Journal article

Publication year: 1994

Pages: 359-367

Journal: Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science

Volume number: 157

Issue number: 5

ISSN: 0044-3263

Publisher: Wiley-VCH Verlag

Abstract: 
The influence of conventional and biological farming on microbial biomass-carbon (Bio-C) and nitrogen (Bio-N) of agriculturally used fields was compared. The fields were located on luvisols of the Friedberg plains and tilled according to each system for many years. Bio-C and Bio-N were measured using the chloroform-fumigation-extraction technique. During early spring and autumn (1990) Bio-C [% C(org)] and Bio-N [% N(t)] were slightly lower in sites of conventional farming than on fields tilled by biological farming. During the vegetation period Bio-C and Bio-N increased continuously in both systems. This increase, however was higher on conventional than on biological fields and may be ascribed to a higher C-input (rhizodeposition) and availability of mineral nutrients. In the soils of the biological farming system N-deficiency apparently decreased Bio-N (but not Bio-C) in spring time. Consequently the Bio-C/N-ratio increased. It seems as if plant growth affects the quality of microbes (Bio-C/N). The average turnover-time of Bio-N was about 1 year in all soils. However, the average turnover-time of Bio-C was 1.6 years, being 2 times faster in the conventional than in the biological farming system. It seems as if long-term management practices may affect the amount of labile organic matter by changing the biomass pool and its turnover rate.

Harvard Citation style: VONLUTZOW, M. and OTTOW, J. (1994) EFFECT OF CONVENTIONAL AND BIOLOGICAL FARMING ON MICROBIAL BIOMASS AND ITS NITROGEN TURNOVER IN AGRICULTURALLY USED LUVISOLS OF THE FRIEDBERG PLAINS, Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science = Zeitschrift für Pflanzenernährung und Bodenkunde, 157(5), pp. 359-367

APA Citation style: VONLUTZOW, M., & OTTOW, J. (1994). EFFECT OF CONVENTIONAL AND BIOLOGICAL FARMING ON MICROBIAL BIOMASS AND ITS NITROGEN TURNOVER IN AGRICULTURALLY USED LUVISOLS OF THE FRIEDBERG PLAINS. Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science = Zeitschrift für Pflanzenernährung und Bodenkunde. 157(5), 359-367.