Effects of a catch crop on leaching of nitrogen from a sandy soil: Simulations and measurements

The effects of an undersown catch crop on the dynamics and leaching of nitrogen in cropping systems with spring cereals were investigated in southern Sweden. Field measurements of soil mineral nitrogen and nitrogen concentrations in drainage water were made for 4 years in a sandy soil. The experiment was performed on four tile-drained field plots sown with spring cereals. On two of the plots, Italian rye grass was undersown and ploughed down the following spring during three of the years. The other two plots were treated in a conventional way and served as controls. Soil nitrate levels were substantially reduced in the catch-crop treatment, but increased during the fourth year when no catch crop was grown. The differences between the treatments in soil nitrate were reflected in the nitrate concentrations measured in the drainage water. A mathematical model was used to simulate nitrogen dynamics in corresponding treatments. There was good agreement between measurements and simulations with regard to patterns of change in soil mineral nitrogen and nitrate concentrations in drainage water for each treatment. Simulated leaching of nitrate in the conventional treatment was 1.9–3.9 g N m^–2 y^–1 during the first three years while calculated leaching based on the measurements was 2.7–4.4 g N m^–2 y^–1. In the catch-crop treatment leaching of nitrate was reduced by 1.4–2.6 g m^–2 y^–1 according to the simulations and by 2.2–4.1 g m^–2 y^–1 according to calculations based on the measurements. Measurements showed that leaching of nitrogen compounds other than nitrate was hardly affected by the catch crop. In the simulations the ploughed-down catch crop resulted in temporary increases of the litter pool, a net increase of the humus pool and a reduced C-N ratio of the litter pool. Simulated net mineralization from the litter pool was substantially higher in the catch-crop treatment compared with the conventional treatment. In the fourth year, the yield of the main crop was 20–25% higher in the catch-crop treatment, and leaching was higher than in the conventional treatment.     

Assessing nitrate leaching during the three‐first years of Miscanthus × giganteus from on‐farm measurements and modeling

Miscanthus × giganteus is often regarded as one of the most promising crops to produce sustainable bioenergy. This perennial crop, renowned for its high productivity associated with low input requirements, in particular regarding fertilizers, is thought to have low environmental impacts, but few data are available to confirm this. Our study aimed at assessing nitrate leaching from Miscanthus × giganteus crops in farmers' fields, thus including a wide range of soil and cropping system conditions. We focused on the first years of growth after planting as experimental studies have suggested that Miscanthus × giganteus, once established, results in low nitrate leaching. We combined on‐farm measurements and modeling to estimate drainage, leached nitrogen, and nitrate concentration in drainage water in 38 fields located in Center‐East France during two winters (November 2010 to March 2011, November 2011 to March 2012). Nitrate leaching and nitrate concentration in drainage water were on average very low. Nitrate leaching averaged 6 kg N ha^?1 whereas nitrate concentration averaged 12 mg l^?1. These low values are attributable to the low estimates of drainage water (mean = 166 mm) but also to the low soil mineral nitrogen contents measured at the beginning of winter (mean = 37 kg N ha^?1). Our results were, however, very variable, mainly due to the crop age: nitrate leaching and nitrate concentration were critically higher during the winter following the first growth year of Miscanthus × giganteus, reflecting the low development of the crop. This variability was also explained by the range of soil and cropping conditions explored in the on‐farm design: shallow and/or sandy soils as well as fields where establishment failed had a higher risk of nitrate leaching.