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- Title
The older the better? Delayed complementarity, overyielding, and improved residue composition in ageing alfalfa-fescue mixtures.
- Authors
Louarn, Gaëtan; Edouard, Sylvain; Barre, Philippe; Julier, Bernadette; Gastal, François
- Abstract
Background and aims: The introduction of ley in cropping systems can provide multiple services, including high quality forage production and C and N inputs into arable soils. Little is known about the dynamics of these services in degrading grassland and the extent to which trade-offs regarding the use of fixed N for either forage production or as a source of N in the rotation can be found. Methods: A six-year field experiment compared the performance of an alfalfa-tall fescue (A-FE) mixture versus the single species alone (A, FE) in terms of forage production, forage quality and root biomass available as residues for the following crop. N mineralisation potential was then simulated for different grassland destruction scenarios using the STICS model. Result: The forage production, proportion of legumes, and forage quality all declined in the A-FE mixture after year 3 to reach less than 7 T.ha−1 and 20% legume in year 6. The yield advantage of A-FE compared to monospecific grasslands increased over time and was strongly associated with greater species complementarity, resulting from higher N transfer to grasses and increased asynchrony in the seasonal growth of A and FE. Root residue quantities and the potential for N supply to the rotation were not reduced when a degraded legume proportion was reached. Conclusion: The advantage of A-FE mixture over monospecific stands was greater integrated over a long period of time. No major risk of losing the N legacy effect by delaying mixture destruction was detected up to the first year after a sharp legume decline.
- Subjects
CROP residues; FORAGE plants; MIXTURES; CROPPING systems; GRASSLANDS; LEGUMES; TALL fescue; FESCUE
- Publication
Plant & Soil, 2024, Vol 499, Issue 1/2, p553
- ISSN
0032-079X
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s11104-024-06479-z