Effects of grasses and a legume grown in monoculture or mixture on soil organic matter and phosphorus forms
Résumé
Background and Aims Legume use in forage production may replace mineral fertiliser N input by biological nitrogen fixation in grass-legume mixtures. However, these systems may also have high phosphorus requirements. The aim of the study was to determine the amount and composition of C, N and P forms in grassland soil under two different graminaceous species grown in monoculture or in mixture with a legume. Methods Cocksfoot and tall grass fescue were grown for four years as N-fertilised (165 kg ha−1 ) monocultures or in mixture with N2-fixing Lucerne. We analysed for forage yields, soil organic matter (SOM) storage, and soils’ content of soluble as well as insoluble mineral and organic N and P forms.