M., Konopiński M., 2009. The influence of intercrop plants and the date of their ploughing-in on weed infestation of root chicory (Cichorium intybus L. var. sativum (Bisch.) Janch. Acta Agrobot., 62 (1), 137–146.
Csavajda E., 2003. Productivity investigations of some green manure crops as valuable factors in the maintenance of soil fertility. Acta Agron. Ovariensis, 45(1), 3–15.
Dumanski J., Peiretti R., Benetis J., McGarry D., Pieri C., 2006. The paradigm of conservation tillage. Proc. World Assoc. Soil Water Conserv., P1, 58–64.
Franchini J.C., Pavan M.A., Miyazawa M., 2004. Redistribution of phosphorus in soil through cover crop roots. Braz. Arch. Biol. Technol. 47, 3, 381–386.
Gaskell M., Smith R., 2007. Nitrogen sources for organic vegetable crops. Hort Technology, 17, 4, 431–441.
Hirpa T., Gebrekidan H., Tesfaye K., Hailemariam A., 2009. Biomass and nutrient accumulation of green manuring legumes terminated at different growth stages. EAJS, 3 (1), 18–28.
Jabłońska-Ceglarek R., Franczuk J., 2002. Alternatywne formy nawożenia organicznego w uprawie kapusty głowiastej białej. Acta Sci. Pol. Hortorum Cultus 1(1), 45–54.
Jabłońska-Ceglarek R., Rosa R., 2002. Przedplonowe nawozy zielone a zawartość witaminy C i białka w buraku ćwikłowym. Acta Sci. Pol. Hortorum Cultus 1(1), 5–11.
Jodaugiene D., Pupaliene R., Urbonieniene M., Pranckietis V., Pranckietiene I., 2006. The impact of different types of organic mulches on weed emergence. Agron. Res. 4, 197–201.
Kęsik T. Błażewicz-Woźniak M., 2010. Influence of conservation tillage in onion production on the soil organic matter content and soil aggregate formation. Int. Agrophysics, 24, 267–273.
Kęsik T., Konopiński M., Błażewicz-Woźniak M., 2006. Wpływ uprawy przedzimowej i mulczu z roślin okrywających na retencję wody, zagęszczenie i porowatość dyferencyjną gleby po przezimowaniu. Acta Agrophys. 7(4), 135, 915–926.
Lithourgidis A.S., Dordas C.A., Damalas C.A., Vlachostergios D.N., 2011. Annual intercrops: an alternative pathway for sustainable agriculture. Aust. J. Crop Sci., 5(4), 396–410.
Miko P., Gyuricza C., Fenyvesi L., Foldesi P., Szita B., 2007. Investigation of green manuring plants under unfavourable field conditions. Cereal Res. Comm. 35(2), 785–788.
Ostrowska A., Gawliński S., Szczubiałka Z., 1991. Methods of analysis and evaluation of soil and plant properties. Inst. Ochr. Środ., Warszawa
Perby H., Jensen P., 1986. Variation in growth and accumulation of N, K+, Ca2+ and Mg2+ among barley cultivars exposed to various nutrient regimes and root/shoot temperatures. Physiologia Plantarum, 67, 2, 166–172.
Płaza A., Ceglarek F., Próchnicka M., 2009. Wpływ międzyplonów ścierniskowych na plon i strukturę plonu bulw ziemniaka. Fragm. Agron. 26(3), 137–145
Rauf S., 2008. Breeding sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) for drought tolerance. Communications in Biom. Crop Sci. 3 (1), 29–44.
Richards I.R., Wallace P.A., Turner D.S., 1996. A comparison of six cover crops types in terms of nitrogen uptake and effect on response to nitrogen by a subsequent spring barley crop. J. Agric. Sci., 127, 441–449.
Sawicka B., Kotiuk E., 2007. Gorczyce jako rośliny wielofunkcyjne. Acta Sci. Pol., Agricultura 6(2), 17–27.
Starck Z., 2002: Rola składników mineralnych w roślinie, [in:] Fizjologia roślin, (red.) J. Kopcewicz, S. Lewak, PWN Warszawa, 228–239.
Stokłosa A., Hura T., Stupnicka-Rodzynkiewicz E., Dąbkowska T., Lepiarczyk A., 2008. The influence of plant mulches on the content of phenolic compounds in soil and primary weed infestation of maize. Acta Agrobot. 61(2), 205–219.
Wilczewski E., Skinder Z., Szczepanek M., 2008. Wpływ dawki azotu na cechy jakościowe zielonki z roślin niemotylkowatych uprawianych w międzyplonie ścierniskowym. Acta Sci. Pol., Agricultura 7(2), 133–141.
Wyland L.J., Jackson L.E., Chaney W.E., Klonsky K., Koike S.T., Kimple B., 1996. Winter cover crops in vegetable cropping system: Impacts on nitrate leaching, soil water, crop yield, pests and management costs. Agric. Ecosyst. Environ. 59, 1–17.
Zaniewicz-Bajkowska A., Rosa R., Kosterna E., Franczuk J., Buraczyńska D., 2010. The effect of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) catch crop on content of selected components of nutritive value of sweet corn (Zea mays L. var. saccharata (Sturtev.) L.H. Bailey). Acta Sci. Pol. Hortorum Cultus 9(4), 53–62.
Zhang G.S., Chan K.Y., Oates A., Heenan D.P., Huang G.B., 2007. Relationship between soil structure and runoff/soil loss after 24 years of conservation tillage. Soil Till. Res. 92, 122–128.
University of Life Sciences in Lublin
University of Life Sciences in Lublin
License
Articles are made available under the conditions CC BY 4.0 (until 2020 under the conditions CC BY-NC-ND 4.0).
Submission of the paper implies that it has not been published previously, that it is not under consideration for publication elsewhere.
The author signs a statement of the originality of the work, the contribution of individuals, and source of funding.
