Perennial Legume Swards for Organic Farming System in Lithuania

The economic and ecological benefits of forage legumes are well known. While perennial legumes can be useful in various aspects (Ledgard 2001), some legumes have short persistence in swards (Frame et al.1998; Vaiciulyte and Bacenas 2008) which is undesirable for organic farms where no mineral nitrogen is applied. Early flowering red clover (Trifolium pratense), which is the most common legume in Lithuania, has high yields only in the first – second years of use. In the third year, it often disappears completely. In Lithuania, fodder galega (Galega orientalis) is the most long lived legume exhibiting the best overwinter sur-vival (Balezentiene and Mikulioniene 2006). For this study we selected a mixture of legumes, less commonly used than red clover: common sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia), fod-der galega (Galega orientalis) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa). The objective of our research was to study the productivity and persistence of more long lived legume species on an organic farm as a pure crop and in mixtures with other legumes and grasses under an extensive (2-3 cuts) management regime

Impact of the Last Grazing Time on the White Clover/Grass Swards Performance

Winter survival and longevity of grasses depend not only on the weather conditions but also on the state of grasses in the autumn, when their wintering shoots and roots are intensively accumulating reserves of nutrients (Stout, 1987; Sardana and Narwal, 2000). The long-term productivity of the sward depends on the species composition of grasses, frequency of use, nitrogen fertilisation, and timing of the last cut. The effects of these various factors on the sward can be very diverse in various geographic locations (Van Keuren, 1988; Taneja et al., 1994; Sollenberger and Newman, 2007). When utilising pastures in the regions of more humid climate, it is very important to finish grazing at the right time so as to allow the sward to accumulate the necessary amount of nutrients and to prevent excessive trampling or poaching of the sward by livestock. Sward trampling results in the reduction in sward productivity and in the occurrence of forbs, moreover, it requires extra costs for the elimination of sward surface defects, especially when combined management (grazing and cutting) of the sward is applied. Consequently, the differences in the optimum time of the last cut are relatively great for different sward types and depend on many factors. The objective of the present study was to determine the time of the last cut in the sowing year and years of use of two pasture swards of Festulolium and perennial ryegrass each sown with white clover

Changes in soil carbon, nitrogen and sulphur content as influenced by liming and nitrogen fertilization of three energy crops

The paper presents research findings, obtained through a long-term research programme “Productivity and sustainability of agricultural and forest soils” implemented by the Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry.An experiment with three perennial energy crops – common mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris L.), cup plant (Silphium perfoliatum L.) and virginia mallow (Sida hermaphrodita Rusby) has been carried out in Lithuania (55°43′N, 21°28′E) in order to evaluate the effect of liming and nitrogen fertilization on soil total carbon (Ctot), nitrogen (Ntot) and sulphur (Stot) contents. The soil of the experimental site is a naturally acid moraine loam Bathygleyic Dystric Glossic Retisol. Soil composition was analysed in two consequent years 2010 and 2011. The application of the highest rate (6 t ha-1) of the lime material increased Ctot, Ntot and Stot concentration in the top 0–30 cm soil layer. The soil under cup plant and virginia mallow accumulated a higher concentration of Ntot and Stot compared to that under common mugwort. N fertilization significantly increased Ctot content, but had no significant impact on soil Ntot and Stot changes.Tilraun með þrjár orkuplöntur; malurt (Artemisia vulgaris L.), bollafífil (Silphium perfoliatum L.) og moskusrós (Sida hermaphrodita Rusby) var gerð í Litháen (55°43′N, 21°28′E) til að meta áhrif kölkunar og köfnunarefnisáburðargjafar á heildar kolefni (Ctot), köfnunarefni (Ntot) og brennistein (Stot) í jarðvegi. Jarðvegur tilraunasvæðisins var á fínkorna jökulruðningi sem er súr að eðlisfari (Bathygleyic Dystric Glossic Retisol). Jarðvegur var greindur tvö ár í röð, 2010 og 2011. Hæsti skammtur af kalki (6 t ha-1) leiddi til þess að að Ctot , Ntot og Stot jukust í efstu 30 cm jarðvegsins. Ræktun á bollafífil og moskusrós leiddi til hækkunar á Ntot og Stot í efri lögum jarðvegs miðað við þar sem malurt var ræktuð. Köfnunarefnisáburður leiddi til marktækrar aukningar á Ctot í jarðvegi en hafði engin áhrif á Ntot og Stot í jarðveginum.Peer Reviewe

The Status of Pachiterric Histosol Properties as Influenced by Different Land Use

Soil drainage as well as soil cultivation and fertilization has considerable influence on the organic matter mineralization rate and changes in the profile structure. Our research suggested that quantitative and qualitative characteristics of peat soil are changing in response to the renaturalization processes and different management. The study set out to estimate chemical and physical properties of Pachiterric Histosol, qualitative and quantitative changes in carbon resulting from different management and renaturalization processes. Wetland and peatland soils are among the largest organic carbon stocks, and their use contributes to carbon emissions or accumulation processes. The focus of our work is research into the peculiarities of organic carbon accumulation and transformation as influenced by different land use of peat soil. Results on the chemical properties of Pachiterric Histosol showed the influence of management and renaturalization on mobile and by pyrophosphate solution extractable humic and fulvic acids and humification degree. We are also exploring the specificities of organic carbon variation in the context of peat renaturalization and are seeking to answer the question as how to optimize the use of peat soils and how to match up this with the renaturalization processes in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to organic carbon accumulation and conservation in the soil

The Effect of Legume/Grass Pasture on Soil Organic Carbon

Soil organic carbon content is an important integral indicator of soil fertility. The extent at which the soil can sequestrate carbon depends on the nature of agricultural production, land use and soil type (Follet, 2001). More than two thirds of the annual grassland biomass production is allocated to below ground structures and deep humus layers are common in grassland (Körner, 2002). Grasslands differ markedly in species composition, utilisation purpose, fertilisation and this can significantly change their effect on soil organic content (Hassink & Neeteson, 1991). The objective of study was to estimate changes in the soil organic carbon content and C:N ratio after pure grass and mixed swards of legumes and grass at different grazing frequencies

Soil Organic Matter Changes in Lithuanian Soils: Experiences and Results

Lithuania, Soil organic matter, Eutric Albeluvisol, Soil conservation, Carbon sequestration, Land management, Crop rotationData has been obtained from sandy loam Eutric Albeluvisol-ABe at the Kaltinenai Research Station of the Lithuanian Institute of Agriculture on the undulating topography of Western Lithuania. Results from 18 years of investigations show significant increases in soil organic matter (SOM) content under grass-grain crop rotations compared with field and grain-grass crop rotations, which thus provides evidence for carbon sequestration in soil

Influence of different fertilization on the dissolved organic carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus accumulation in acid and limed soils

Soil quality has become an important issue in soil science. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) is believed to play an important role in soil processes and in the C, N and P balances, their supplies to plants in all types of soils. It is much more sensitive to soil management than is soil organic matter as a whole, and can be used as a key indicator of soil natural functions. This study aimed to assess the influence of different organic fertilizers on DOC and N, P accumulation. The study was carried out on a moraine loam soil at the Vezaiciai Branch of Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry in 2012. Farmyard manure (FYM) (60 t ha -1) and alternative organic fertilizers (wheat straw, rape residues, roots, stubble, perennial grasses) were applied on two soil backgrounds - acid and limed. DOC was analysed using an ion chromatograph SKALAR. Application of organic amendments resulted in a significant increase of soil organic carbon (SOC) content, which demonstrates a positive role of organic fertilizers in SOC conservation. The combination of different organic fertilizers and liming had a significant positive effect on DOC concentration in the soil. The highest DOC content (0.241 g kg-1) was established in the limed soil fertilized with farmyard manure. The most unfavourable status of DOC was determined in the unlimed, unfertilized soil. The limed and FYM-applied soil had the highest nitrogen (1.47 g kg-1) and phosphorus (0.84 g kg-1) content compared to the other treatments. Organic fertilizers gave a significant positive effect on SOC and DOC content increase in the topsoil. This immediate increase is generally attributed to the presence of soluble materials in the amendments. Application of organic fertilizers in acid and limed soil increased the nutrient stocks and ensured soil chemical indicators at the optimal level for plant growth and thus may provide a mechanism as well as prediction opportunities for soil fertility, conservation, sustainability, and protection against degradation

A comparative study of analytical methodologies to determine the soil organic matter content of Lithuanian Eutric Albeluvisols

Large archive databases of soil organic matter (SOM) widely exist in Lithuania and the other countries of Central and Eastern Europe. Despite the demise of the former Soviet Union over 16 years ago, and Lithuania's integration as a full European Union state, difficulties of SOM data acceptance remain where these results are presented for publication in international journals, due to methodological differences between laboratory protocols. Therefore, the scientific pilot project ‘Carbon sequestration in Lithuanian soils’, supported by the Leverhulme Trust (U.K.), included an objective to correlate soil carbon methodologies, using Lithuanian Eutric Albeluvisols. A comparison of SOM content data acquired using five different analytical methods is reported. The research programme included a specific objective to correlate analytical methods for SOM analyses. A total of 92 Eutric Albeluvisol samples were collected from topsoil (0–0.2 m: Ap, n=36; Ah, n=10) and subsoil (0.2–0.4 m: Bt, n=46) horizons of 46 long-term experimental field plots at the Kaltinenai Research Station of the Lithuanian Institute of Agriculture. Each sample was then subsampled and analysed for SOM using dry combustion (by automatic elemental analyser), Walkley–Black (USDA), Tyurin photometrical, Tyurin titrimetrical and loss-on-ignition (LoI) methods (the later performed, in parallel, in both Lithuania and U.K. laboratories). Linear correlation and paired regression equations were calculated. Correlation coefficients between the sets of results varied between r=0.81–0.96 (from 0–0.2 m, n=46, P<0.001) and r=0.76–0.98 (from 0.2–0.4 m, n=46, P<0.001). Based on the strength and significance of these relationships, it is proposed that simple linear or more complex paired regression equations can be confidently employed to recalculate SOM data between various analytical methodologies. Future work will continue these investigations on other soil units and environments, hereby enhancing the database

Carbon and important macroelements of Terric Histosol after 12 years renaturalization

The aim of this study was to determine the chemical properties of peat soil depending on changes in land-use. The Terric Histosol (HSs) was investigated in this research, and the treatments of former different land-use in Radviliškis site. Chemical analyses were carried out at the Chemical Research Laboratory of LRCAF. After 12 years since the end of field experiment the differences in soil chemical composition remained still between treatments of differently used peat soil. Due to mineralization, the content of soil organic matter (SOM) and SOC respectively decreased, the largest amounts of SOC are stored in the upper soil layer of perennial grasses fertilized with NPK (NPK), there was the highest yield of biomass; and accordingly, the lowest content of SOC – in soil of un-used peat (UU). The distribution of total N and P in profile of Terric Histosol is directly related to the vertical gradient of mineralization intensity; higher amounts of N and P have been accumulated where mineralization was more intense. The distribution of total K is related to land-use of Terric Histosol, whereas the biggest quantity of total K was established in arable land which has been fertilized with mineral fertilisers