Evaluating Different Catch Crop Strategies for Closing the Nitrogen Cycle in Cropping Systems—Field Experiments and Modelling

Matthias Böldt, Friedhelm Taube, Iris Vogeler, Thorsten Reinsch, Christof Kluß and Ralf Loges
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Matthias Böldt: Grass and Forage Science/Organic Agriculture, Christian Albrechts University, 24118 Kiel, Germany
Friedhelm Taube: Department of Grass and Forage Science/Organic Agriculture, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 338, 6700 AH Wageningen, The Netherlands
Iris Vogeler: Grass and Forage Science/Organic Agriculture, Christian Albrechts University, 24118 Kiel, Germany
Thorsten Reinsch: Grass and Forage Science/Organic Agriculture, Christian Albrechts University, 24118 Kiel, Germany
Christof Kluß: Grass and Forage Science/Organic Agriculture, Christian Albrechts University, 24118 Kiel, Germany
Ralf Loges: Grass and Forage Science/Organic Agriculture, Christian Albrechts University, 24118 Kiel, Germany

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 1, 1-22

Abstract: For arable stockless farming systems, the integration of catch crops (CC) during the fallow period might be a key for closing the nitrogen (N) cycle, reducing N leaching and increasing the transfer of N to the subsequent crop. However, despite considerable research efforts, the fate of N in such integrated systems remains unclear. To address this, a two-year field experiment was carried out in northern Germany with different CC, including frost-tolerant and frost-killed CC. The experiment started following a two-year ryegrass/red clover ley, which was subsequently sown with a cereal (CE) or a grain legume (field pea, PE). This provided two contrasting systems with high residual N in autumn. The results showed high N uptake of the CC, ranging from 84 to 136 kg N ha −1 with PE as the pre-crop, and from 33 to 110 kg N ha −1 with CE. All CC reduced N leaching compared with the control, a bare fallow over autumn/winter. Of the various CC, the frost-killed CC showed higher leaching compared with the other CCs, indicating mineralisation of the CC residue in the later autumn/winter period. The process based APSIM (Agricultural Production SIMulator) model was used to simulate N cycling for a cereal grain legume rotation, including a frost-killed and a frost resistant CC. While the model simulated the biomass and the N uptake by the crops, as well as the reduction of N leaching with the use of CC well, it under-estimated N leaching from the frost-killed CC. The study showed that all CC were affective at reducing N leaching, but winter hard catch crops should be preferred, as there is a risk of increased leaching following the mineralisation of residues from frost-killed CC.

Keywords: N leaching; N uptake; legumes and non-legumes; frost-killed and frost-tolerant catch crops; APSIM (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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