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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 46(1)

Long-term acidification of a Brazilian Acrisol as affected by no till cropping systems and nitrogen fertiliser

F. C. B. Vieira A , C. Bayer A B , J. Mielniczuk A , J. Zanatta A and C. A. Bissani A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Department of Soil Science, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, PO Box 15100, 91.501-970 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.

B Corresponding author. Email: cimelio.bayer@ufrgs.br

Australian Journal of Soil Research 46(1) 17-26 https://doi.org/10.1071/SR07088
Submitted: 28 June 2007  Accepted: 7 December 2007   Published: 8 February 2008

Abstract

Cropping systems and N fertilisation affect soil acidification mainly due to the removal of alkaline plant material from the field and nitrate leaching. The study evaluated the acidification of a subtropical soil under no till cropping systems with different C and N addition rates for 19 years. The contributions of leguminous and non-leguminous crops (fallow/maize, black oat/maize, black oat + vetch/maize, black oat + vetch/maize + cowpea, lablab + maize, pigeon pea + maize, and digitaria) and mineral N fertiliser (0 and 180 kg N/ha.year as urea) to total acidification were estimated. Cropping systems and N fertilisation significantly affected soil pH, which ranged from 4.3 to 5.1. The presence of leguminous species and mineral N promoted greater decreases in soil pH and net soil acidification, which resulted in increases in exchangeable Al content and Al saturation. Black oat + vetch/maize with N fertilisation promoted the highest soil net acidification rate (2.65 kmol H+/ha.year), while digitaria had the lowest (1.07 kmol H+/ha.year). Leguminous species and N fertilisation increased soil acidification through changes in the C cycle associated with the removal of alkaline plant material by grains. Leguminous-based cropping systems promoted higher maize yields than those comprising essentially gramineous species, indicating an opportunity for a reduction in N fertiliser rates. With N application, however, maize yield did not differ among cropping systems, despite differences in soil pH and exchangeable Al.

Additional keywords: soil acidification, cropping systems, nitrogen, no till, chemical characteristics, buffering capacity.


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