Scholarlink

Aims <p>Ethiopian soils are severely degraded and nutrient depleted, calling for effective remediation strategies. Enhancing soil biological activity through the cultivation of perennial forages may improve soil nutrient cycling and ameliorate soils. The aim of this study was to evaluate specific forage species as to their ability to improve soil biological functions.</p> Methods <p>We set up a fully factorial greenhouse experiment with Ethiopian soils from two regions differing in mineralogy, soil type and climate and tested the effect of two grass species <i>Urochloa</i> cv. ‘Cayman’, <i>Megathyrsus maximus</i> (Mombassa), and two legumes, <i>Desmodium intortum</i> (Greenleaf), <i>Stylosanthes guianensis</i> (Ubon) grown in single stands and mixtures on soil chemical and microbial variables. After 12&#xa0;weeks of unfertilized growth, we measured soil mineral nitrogen (N), respiration, exoenzyme activities, microbial biomass N and phosphorus and the symbiotic performance of legumes.</p> Results <p>Soils from lower altitude Sidama region had 24% higher soil microbial activity than those from higher altitude Amhara. Aboveground N yield and shoot:root ratios were good indicators for stimulating effects on soil microbial functions, with <i>S. guianensis</i> having the strongest effect. Mixtures did not perform better than single stands. Legumes induced a 15% increase in acid phosphatase (AP) and 34% increase in N-enzyme activity which improved P-supply in three of the four soils.</p> Conclusions <p>AP-activity was stimulated by legumes in all soils but the overall ameliorative effect of perennial forage species appeared to be highly soil dependent. Plant effects on soil biological functions are more pronounced in less acidic soils with higher extractable P.</p>

错误：搜索内容不能为空，请输入英文关键词
错误：关键词超出字数限制，请精简
高级检索

Soil microbial responses to perennial forage plant cultivation in degraded Ethiopian soils – a greenhouse experiment

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

    开放获取

  • 发表日期：

    2026年4月6日

查看全文
  • Niklas J. Wickander,
  • Marit Jørgensen,
  • Peter Dörsch

摘要

Aims

Ethiopian soils are severely degraded and nutrient depleted, calling for effective remediation strategies. Enhancing soil biological activity through the cultivation of perennial forages may improve soil nutrient cycling and ameliorate soils. The aim of this study was to evaluate specific forage species as to their ability to improve soil biological functions.

Methods

We set up a fully factorial greenhouse experiment with Ethiopian soils from two regions differing in mineralogy, soil type and climate and tested the effect of two grass species Urochloa cv. ‘Cayman’, Megathyrsus maximus (Mombassa), and two legumes, Desmodium intortum (Greenleaf), Stylosanthes guianensis (Ubon) grown in single stands and mixtures on soil chemical and microbial variables. After 12 weeks of unfertilized growth, we measured soil mineral nitrogen (N), respiration, exoenzyme activities, microbial biomass N and phosphorus and the symbiotic performance of legumes.

Results

Soils from lower altitude Sidama region had 24% higher soil microbial activity than those from higher altitude Amhara. Aboveground N yield and shoot:root ratios were good indicators for stimulating effects on soil microbial functions, with S. guianensis having the strongest effect. Mixtures did not perform better than single stands. Legumes induced a 15% increase in acid phosphatase (AP) and 34% increase in N-enzyme activity which improved P-supply in three of the four soils.

Conclusions

AP-activity was stimulated by legumes in all soils but the overall ameliorative effect of perennial forage species appeared to be highly soil dependent. Plant effects on soil biological functions are more pronounced in less acidic soils with higher extractable P.