MERCI: A simple method and decision-support tool to estimate availability of nitrogen from a wide range of cover crops to the next cash crop

Constantin Julie, Minette Sébastien, Véricel Gregory, Jordan-Meille Lionel, Justes Eric. 2024. MERCI: A simple method and decision-support tool to estimate availability of nitrogen from a wide range of cover crops to the next cash crop. Plant and Soil, 494 : 333-351.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-023-06283-1

Article de revue ; Article de recherche ; Article de revue à facteur d'impact

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Résumé : Background and aims: Cover crops can efficiently increase nitrogen (N) recycling in agroecosystems. By providing a green-manure effect for the next crop, they allow reduced mineral fertilisation. We developed a decision-support tool, called MERCI, to predict N available from cover crop residues over time, from a single measurement of fresh shoot biomass. Methods: We coupled a large experimental database from France with a simulation experiment using the soil-crop model STICS. More than 25 000 measurements of 74 species of cover crops as a sole crop or bispecific mixtures were collected. Linear regression models, at the species, family or entire-database level depending on the data available, were built to predict dry biomass, N amount and C:N ratio. Dynamics of N mineralized and leaching from cover crop residues were predicted at 24 contrasting sites as a function of the biomass, carbon (C):N ratio and termination date. Results: Correlations between fresh biomass, dry biomass and N amounts in experimental data were strong (r = 0.80-0.96), and predicted N amounts in fresh shoot biomass were relatively accurate. Percentages of N mineralized and leached simulated by STICS were explained mainly by the C:N ratio, site and number of months after termination, but to different degrees. Conclusion: MERCI is an easy and robust decision-support tool for predicting N release in the field, and could thus be adopted by advisors and farmers to improve management of nutrient recycling in temperate arable cropping systems.

Mots-clés Agrovoc : plante de couverture, biomasse, agroécosystème, agroécologie, système de culture, teneur en éléments minéraux, résidu de récolte, banque de données, lessivage du sol, modèle de simulation

Mots-clés géographiques Agrovoc : France

Mots-clés libres : Cover crop, Nitrogen, Decision-support tool

Classification Agris : F60 - Physiologie et biochimie végétale
F04 - Fertilisation
U10 - Informatique, mathématiques et statistiques

Champ stratégique Cirad : CTS 2 (2019-) - Transitions agroécologiques

Agences de financement hors UE : Ministère de l'Agriculture et de l'Alimentation

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