Effects of cultivar and irrigated water quality on sugarcane residue decomposition

DACUNTO, L.; SEMMARTIN, M.; D.O. FERRARO; GHERSA, C. M.

COMMUNICATIONS IN SOIL SCIENCE AND PLANT ANALYSIS

TAYLOR & FRANCIS INC

Lugar: Londres; Año: 2013 vol. 44 p. 1399 - 1411

0010-3624

In sugarcane cropping systems, the green-cane harvesting have progressively replaced the 3 traditional burning of standing crop prior to harvest increasing the role of decomposition as a 4 mechanism to replenish soil nutrients. We examined the impact of cultivar choice and irrigation 5 water quality on decomposition of sugarcane residue. In two independent litterbag experiments we 6 isolated the effect of changes in plant residue quality and irrigated water quality. Cultivars residue 7 exhibited significant variation of carbon and nitrogen concentration, and carbon to nitrogen ratio. 8 Decomposition rate varied among cultivars and those with greater carbon to nitrogen ratios 9 decomposed faster than cultivars with lower ratios. Soil irrigated with river water showed a lower 10 mineral and organic nitrogen concentration and decomposition rate than those irrigated with 11 industry effluent waste-water. These results provide empirical evidence that both cultivar choice 12 and water used for irrigation have a limited but significant impact on plant residue decomposition