Journal article

Publication year: 2024

Pages: 671-684

Journal: Plant and Soil

Volume number: 498

Issue number: 1-2

ISSN: 0032-079X

eISSN: 1573-5036

Open access status: Hybrid

DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-023-06466-w

Publisher: Springer

Abstract: 
Background and aims Cover cropping is a strategy to increase soil phosphorus (P) use efficiency in agroecosystems. We investigated adaptations on P acquisition strategies of nine cover crops grown in a calcareous and a non-calcareous chernozem with low available P.Methods Through a 108-day pot experiment using a calcareous and a decalcified chernozem, we evaluated black oat (Avena strigosa Schreb.), white lupin (Lupinus albus L.), narrow-leaf lupin (Lupinus angustifolius L.), phacelia (Phacelia tanacetifolia Benth.), berseem clover (Trifolium alexandrinum L.), buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench), linseed (Linum usitatissimum L.), ramtil (Guizotia abyssinica [Lf] Cass.) and white mustard (Sinapis alba L.) for their dry biomass production, tissue P concentration and uptake, and effects on soil pH, phosphatase activity, mycorrhiza infection rate and soil P fractions.Results Cover crops differed in several parameters between the two soils. Dry biomass varied from 3.3 (white lupin) to 41.6 g pot(-1) (mustard). Tissue P concentrations ranged from 0.046% (mustard) to 0.24% (clover). Species affected pH of both soils, ranging from - 0.66 to + 0.24. Acid phosphatase activity was higher in the decalcified soil, while alkaline phosphatases were higher in the calcareous soil. Root mycorrhizal infection rates ranged from 0 to > 50%. Most plants explored soil labile P exclusively, with organic P mineralization being more relevant in the calcareous soil.Conclusion We confirm that cover crops favoured distinct strategies to access the predominant soil labile P forms in each soil. Mycorrhizal species were particularly efficient in the decalcified soil, while species with high phosphatase secretion accessed higher Po, especially in the calcareous soil.

Harvard Citation style: Raniro, H. and Santner, J. (2024) Differential phosphorus acquisition strategies of nine cover crop species grown in a calcareous and a decalcified chernozem, Plant and Soil, 498(1-2), pp. 671-684. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-023-06466-w

APA Citation style: Raniro, H., & Santner, J. (2024). Differential phosphorus acquisition strategies of nine cover crop species grown in a calcareous and a decalcified chernozem. Plant and Soil. 498(1-2), 671-684. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-023-06466-w