Comparative effect of alternative fertilisers on pasture production, soil properties and soil microbial community structure
Fiona J. Leech
A B C G , Alan E. Richardson B , Michael A. Kertesz C , Beverley A. Orchard D , Samiran Banerjee B E and Phillip Graham F
A South East Local Land Services, PO Box 10, Yass, NSW 2582, Australia.
B CSIRO Agriculture & Food, PO Box 1700, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.
C Sydney Institute of Agriculture, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
D Formerly: Wagga Wagga Agricultural Institute, Private Mail Bag, Wagga Wagga, NSW 2650, Australia.
E Department of Microbiological Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo 58102, ND, USA.
F Formerly: NSW Department of Primary Industries, PO Box 10, Yass, NSW 2582, Australia.
G Corresponding author. Email: fiona.leech@lls.nsw.gov.au
Crop and Pasture Science 70(12) 1110-1127 https://doi.org/10.1071/CP19018
Submitted: 13 January 2019 Accepted: 15 October 2019 Published: 6 December 2019
Abstract
Different fertiliser products are commonly promoted for use on pastures in order to improve pasture productivity and support a more ‘healthy’ soil microbial environment. However, minimal field research has been conducted to validate such claims. A 6-year study (2009–14) was conducted on phosphorus (P)-deficient soils at three sites near Yass, New South Wales, to investigate the effect of topdressing perennial native-based pastures with a range of alternative fertilisers compared with single superphosphate and an unfertilised control treatment. The alternative fertiliser products included manures, composts, crushed rock, rock-phosphate-derived products, concentrated ash and microbial products. Annual measurements were made of soil chemical properties, botanical composition and pasture yield during spring and/or winter + spring, as well as the relative effectiveness of products per unit of pasture grown. Soil microbial community structure under each fertiliser treatment was also analysed in the sixth year of the study. Fertiliser products with substantial quantities of P increased extractable soil P and resulted in significantly higher pasture growth and clover content compared with the unfertilised control. Superphosphate was found to be the most P-effective fertiliser for increasing pasture growth, along with a range of other products that showed differential responses. However, the cost and P-effectiveness of the products in relation to pasture growth varied considerably and was a function of rate and frequency of application as well as amount and solubility of the P applied. Despite large differences in pasture growth across the various fertiliser treatments, there was no significant effect of the alternative fertiliser products on microbial community structure compared with either the superphosphate or unfertilised control treatments. The observed variation in bacterial, fungal and archaeal community structures across all fertiliser treatments was best explained by soil pH or aluminium (Al) concentration, which was influenced differentially by the fertiliser products. Fungal community structure was also correlated with pasture-productivity parameters (i.e. spring pasture yield, clover content and soil-available P). Our findings reveal a highly resilient soil microbial community that was influenced minimally by use of the alternative fertiliser products, thus highlighting that on-farm management decisions regarding fertiliser product choice should primarily focus on pasture response and cost-effectiveness.
Additional keywords: bio-fertilisers, compost, manure, pasture growth, phosphorus, soil microbiology.
References
Abbott LK, Macdonald LM, Wong MTF, Webb MJ, Jenkins SN, Farrell M (2018) Potential roles of biological amendments for profitable grain production – a review. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 256, 34–50.| Potential roles of biological amendments for profitable grain production – a review.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Alcock DJ, Pope L, Powells J, Garden D (2012) Why fertilise native pastures? In ‘Proceedings of 27th Conference of Grassland Society of New South Wales’. Wagga Wagga, NSW. pp. 66–75.
Banerjee S, Baah-Acheamfour M, Carlyle CN, Bissett A, Richardson AE, Siddique T, Bork EW, Chang SX (2016a) Determinants of bacterial communities in Canadian agroforestry systems. Environmental Microbiology 18, 1805–1816.
| Determinants of bacterial communities in Canadian agroforestry systems.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 26184386PubMed |
Banerjee S, Kirkby CA, Schmutter D, Bissett A, Kirkegaard JA, Richardson AE (2016b) Network analysis reveals functional redundancy and keystone taxa amongst bacterial and fungal communities during organic matter decomposition in an arable soil. Soil Biology & Biochemistry 97, 188–198.
| Network analysis reveals functional redundancy and keystone taxa amongst bacterial and fungal communities during organic matter decomposition in an arable soil.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Banerjee S, Thrall PH, Bissett A, van der Heijden MGA, Richardson AE (2018) Linking microbial co-occurrences to soil ecological processes across a woodland-grassland ecotone. Ecology and Evolution 8, 8217–8230.
| Linking microbial co-occurrences to soil ecological processes across a woodland-grassland ecotone.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 30250697PubMed |
Bissett A, Richardson AE, Baker G, Thrall PH (2011) Long-term land use effects on soil microbial community structure and function. Applied Soil Ecology 51, 66–78.
| Long-term land use effects on soil microbial community structure and function.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Bissett A, Richardson AE, Baker G, Kirkegaard J, Thrall PH (2013) Bacterial community response to tillage and nutrient additions in a long-term wheat cropping experiment. Soil Biology & Biochemistry 58, 281–292.
| Bacterial community response to tillage and nutrient additions in a long-term wheat cropping experiment.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Cleveland CC, Liptzin D (2007) C:N:P stoichiometry in soil: is there a “Redfield Ratio” for the microbial biomass? Biogeochemistry 85, 235–252.
| C:N:P stoichiometry in soil: is there a “Redfield Ratio” for the microbial biomass?Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Curll M (1977) Superphosphate on perennial pastures. I. Effects of a pasture response on sheep production. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 28, 991–1005.
| Superphosphate on perennial pastures. I. Effects of a pasture response on sheep production.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Edmeades DC (2002) The effects of liquid fertilisers derived from natural products on crop, pasture, and animal production: a review. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 53, 965–976.
| The effects of liquid fertilisers derived from natural products on crop, pasture, and animal production: a review.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Farrell M, Macdonald LM, Jenkins SN, Webb MJ, Wong MTF, Abbott LK (2017) Understanding biological farming inputs. Final report to the Australian Grains Research and Development Corporation. Project number CSO00044.
Fierer N, Jackson RB (2006) The diversity and biogeography of soil bacterial communities. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 103, 626–631.
| The diversity and biogeography of soil bacterial communities.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 16407148PubMed |
Garden DL, Ward GN, Sale PWG, Tennakoon S, Hindell RP, Gardiner B (1997) The agronomic effectiveness of reactive phosphate rocks 3. A comparison of application strategies for soluble phosphorus and reactive phosphate rock fertilisers. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 37, 947–956.
| The agronomic effectiveness of reactive phosphate rocks 3. A comparison of application strategies for soluble phosphorus and reactive phosphate rock fertilisers.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Gould S (2012) Innovations for regenerative landscape management. Case studies of regenerative landscape management in practice. Report Summary. Soils for Life, Fairburn, ACT. Available at: https://www.soilsforlife.org.au/assets/doc/Full_Report.pdf (accessed December 2018).
Gourley CJP, Melland AR, Waller RA, Awty IM, Smith AP, Peverill KI, Hannah MC (2007) Making better fertilizer decisions for grazed pastures in Australia. Department of Primary Industries, Victoria. Available at: http://www.asris.csiro.au/downloads/BFD/Making%20Better%20Fertiliser%20Decisions%20for%20Grazed%20Pastures%20in%20Australia.pdf (accessed 15 December 2018).
Graham P, Hazell B (1999) Does superphosphate pay in a fine-wool enterprise? In ‘Proceedings of 14th Conference of Grassland Society of New South Wales’. Queanbeyan, NSW. pp. 104–105.
Johnson D, Sale PWG, Simpson PG, Cayley JWD (1997) The agronomic effectiveness of reactive phosphate rocks 4. Early season lag in herbage production when reactive phosphate rock is used as a pasture fertiliser. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 37, 957–968.
| The agronomic effectiveness of reactive phosphate rocks 4. Early season lag in herbage production when reactive phosphate rock is used as a pasture fertiliser.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Jones CE (2018) Light farming: restoring carbon, organic nitrogen and biodiversity to agricultural soils. In ‘Agriculture’s Innovative Minds Symposium’. Wichita, Kansas, USA, 1 February 2018. pp. 1–12.
Kahn L (2014) ‘A guide to fertilisers and soil treatments for beef and sheepmeat production systems.’ (Meat & Livestock Australia: North Sydney) Available at: https://www.mla.com.au/research-and-development/search-rd-reports/final-report-details/Extension-On-Farm/A-guide-to-fertilisers-and-soil-treatments-for-beef-and-sheep-meat-production-systems/584 (accessed November 2018)
Kenward MG, Roger JH (1997) The precision of fixed effects estimates from restricted maximum likelihood. Biometrics 53, 983–997.
| The precision of fixed effects estimates from restricted maximum likelihood.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 9333350PubMed |
Lauber CL, Strickland MS, Bradford MA, Fierer N (2008) The influence of soil properties on the structure of bacterial and fungal communities across land-use types. Soil Biology & Biochemistry 40, 2407–2415.
| The influence of soil properties on the structure of bacterial and fungal communities across land-use types.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Lauber CL, Hamady M, Knight R, Fierer N (2009) Pyrosequencing-based assessment of soil pH as a predictor of soil bacterial community structure at the continental scale. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 75, 5111–5120.
| Pyrosequencing-based assessment of soil pH as a predictor of soil bacterial community structure at the continental scale.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 19502440PubMed |
Leech FJ (2006) Profitability of liming and fertilising native pastures in the Yass district. In ‘Proceedings of 21st Conference of Grassland Society of New South Wales’. Wagga Wagga, NSW. pp. 130–131.
Li GD, Helyar KR, Welham SJ, Conyers MK, Castleman LJC, Fisher RP, Evans CM, Cullis BR, Cregan PD (2006) Pasture and sheep responses to lime application in a grazing experiment in a high-rainfall area, south-eastern Australia. I. Pasture production. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 57, 1045–1055.
| Pasture and sheep responses to lime application in a grazing experiment in a high-rainfall area, south-eastern Australia. I. Pasture production.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Massy C (2017) ‘Call of the Reed Warbler: a new agriculture: a new Earth.’ (University of Queensland Press: St Lucia, Qld)
Moody PW (2007) Interpretation of a single-point P buffering index for adjusting critical levels of the Colwell soil P test. Soil Research 45, 55–62.
| Interpretation of a single-point P buffering index for adjusting critical levels of the Colwell soil P test.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Nicholson C (2014) Evaluating alternative fertilisers and biological products for pastures and crops—part 1. Results of three years measurement of products at eight pasture and crop sites. Woady Yaloak Catchment Group. Available at: http://www.woadyyaloak.com.au/resources/Evaluating%20alternative%20fertilisers%20and%20biological%20products%20for%20pastures%20and%20crops%20(final%20report).pdf (accessed November 2018).
Norton MR, Garden DL, Orchard BA, Armstrong P (2018) Ameliorating acidity of an extensively-managed permanent pasture soil. Soil Use and Management 34, 343–353.
| Ameliorating acidity of an extensively-managed permanent pasture soil.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Quilty JR, Cattle SR (2011) Use and understanding of organic amendments in Australian agriculture: a review. Soil Research 49, 1–26.
| Use and understanding of organic amendments in Australian agriculture: a review.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Rayment GE, Lyons DL (2011) ‘Soil chemical methods—Australasia.’ (CSIRO Publishing: Melbourne)
Rosling A, Cox F, Cruz-Martinez K, Ihrmark K, Grelet G-A, Lindahl BD, Menkis A, James TY, Sveriges I (2011) Archaeorhizomycetes: unearthing an ancient class of ubiquitous soil fungi. Science 333, 876–879.
| Archaeorhizomycetes: unearthing an ancient class of ubiquitous soil fungi.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 21836015PubMed |
Rousk J, Baath E, Brookes PC, Lauber CL, Lozupone C, Caporaso JG, Knight R, Fierer N (2010) Soil bacterial and fungal communities across a pH gradient in an arable soil. The ISME Journal 4, 1340–1351.
| Soil bacterial and fungal communities across a pH gradient in an arable soil.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 20445636PubMed |
Sale PWG, Simpson PG, Lewis DC, Gilkes RJ, Bolland MDA, Ratkowsky DA, Gilbert MA, Garden DL, Cayley JWD, Johnson D (1997) The agronomic effectiveness of reactive phosphate rocks 1. Effect of the pasture environment. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 37, 921–936.
| The agronomic effectiveness of reactive phosphate rocks 1. Effect of the pasture environment.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Simpson RJ, Stefanski A, Marshall DJ, Moore AD, Richardson AE (2015) Management of soil phosphorus fertility determines the phosphorus budget of a temperate grazing system and is the key to improving phosphorus efficiency. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 212, 263–277.
| Management of soil phosphorus fertility determines the phosphorus budget of a temperate grazing system and is the key to improving phosphorus efficiency.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Six J, Frey SD, Thiet RK, Batten KM (2006) Bacterial and fungal contributions to carbon sequestration in agroecosystems. Soil Science Society of America Journal 70, 555–569.
| Bacterial and fungal contributions to carbon sequestration in agroecosystems.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Verbyla AP, Cullis BR, Kenward MG, Welham SJ (1999) The analysis of designed experiments and longitudinal data by using smoothing splines. Journal of Applied Statistics 48, 269–311.
Wakelin SA, Gregg AL, Simpson RJ, Li GD, Riley IT, McKay AC (2009) Pasture management clearly affects soil microbial community structure and N-cycling bacteria. Pedobiologia 52, 237–251.
| Pasture management clearly affects soil microbial community structure and N-cycling bacteria.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Wang Q, Garrity GM, Tiedje JM, Cole JR (2007) Naïve Bayesian Classifier for rapid assignment of rRNA sequences into the new bacterial taxonomy. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 73, 5261–5267.
| Naïve Bayesian Classifier for rapid assignment of rRNA sequences into the new bacterial taxonomy.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 17586664PubMed |
White RE, Helyar KR, Ridley AM, Chen D, Heng LK, Evans J, Fisher R, Hirth JR, Mele PM, Morrison GR, Cresswell HP, Paydar Z, Dunin FX, Dove H, Simpson RJ (2000) Soil factors affecting the sustainability and productivity of perennial and annual pastures in the high rainfall zone of south-eastern Australia. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 40, 267–283.
| Soil factors affecting the sustainability and productivity of perennial and annual pastures in the high rainfall zone of south-eastern Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
