Seed Rate and Cultivar Effect on Contribution of Vicia sativa L. Green Manure to Soil Amendment under Mediterranean Conditions

Evangelia Tigka, Dimitrios Beslemes, Ioanna Kakabouki, Chrysanthi Pankou, Dimitrios Bilalis, Ioannis Tokatlidis and Dimitrios N. Vlachostergios
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Evangelia Tigka: Hellenic Agricultural Organization Demeter, Institute of Industrial and Forage Crops, 1 Theophrastou St., 413 35 Larissa, Greece
Dimitrios Beslemes: Hellenic Agricultural Organization Demeter, Institute of Industrial and Forage Crops, 1 Theophrastou St., 413 35 Larissa, Greece
Ioanna Kakabouki: Laboratory of Agronomy, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, 11855 Athens, Greece
Chrysanthi Pankou: Hellenic Agricultural Organization Demeter, Institute of Industrial and Forage Crops, 1 Theophrastou St., 413 35 Larissa, Greece
Dimitrios Bilalis: Laboratory of Agronomy, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, 11855 Athens, Greece
Ioannis Tokatlidis: Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Democritus University of Thrace, 68100 Alexandroupolis, Greece
Dimitrios N. Vlachostergios: Hellenic Agricultural Organization Demeter, Institute of Industrial and Forage Crops, 1 Theophrastou St., 413 35 Larissa, Greece

Agriculture, 2021, vol. 11, issue 8, 1-17

Abstract: The performance of Vicia sativa L. cultivars and cultivar mixtures used as green manure under two seed rates in a Mediterranean environment was investigated in a split plot design, over the period 2014–2016. Six common vetch cultivars grown in pure stands or in mixtures were established at two seed rates (S 1 = 100 Kg ha −1 and S 2 = 180 kg ha −1 ). Growth traits (e.g., plant height, biomass yield, LAI, CGR) were monitored until incorporation into topsoil. The nitrogen (N) concentration of the incorporated biomass along with the decomposition rate were determined, and the effects on the N supply to the soil were evaluated two, four and six months after biomass incorporation. The increment in residual soil Ν four months after green manuring fluctuated from 17 to 45 kg ha −1 among cultivars, and after six months, from 22 to 50 kg ha −1 . The average decomposition rate of organic substances was slightly higher for S 2 for all time intervals; however the highest value (62.6%) was recorded for S 1 six months after biomass incorporation. Seed rate-independent genotypes were identified with regard to the decomposition of organic matter and are suggested as being suitable for green-manuring farming systems with a low seed rate, a fact that offers options with economic and environmental benefits.

Keywords: Vicia sativa; green manure; seed rate; cultivar; cultivar mixtures; organic matter; N accumulation; growth parameters (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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