Summary
This field experiment in Mediterranean conditions evaluated the effect of replacing winter fallow with vetch or barley cover crops on greenhouse gas emissions during intercrop and maize cropping periods, with nitrogen fertilisation managed according to integrated soil fertility management principles. Although cover crops increased N2O emissions during the intercrop period, the combination of cover crops with adjusted synthetic nitrogen rates resulted in similar cumulative N2O emissions and N surplus by the end of the maize season as the fallow treatment. The findings suggest that both legume and non-legume cover crops can be integrated with soil fertility management to reduce synthetic nitrogen requirements without increasing cumulative or yield-scaled N2O losses.
UK applicability
The Mediterranean field conditions and irrigation management may limit direct applicability to rainfed UK arable systems, though the integrated soil fertility management approach and cover crop species tested (vetch and barley) are relevant to UK practice. The relatively low cumulative N2O baseline (0.57–0.75 kg N2O-N ha−1 yr−1) may differ under UK soil and climatic conditions, requiring localised validation.
Key measures
Cumulative N2O emissions (kg N2O-N ha−1 yr−1), yield-scaled N2O emissions (g N2O-N kg aboveground N uptake−1), CH4 and CO2 fluxes, maize N uptake, soil mineral N concentrations, soil temperature and moisture, dissolved organic carbon, N surplus (kg N ha−1)
Outcomes reported
The study measured cumulative and yield-scaled nitrous oxide emissions, methane and carbon dioxide fluxes, maize nitrogen uptake, soil mineral nitrogen concentrations, and soil physical and chemical properties across winter fallow and cover crop treatments. Outcomes included direct comparison of GHG emissions during intercrop and maize cropping periods under integrated soil fertility management.
Topic tags
Dig deeper with Pulse AI.
Pulse AI has read the whole catalogue. Ask about this record, its theme, or how the findings apply to UK farming and policy — every answer cites the underlying studies.