ISSN 1644-0625 ISSN 2300-8504 (online) www.agricultura.acta.utp.edu.pl Acta Sci. Pol. Agricultura, 14(1) 2015, 3-10 CHANGES OF THE CHOSEN CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF SOIL AS A RESULT OF LONG-TERM CEREAL CULTIVATION IN CROP ROTATION AND MONOCULTURE* Ewa Adamiak, Jan Adamiak University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn Abstract. On the basis of the conducted research and analyses, in the years 1972,, and, changes of the chosen chemical properties of soil were evaluated, where five cereal species were grown in two environmentally correct crop rotations and in single- -species monocultures. In 1972, set as the starting year for change evaluation, the content of organic carbon and assimilable phosphorus were usually higher in the soil of cereals grown in crop rotation than in monoculture. Soil ph and the content of other assimilable microelement forms did not demonstrate this type of one-way tendencies. Depending on the cereal species, their higher content was noted in either crop rotation soil or in monoculture. In, after 20 years of manure-free plant cultivation, a decrease in organic carbon content was found, usually higher in monocultures than crop rotations. Assimilable calcium content decreased, whereas soil ph and the contents of other assimilable forms of macroelements increased. Manure fertilization, applied from, attributed to the increase in the content of organic carbon in the soil. After 18 years of its application, organic carbon content almost on all the plots was higher than in the initial year 1972. However, soil ph decreased, as did, with few exceptions, calcium content. The content of other macroelements, depending on the cereal species and cultivation post, has increased or decreased. Key words: content of assimilable macroelement forms, organic carbon content, soil ph INTRODUCTION Theories that explain the essence of soil tiredness caused by long-term plant cultivation in monoculture include also changes in the chemical properties of the soil [Bender 1972, Adamiak 1988, Zawi lak et al. 1988, Blecharczyk 2002, Blecharczyk et Corresponding author: dr hab. Ewa Adamiak, prof. UWM, Department of Agricultural Systems of University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, pl. ódzki 3, 10-718 Olsztyn, e-mail: ewa.adamiak@uwm.edu.pl Copyright by Wydawnictwa Uczelniane Uniwersytetu Technologiczno-Przyrodniczego w Bydgoszczy, Bydgoszcz 2015
4 E. Adamiak, J. Adamiak al. 2005, Rychcik et al. 2006]. They result from yearly introduction into the soil of postharvest residues of the same quality, which then conditions the processes of organic matter transformations. At the same time, it is known that the quality and supply of organic and mineral soil compounds have a great effect on the conditions of plant growth and development, as well as yield [Fotyma 1988, oginow et al. 1991, Horá ek et al. 2001, Lipavský et al. 2008]. Taking the above into account, in the study hypothesis, it was assumed that longterm cereal cultivation in different crop sequence systems may diversify the chemical properties of the soil. Its verification was carried out by the study in a many-years-long field experiment, the aim of which was to present the changes in the content of organic carbon, assimilable forms of mineral compounds, and soil ph in the 38-year-long cultivation period of five basic cereal species in crop rotation and monoculture. MATERIAL AND METHODS Strict field experiment with the growth of 10 plant species in monoculture was established in the autumn of 1967 at the Production and Experimental Station in Ba cyny near Ostróda, on lessives, formed from sandy clay with the contents of loam 2.8-3.2%, dust 30.4-31.9%, and sand 64.9-66.8%, good wheat complex, class IIIa and IIIb. Until, the comparison plot was the cultivation of 10 plant species in two fivefield crop rotations: sugar beet faba bean spring barley winter rapeseed winter wheat and potato maize oats fibre flax rye. During the growth season of /1993, winter triticale and pea were added to the experiment and from then on the control plot was made of two six-field crop rotations: sugar beet maize spring barley pea winter rapeseed winter wheat and potato oats fibre flax rye faba bean winter triticale. The present paper presents the dynamics of the changes in the chosen chemical properties of the soil, which take place in the same fields of crop rotations and monocultures after the harvest of winter wheat, rye, spring barley, and oats in the years 1972,, and, and after winter triticale in the years and. Cereals, both in crop rotation and monoculture, were equally fertilized with: winter wheat N 120 kg, P 35 kg, and K 83 kg; the other cereals N 70 kg, P 30.8 kg, and K 83 kg per 1 ha. In the period of 1972-, only mineral fertilization was applied; in the years - additionally also natural fertilization was applied, namely manure, in crop rotations 30 t ha -1 under sugar beet and potato, and in monocultures 15 t ha -1 every three years under every plant, also under cereals. Experimental field was limed after plant harvest in the years 1974, 1977, 1990, 1998, and 2004 with calcium-magnesium fertilizer (dolomite) in the amount of 2 t ha -1, containing the total of 45% CaO and MgO. Soil samples for the chemical analyses were taken directly after cereal harvest using an Egner s sampler from the depth of 0-25 cm from every plot. Chemical analyses were conducted at the Chemical-Agricultural Station in Olsztyn: organic carbon by the Tiurin s method, assimilable phosphorus and potassium forms by the Egner-Riehm s method, assimilable magnesium by the Schatschabel s method, calcium by extraction in 0.03n acetic acid, and soil ph in 1 mol KCl dm -3. Weather conditions from January to July in the years of soil sample uptake varied in regard to precipitation distribution and sum, as well as average air temperatures. The Acta Sci. Pol.
Changes in the chosen... 5 highest precipitation (394 mm) took place in, average (295 mm) in 1972, and the lowest (250 mm) in. In the years 1972 and, precipitation amounts in the particular months increased from January to July. In, maximum precipitation (132 mm) occurred in May and relatively high in June (85 mm) and July (80 mm). Higher precipitation was accompanied by lower average air temperatures: 7.0 o C in 1972, 8.9 o C in, and 6.8 o C in. RESULTS Changes of organic carbon content In 1972, the year which was set as the starting point for change dynamics observation in the 38-year-long period, organic carbon content in the soil was higher under cereals grown in crop rotation than in monoculture, with the exception of oats, where the relations were opposite (Table 1). After 20 years of manure-free cultivation, both on the plots with crop rotations and monocultures, decrease in the content of organic carbon in the soil was found. In percentage terms the highest losses (by 22% and 33%) occurred under rye, although they were higher in crop rotation than in monoculture. The reasons for this should be suspected to be the construction of crop rotation, where three plants were grown next to rye (potato, maize, and fibre flax) with highly negative organic matter reproduction coefficient. Under the other cereals, minimally higher losses of organic carbon were noted in the soils of monocultures than crop rotations, especially in oats monoculture. As a result of different decrease dynamics, organic carbon content in the soil of crop rotation and monoculture under rye, spring barley, and oats practically equalized, whereas in the soil under winter wheat it was still higher in crop rotation. Introduction of manure inhibited the process of organic carbon content decrease. After 18 years of the application of natural fertilizer, organic carbon content in the soil distinctly increased on all the analyzed plots. In crop rotation, the highest increase, ranging from 44% to 47%, took place in the soil after spring barley and oats, and clearly lower (26-30%) after winter triticale and rye. On the plots with constant cereal cultivation one after the other, higher accumulation (by 43- -50%) was noted in the soil under winter wheat and spring barley than under oats and rye (by 10-28%). Relating the results from to those from 1972, only in rye grown in crop rotation organic carbon content in the soil demonstrated to be still lower. In the remaining cereals, both in crop rotation and monoculture, the affluence visibly increased. In the soil after winter wheat, higher increase of organic carbon content was found in monoculture, whereas in the soil after oats and spring barley in crop rotation. After the introduction in of winter triticale to the cultivation, higher accumulation of organic carbon took place in the soil in which monoculture was applied. Summing up, after 38 years of the experiment, organic carbon content in the soil demonstrated to be higher in crop rotation after rye, spring barley and oat, while in monoculture after winter wheat and winter triticale. Changes of ph and the content of assimilable forms of macroelements in the soil In the starting year of the experiment (1972), the soil on the analyzed plots was characterized by slightly acidic ph: under winter wheat and rye more favourable in crop rotation, whereas under spring barley and oats in monoculture. After 20 years of monoculture cultivation of all the cereals, an increase in ph was found, the highest one Agricultura 14(1) 2015
6 E. Adamiak, J. Adamiak in oats monoculture. In crop rotation, an increasing tendency was marked only under spring cereals, whereas in the soil under winter cereals soil ph underwent a decrease. In the following 18 years of the experiment, on all the plots (also of winter triticale), a decrease in soil ph occurred; after winter wheat and winter triticale higher in monoculture, whereas in rye and spring barley growth higher in crop rotation (Table 1). An effect of those changes was the equalization of soil ph between crop rotation and monoculture of winter wheat, rye, winter triticale, and oats. Only the soil under spring barley grown in monoculture had a notably higher ph. Regardless of the crop sequence system, soil ph after wheat and triticale ought to be described as acidic, and after the other crops as slightly acidic. Table 1. Changes of some chemical properties in the soil of crop rotations and monocultures in the years 1972-2000 Tabela 1. Zmiany niektórych w a ciwo ci chemicznych w glebie p odozmianów i monokultur w latach 1972- Cereal species Gatunek zbo a Winter wheat Pszenica ozima Rye yto Spring barley J czmie jary Oat Owies Winter triticale Pszen yto ozime Study year Rok bada 1972 1972 1972 1972 C org. g kg -1 ph w 1 mol KCl dm -3 P mg kg -1 K mg kg -1 Mg mg kg -1 Ca mg kg -1 P M P M P M P M P M P M 9.7 8.8 10.1 10.8 7.3 9.5 8.7 7.3 10.7 7.3 7.1 10.2 8.0 10.1 8.8 7.9 11.3 9.0 7.2 9.2 8.6 7.0 10.5 8.7 7.3 9.6 8.1 10. 9 6.2 5.9 5.2 6.3 6.2 5.7 6.3 6.7 5.5 5.6 6.6 5.9 5.7 5.1 6.0 6.3 5.3 5.8 6.0 5.7 6.4 6.5 6.0 6.3 6.8 6.0 5.9 5.2 42.7 72.4 82.4 48.4 99.4 101 49.7 87.2 79.4 58.0 102 96.8 46.7 52.8 33.1 79.8 85.9 34.1 60.2 85.0 38.4 84.6 104 39.7 112 116 55.8 62.8 112 201 149 151 168 190 129 152 118 81.3 156 149 64.0 125 132 125 213 115 133 203 106 213 203 95.5 207 152 102 189 48 51 42 46 69 68 50 52 51 62 57 64 27 47 48 44 53 59 66 66 54 55 65 57 61 64 24 53 316 307 279 335 323 315 403 336 306 431 409 417 244 275 323 311 296 332 321 310 438 378 405 422 403 398 272 315 P crop rotation p odozmian, M monoculture monokultura During the period of 1972-, the content of the assimilable forms of phosphorus and potassium in the soil of all the studied plots increased. Relatively higher increase in the contents of assimilable phosphorus in the soil was noted in the monocultures of winter wheat, spring barley, and oats, whereas in crop rotation it was only marked in rye cultivation. Assimilable potassium content in the soil was characterized by a higher increase on the plots with spring barley and oat monocultures than their cultivation in crop rotation. Only after winter wheat was the accumulation of assimilable potassium in the soil more dynamic in crop rotation. After the subsequent 18 years, further accumulation of the assimilable forms of phosphorus in the soil was found in the monocultures of all the crops (also winter triticale). In crop rotation, the tendency occurred only after winter cereal cultivation. In the soil under spring barley and oats, a decrease in the contents of assimilable phosphorus was observed. In that period, soil richness in assimilable potassium increased in the monoculture of winter cereals, and in Acta Sci. Pol.
Changes in the chosen... 7 crop rotation only under rye and winter triticale. On the remaining plots, relatively to the previous measurement, a decrease in the content of this element took place. As a result of the presented changes, in the soil in the monocultures of all the cereals, in comparison with crop rotation, was characterized by higher accumulation of assimilable potassium, and except for rye also of assimilable phosphorus. Assimilable magnesium content in the soil of the analyzed crop sequence systems was characterized during the 38-year-long period by small and not always unambiguous dynamics. In comparison with the earlier study date, both its decrease and increase was noted, the latter one more often in crop rotation. On the other hand, the analysis of soil richness in calcium, both in crop rotation and monoculture, demonstrated a systematic downward tendency, except for spring barley monoculture. The presented relations do not concern winter triticale because in the soil of both plant succession systems during the period of -, the contents of assimilable magnesium and calcium increased. When analyzing the results from, higher content of assimilable magnesium and calcium in the soil of monoculture than crop rotation of all the cereals except for rye is worthy noticing and in the case of calcium also of oats. Similar relationships occurred in the starting year 1972. DISCUSSION Dynamics of organic carbon changes in the soil under cereals grown in crop rotations and monocultures in the studied 38-year-period depended first of all on manure fertilization. During the period of 1972-, when no manure was applied, a decrease of organic carbon content was found on all the plots. Similarly, Blecharczyk [2002] and Blecharczyk et al. [2005], as well as Lipavsky et al. [2008] informed previously about lower organic carbon content in the soil on the plots without manure fertilization. According to Fotyma [1988], cereals, but also root and oilseed crops, are plants with negative organic matter reproduction coefficients. This is the explanation why the highest decrease of organic carbon in the soil occurred on the plot with rye grown in crop rotation made exclusively of plants with negative organic matter reproduction coefficients. However, it is difficult to explain the small decrease of organic carbon in the soil after oat grown in the same crop rotation as rye, significantly lower than in monoculture. Similarly, in the soil of winter wheat and spring barley monoculture, the process of organic carbon decrease was stronger than in crop rotation. Higher decrease rate in humus content in the soil under cereal monocultures was also reported previously by Bender [1972], Talafantowa [1974], Zawi lak et al. [1988], and Blecharczyk [2002]. Negative effect of cereal monocultures on organic carbon content in the soil was also demonstrated by Blecharczyk et al. [2005] and Parylak et al. [2006]. Different opinion was presented by Adamiak [1988]. In his studies, nine-year-long winter wheat monoculture had no effect on humus content in the soil, whereas the applied six- and three-field crop rotations significantly lowered its content. Similarly, in the studies by Smagacz and Ku [], after 36 years of experiment, a tendency for higher humus content in the soil appeared under multispecies cereal monoculture in comparison with crop rotation with 50% cereal contribution. In the period of -, organic carbon content in the soil of the compared sequence systems has increased and in under almost all the crops reached a higher level than in the starting year. The increase was justified by the application of Agricultura 14(1) 2015
8 E. Adamiak, J. Adamiak manure from. Higher organic carbon content in the soil under rye, spring barley, and oats grown in crop rotation may be explained by leaving an increased mass of postharvest residue, whereas higher growth on the plots with winter wheat and winter triticale monocultures is not explained by the introduction of post-harvest residues. Those species supplied much more post-harvest residues in crop rotation. Probably higher growth is an effect of the consequent impact of manure. In monoculture, both species were directly fertilized with manure (the last ones after harvest in 2008), whereas in crop rotation they were grown in the sixth year after manure. Positive role of manure in organic carbon accumulation in the soil was confirmed by many authors [Kuszelewski and ab towicz 1986, oginow et al. 1991, Janowiak, Krzywy et al. 1996, Blecharczyk 2002, Blecharczyk et al. 2005, Lipavský et al. 2008]. Systems of crop sequence did not diversify soil ph. However, it was found that after 38 years of research, the soil in winter wheat, spring barley, and winter triticale monocultures was characterized by greater richness in phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and magnesium than in crop rotation. Also the soil of oat monoculture demonstrated a higher content of assimilable phosphorus and potassium forms and an identical one of assimilable magnesium. Also in the study by Siuta [1988] and Smagacz and Ku [], the soil under long-term cereal monoculture was characterized by higher phosphorus and potassium accumulation than the soil under Norfolk rotation. The authors explain this fact by poorer nutrients uptake by cereals and their decreased raise with lower grain yield. Likewise, in the discussed experiment, higher macroelements content in monoculture soil was an effect of lower raise with much lower yield. In rye cultivation, higher content of assimilable macroelements, except for potassium, was characteristic for crop rotation soil. CONCLUSIONS 1. In the period of 1972-, experiment realization without natural fertilization led to a reduction in organic carbon in the soil, both after cereals grown in crop rotation and monoculture. On the plot after winter wheat, spring barley and oat, the process was more evident in monoculture, whereas after rye in crop rotation. 2. Introduction of manure in inhibited the organic carbon decrease process in the soil. After 18 years of the application of this fertilizer, organic carbon content on all the plots increased above the level noted in the starting year 1972, except for rye cultivated in crop rotation. Higher growth (30-47%) took place in the soil in which rye, spring barley, and oat cultivated in crop rotation and winter wheat (43%) and winter triticale (35%) in monoculture. 3. With identical mineral fertilization, yield of cereals in monoculture was significantly lower than in crop rotation, and therefore higher richness of monoculture soil in assimilable macroelements in was explained by their lower uptake and raise with cereal yield. Study was financed from statutory topic 1016-0817. Acta Sci. Pol.
Changes in the chosen... 9 REFERENCES Adamiak, J. (1988). Pszenica ozima w p odozmianach z wysokim udzia em zbó i w monokulturze. Acta Acad. Agricult. Techn. Olst. Agricultura, 46, suppl. B, 1-43. Bender, J. (1972). Wp yw zmianowania i monokultury na kszta towanie yzno ci gleby lekkiej. Zesz. Probl. Post. Nauk Rol., 137, 139-153. Blecharczyk, A. (2002). Reakcja yta ozimego i j czmienia jarego na system nast pstwa ro lin i nawo enie w do wiadczeniu wieloletnim. Rocz. AR Pozna, Rozpr. Nauk., 326, 1-127. Blecharczyk, A., Piechota, T., Ma ecka, I. (2005). Zmiany chemicznych w a ciwo ci gleby w wyniku wieloletniego oddzia ywania systemów nast pstwa ro lin i nawo enia. Fragm. Agron., 22(2), 30-37. Fotyma, M. (1988). Nawo enie ro lin w zmianowaniach specjalistycznych i w monokulturze. Zesz. Probl. Post. Nauk Rol., 331, 205-215. Horá ek, J., Ledvina, R., Raus, A. (2001). The content and quality of organic matter in cabisol in a long-term no-tillage system. Rostl. Výr., 47, 205-210. Janowiak, J. (). Wp yw nawo enia obornikiem i azotem na zawarto substancji organicznej w glebie i niektórych w a ciwo ci kwasów huminowych. Mat. Konf. Nauk. Nawozy organiczne, Wyd. AR Szczecin, 271-276. Krzywy, E., Krupa, J., Wo oszyk, Cz. (1996). Wp yw wieloletniego nawo enia organicznego i mineralnego na niektóre wska niki yzno ci gleby. Zesz. Nauk. AR Szczecin, Rolnictwo, 62, 189-195. Kuszelewski, L., ab towicz, J. (1986). Wspóldzia anie nawo enia mineralnego i organicznego w kszta towaniu yzno ci gleby. Rocz. Glebozn., 37(2/3), 411-419. Lipavský, J., Kubát, J., Zobac, J. (2008). Long-term effects of straw and farmyard manure on crop, yields and soil properties. Arch. Agron. Soil Sci., 54(4), 369-379. oginow, W., Andrzejewski, J., Janowiak, J. (1991). Rola nawo enia mineralnego i organicznego w utrzymaniu zasobów materii organicznej w glebie. Rocz. Glebozn., 42(3/4), 19-25. Parylak, D., Sebzda, J., Wac awowicz, R. (2006). Siedliskowe i produkcyjne skutki wieloletniej uprawy owsa w uproszczonych p odozmianach na glebie lekkiej. Fragm. Agron., 23(2), 140- -148. Rychcik, B., Adamiak, J., Wójciak, H. (2006). Dynamics of the soil organic matter in crop rotation and long-term monoculture. Plant Soil Environ., 52, 15-20. Siuta, A. (1988). Kszta towanie si wybranych chemicznych w a ciwo ci gleby w zmianowaniach o ró nym udziale zbó. Zesz. Probl. Post. Nauk Rol., 331, 267-277. Smagacz, J., Ku, J. (). Wp yw d ugotrwa ego stosowania p odozmianów zbo owych na plonowanie zbó oraz wybrane chemiczne w a ciwo ci gleby. Fragm. Agron., 27(4), 119-134. Talafantová, A. (1974). Obsah humusu a dusiku v pûdé. Rostl. Výroba, 20(3), 241-252. Zawi lak, K., Adamiak, J., Tyburski, J. (1988). Dynamika substancji organicznej i sk adników mineralnych w warstwie uprawnej gleby pod wieloletnimi monokulturami. Cz. I, II. Zesz. Probl. Post. Nauk Rol., 331, 227-245. ZMIANY WYBRANYCH CHEMICZNYCH W A CIWO CI GLEBY W WYNIKU WIELOLETNIEJ UPRAWY ZBÓ W P ODOZMIANACH I W MONOKULTURACH Streszczenie. Na podstawie przeprowadzonych bada i analiz wykonanych w latach 1972, i oceniono zmiany wybranych chemicznych w a ciwo ci gleby, na której uprawiano 5 gatunków zbó w dwóch przyrodniczo poprawnych p odozmianach i w jednogatunkowych monokulturach. W przyj tym za wyj ciowy do oceny zmian 1972 roku zawarto w gla organicznego i fosforu przyswajalnego by a z regu y wi ksza w glebie zbó uprawianych w p odozmianie ni w monokulturze. Odczyn gleby oraz Agricultura 14(1) 2015
10 E. Adamiak, J. Adamiak zawarto pozosta ych przyswajalnych form makrosk adników nie wykaza y tak jednokierunkowych tendencji. W zale no ci od gatunku zbo a notowano wi ksz ich zawarto glebie p odozmianu lub monokultury. W roku, po 20 latach bezobornikowej uprawy ro lin, stwierdzono spadek zawarto ci w gla organicznego, z regu y wi kszy na obiektach monokultur ni p odozmianów. Zmniejszy a si zawarto przyswajalnego wapnia, zwi kszy y si natomiast ph gleby i zawarto pozosta ych przyswajalnych form makrosk adników. Nawo enie obornikiem, stosowane od roku, przyczyni o si do zwi kszenia zawarto ci w gla organicznego w glebie. Po 18 latach jego stosowania zawarto w gla organicznego prawie na wszystkich obiektach by a wi ksza ni w wyj ciowym 1972 roku. Natomiast obni ce uleg o ph gleby, a tak e, z nielicznymi wyj tkami, zawarto wapnia. Zawarto pozosta ych makrosk adników, w zale no ci od gatunku zbo a i stanowiska uprawy, zwi kszy a si lub uleg a obni eniu. S owa kluczowe: odczyn gleby, zawarto przyswajalnych form makrosk adników, zawarto w gla organicznego Accepted for print Zaakceptowano do druku: 10.02.2015 For citation Do cytowania: Adamiak, E., Adamiak, J. (2015). Changes of the chosen chemical properties of soil as a result of long-term cereal cultivation in crop rotation and monoculture. Acta Sci. Pol. Agricultura, 14(1), 3-10. Acta Sci. Pol.