Leucaena leucocephala introduction into a tropical pasture in the Chaco region of Argentina. Effects on soil carbon and total nitrogen = Introducción de Leucaena leucocephala en una pastura tropical en el Chaco argentino. Efectos en el carbono y nitrógeno total del suelo
The introduction of leucaena (Leucaena leucocephala), apart from increasing animal production, improves soil fertility through biological nitrogen (N) fixation and its deep-rooted system. There is limited information on carbon and N dynamics in hedgerow silvopastoral systems, particularly in the sub...
| Autores principales: | , , , , , |
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| Formato: | info:ar-repo/semantics/artículo |
| Lenguaje: | Inglés |
| Publicado: |
CIAT
2020
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| Materias: | |
| Acceso en línea: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12123/8029 https://www.tropicalgrasslands.info/index.php/tgft/article/view/588 https://doi.org/10.17138/tgft(7)295-302 |
| Sumario: | The introduction of leucaena (Leucaena leucocephala), apart from increasing animal production, improves soil fertility through biological nitrogen (N) fixation and its deep-rooted system. There is limited information on carbon and N dynamics in hedgerow silvopastoral systems, particularly in the subsoil profile. The concentrations and vertical distribution of organic carbon (OC) and total N , and their fractions (particulate and associate forms) in the profile (0‒100 cm) of a 4-year-old leucaena stand in a Urochloa brizantha-Chloris gayana pasture were compared with those in the adjacent pure tropical grass
(U. brizantha) pasture. Leucaena introduction increased the OC concentration in the subsoil (20‒100 cm) by 45%, particularly the stable form (associate OC) in the deepest horizon (50‒100 cm). This was attributed to a greater abundance of leucaena roots deeper in the profile than for grass. Leucaena also enhanced by 7.6% the N concentration (from 0.131 to 0.141%) in the topsoil (0‒20 cm) associated with an increment in the labile form (particulate organic N), due to leaf deposition, recycling of animal feces and nodule-N turnover from N fixation. Leucaena establishment has the potential to improve soil fertility and hence availability of N to companion grass growth, and can be utilized as a greenhouse gas mitigation strategy. |
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