Pulse Brain · Growing Health Evidence Index
Peer-reviewed

Cover crop residue diversity enhances microbial activity and biomass with additive effects on microbial structure†

Xin Shu; Yiran Zou; Liz J. Shaw; Lindsay Todman; Mark Tibbett; Tom Sizmur

Soil Research · 2021

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Summary

Context Cover crops are used to improve soil fertility and environmental sustainability. Decomposition of cover crop residues can affect belowground microbial communities and activity, which is important for soil functions (e.g. nutrient cycling, organic matter decomposition). Aims We investiagated the effect of plant residues from a range of cover crop species on soil microbial activity, diversity and microbial community composition. Methods A mixture of four cover crop residues (buckwheat, clover, sunflower, radish) or an equal mass of the residues of each of the individual species were assesse

Source type
Peer-reviewed study
DOI
10.1071/sr21105
Catalogue ID
NRmo9rin9c-0li
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