Catch crops in the Argentinean Pampas: a synthesis-analysis on nutrient characteristics and their implications for a sustainable agriculture

Catch crops (CCs) are crops that grow between two cash crops, accumulating nutrients in their biomass and later releasing them through the decomposition of their residues. To our knowledge, no study has compared the nutrient-related traits of different CCs species. This comparison is essential for u...

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Main Authors: Cafaro La Menza, Francisco, Carciochi, Walter Daniel
Format: info:ar-repo/semantics/artículo
Language:Inglés
Published: Frontiers Media 2024
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12123/17882
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fagro.2023.1244057/full
https://doi.org/10.3389/fagro.2023.1244057
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author Cafaro La Menza, Francisco
Carciochi, Walter Daniel
author_browse Cafaro La Menza, Francisco
Carciochi, Walter Daniel
author_facet Cafaro La Menza, Francisco
Carciochi, Walter Daniel
author_sort Cafaro La Menza, Francisco
collection INTA Digital
description Catch crops (CCs) are crops that grow between two cash crops, accumulating nutrients in their biomass and later releasing them through the decomposition of their residues. To our knowledge, no study has compared the nutrient-related traits of different CCs species. This comparison is essential for understanding the possible roles of CCs in agroecosystems and for optimizing adjustments of fertilizer rates. This study aims to: i) synthesize characteristics of the CCs, such as aboveground dry matter accumulation, nutrient [carbon (C), nitrogen (N), sulfur (S), and phosphorus (P)] concentration and accumulation, and C:nutrient ratios, ii) explore factors defining the mentioned characteristics, and iii) discuss their implications on the ecosystem services provided. By analyzing data from 52 studies, (98 site-years) in the Argentinean Pampas, we observed that grasses (excluding ryegrass) accumulated the greatest aboveground dry matter (6.08 ± 0.22 t ha-1, mean ± SE) and C (2.60 ± 0.13 t ha-1), making them suitable for protecting the soil surface from erosion, suppressing weeds, and improving C balances. Conversely, vetch accumulated the highest nutrient content (118 ± 5.3, 15 ± 1.5, and 14 ± 1.2 kg ha-1 for N, S, and P, respectively) with the lowest C:nutrient ratio (means of 15:1, 152:1, and 147:1 for N, S, and P, respectively), making it a suitable choice for recycling nutrients and providing extra N. Mixtures presented intermediate characteristics between the monocultures, allowing a balanced provision of the mentioned ecosystem services. Furthermore, the results showed that dry matter accumulation affected the nutrient-related traits analyzed, and it was related to different factors, such as CCs sowing and termination dates or precipitation. The analysis highlights the importance of selecting CCs species based on the desired ecosystem service and provides valuable information for producers as well as for modeling C balances and nutrient cycling.
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institution Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA -Argentina)
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spelling INTA178822024-05-24T13:01:45Z Catch crops in the Argentinean Pampas: a synthesis-analysis on nutrient characteristics and their implications for a sustainable agriculture Cafaro La Menza, Francisco Carciochi, Walter Daniel Plantas de Cobertura Especies Nitrógeno Fósforo Azufre Carbono Cover Plants Species Nitrogen Phosphorus Sulfur Carbon Región Pampeana Catch crops (CCs) are crops that grow between two cash crops, accumulating nutrients in their biomass and later releasing them through the decomposition of their residues. To our knowledge, no study has compared the nutrient-related traits of different CCs species. This comparison is essential for understanding the possible roles of CCs in agroecosystems and for optimizing adjustments of fertilizer rates. This study aims to: i) synthesize characteristics of the CCs, such as aboveground dry matter accumulation, nutrient [carbon (C), nitrogen (N), sulfur (S), and phosphorus (P)] concentration and accumulation, and C:nutrient ratios, ii) explore factors defining the mentioned characteristics, and iii) discuss their implications on the ecosystem services provided. By analyzing data from 52 studies, (98 site-years) in the Argentinean Pampas, we observed that grasses (excluding ryegrass) accumulated the greatest aboveground dry matter (6.08 ± 0.22 t ha-1, mean ± SE) and C (2.60 ± 0.13 t ha-1), making them suitable for protecting the soil surface from erosion, suppressing weeds, and improving C balances. Conversely, vetch accumulated the highest nutrient content (118 ± 5.3, 15 ± 1.5, and 14 ± 1.2 kg ha-1 for N, S, and P, respectively) with the lowest C:nutrient ratio (means of 15:1, 152:1, and 147:1 for N, S, and P, respectively), making it a suitable choice for recycling nutrients and providing extra N. Mixtures presented intermediate characteristics between the monocultures, allowing a balanced provision of the mentioned ecosystem services. Furthermore, the results showed that dry matter accumulation affected the nutrient-related traits analyzed, and it was related to different factors, such as CCs sowing and termination dates or precipitation. The analysis highlights the importance of selecting CCs species based on the desired ecosystem service and provides valuable information for producers as well as for modeling C balances and nutrient cycling. EEA Balcarce Fil: Cafaro La Menza, Francisco. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; Argentina Fil: Cafaro La Menza, Francisco. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce. Instituto de Innovación para la Producción Agropecuaria y el Desarrollo Sostenible; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Innovación para la Producción Agropecuaria y el Desarrollo Sostenible; Argentina Fil: Carciochi, Walter Daniel. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; Argentina Fil: Carciochi, Walter Daniel. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce. Instituto de Innovación para la Producción Agropecuaria y el Desarrollo Sostenible; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Innovación para la Producción Agropecuaria y el Desarrollo Sostenible; Argentina 2024-05-24T12:47:40Z 2024-05-24T12:47:40Z 2023-12 info:ar-repo/semantics/artículo info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12123/17882 https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fagro.2023.1244057/full 2673-3218 https://doi.org/10.3389/fagro.2023.1244057 eng info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/ Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) application/pdf Frontiers Media Frontiers in Agronomy 5 : 1-10 (6 December 2023)
spellingShingle Plantas de Cobertura
Especies
Nitrógeno
Fósforo
Azufre
Carbono
Cover Plants
Species
Nitrogen
Phosphorus
Sulfur
Carbon
Región Pampeana
Cafaro La Menza, Francisco
Carciochi, Walter Daniel
Catch crops in the Argentinean Pampas: a synthesis-analysis on nutrient characteristics and their implications for a sustainable agriculture
title Catch crops in the Argentinean Pampas: a synthesis-analysis on nutrient characteristics and their implications for a sustainable agriculture
title_full Catch crops in the Argentinean Pampas: a synthesis-analysis on nutrient characteristics and their implications for a sustainable agriculture
title_fullStr Catch crops in the Argentinean Pampas: a synthesis-analysis on nutrient characteristics and their implications for a sustainable agriculture
title_full_unstemmed Catch crops in the Argentinean Pampas: a synthesis-analysis on nutrient characteristics and their implications for a sustainable agriculture
title_short Catch crops in the Argentinean Pampas: a synthesis-analysis on nutrient characteristics and their implications for a sustainable agriculture
title_sort catch crops in the argentinean pampas a synthesis analysis on nutrient characteristics and their implications for a sustainable agriculture
topic Plantas de Cobertura
Especies
Nitrógeno
Fósforo
Azufre
Carbono
Cover Plants
Species
Nitrogen
Phosphorus
Sulfur
Carbon
Región Pampeana
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12123/17882
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fagro.2023.1244057/full
https://doi.org/10.3389/fagro.2023.1244057
work_keys_str_mv AT cafarolamenzafrancisco catchcropsintheargentineanpampasasynthesisanalysisonnutrientcharacteristicsandtheirimplicationsforasustainableagriculture
AT carciochiwalterdaniel catchcropsintheargentineanpampasasynthesisanalysisonnutrientcharacteristicsandtheirimplicationsforasustainableagriculture