LINKING MULCH APPLICATION AND FERTILIZATION WITH ORGANIC SOYBEAN

AND BUCKWHEAT PRODUCTION

Srđan Šeremešić, Maja Manojlović, Monika Tomšik, Nataša Vujić, Goran Jaćimović, Bojan Vojnov

University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Agriculture, Dositeja Obradovića 8, Novi Sad, Serbia

Greensoft ltd., Cara Dušana 49 Novi Sad, Serbia Suncokret DOO, Hajdukovo, Serbia

Email: srdjan.seremesic@polj.uns.ac.rs

Organic agriculture in Serbia • 0,4% of the total arable land under organic control and

certification (cca 15.000 ha)

• Established institution (National association, legislation NAP, center for OA development, certification bodies etc....)

• Non GMO area, favorable pedoclimatic conditions

• Lower level of food processing

• Export orjented production

• Organic area will increase as EU requirement

I n t r o d u c t i o n Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) and Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) are regarded as multifunctional crops in organic agriculture and thus could be successfully alternate and combined.

Possibility of use: • main (cash) crop, • cover crop (undersown/intersown) • stubble crop or green manure

Possibility of use: animal feed, human food

and green manure

weeds infestation, water shortage, uneven emergence successive maturation birds

relative air humidity, slow initial growth/soil preparation suppression from weed uneven ripening

Good preceding crop Lower demand in nutrients Can be easily combined and mixed Short growing period lesser infestation from diseases

Using mulch in organic production • Reduce weed seed germination

• Shade and physically hinder emerging weeds

• Enhance crop growth and competitiveness by conserving soil moisture and sometimes by modifying soil temperature

• After mineralization provide nutrients

• Require additional work and labor + cost • sporadically difficult to obtain mulch from organic farms • After application may require special measures for crops protection • May complicate harvest

Aim of the study • Considering the multifunctionality of buckwheat

and soybean in organic production increase area of those crop could enhance overall sustainability and integrity of organic farm.

• Combination of mulches and commercial fertilizers can eliminate some disadvantages in their production

• The aim of this study is to examine yield and morphological properties of buckwheat and soybean under different mulches and commercial fertilizers.

The experiment was established in semiarid conditions of Pannonian Basin in Center for organic production in Selenča, Vojvodina, Republic

of Serbia

Study area:

The experiment was set up as 2-factorial experiment with 3 type of mulches:

Wood chips (W) 3 kg m2

Wheat Straw (S) 4 kg m2

Living mulch (L)

Matricaria chamomilla (Soybean)

Field pea (Buckwheat)

Control (CON) Commercial fertilizers and soil enhancers: organic NPK (5:3:8) fertilizer (Siforga), Si

Ascophyllum nodosum 2.3% N (Wuxal Ascofol) Wa

Microbiological stimulator (Natur Plasma) Np

Wooden chips Living mulch Wheat straw

Experimental scheme for soybean and buckwheat

Wooden chips

Living mulch Wheat straw

Wheat straw Living mulch

Wooden chips

Control

Soybean cultivar NS Kaća Buckwheat cultivar Novosadska Preceding crop: maize Seed bed preparation: 26. April Sowing: 28. April Inter row cultivation 04. Jun +17. Jun HARVEST: 19.08 soybean / 16.08 buckwheat

Results and discussion

Nr Treatments Soybaen рH CaCO3

%

OM % Total

N %

AL-P2O5

mg/100g

AL-K2O

mg/100g KCl H2O

1 Control 7,48 8,35 2,95 2,70 0,13 10,13 23,19

2 LSi 7,23 8,06 3,37 2,51 0,12 8,98 23,36

3 LNp 7,10 8,04 3,79 2,50 0,12 8,54 20,79

4 LWa 7,09 8,13 3,37 2,52 0,12 7,89 20,63

5 SSi 7,11 8,14 3,79 2,43 0,12 8,34 21,09

6 SNP 7,16 8,18 2,95 2,47 0,12 7,23 20,92

7 SWa 7,16 8,21 3,37 2,43 0,12 8,54 21,09

8 WSi 7,20 8,25 5,06 2,42 0,17 8,28 21,89

9 WNp 7,18 8,30 3,37 2,55 0,13 9,54 21,42

10 WWa 7,31 8,30 3,79 2,78 0,14 7,32 19,57

Soil chemical properties

pH KCl pH H2O CaCO3 % OM % Total N % AL-P2O5

mg/100g

AL-K2O

mg/100g

7,32 8,31 5,10 2,49 0,185 12,0 24,5

Nr Treatments Buckwheat рH CaCO3

%

OM % Total

N %

AL-P2O5

mg/100g

AL-K2O

mg/100g KCl H2O

1 Control 7,37 8,49 4,23 2,08 0,10 6,98 19,83

2 LSi 7,40 8,42 4,23 2,24 0,11 8,20 19,91

3 LNp 7,37 8,40 4,65 2,26 0,11 8,12 18,61

4 LWa 7,42 8,47 5,49 2,15 0,11 8,20 17,98

5 SSi 7,44 8,49 6,76 2,22 0,11 8,88 18,27

6 SNP 7,47 8,47 7,61 2,26 0,11 8,87 17,89

7 SWa 7,53 8,47 7,61 2,22 0,11 8,79 17,47

8 WSi 7,55 8,53 9,72 2,10 0,10 7,78 15,71

9 WNp 7,57 8,50 7,18 2,29 0,11 10,70 18,27

10 WWa 7,55 8,49 6,76 2,15 0,11 10,0 17,89

(W) -Wood chips, (S) - Wheat Straw, (L) -Living mulch, (CON) -Control, (Si)– Siforga, (Wa) - Wuxal ascofol, (Np) - Natur plasma

Residual NO3 in soil (0-30cm)

• More N was found under the treatments with living mulch • Buckwheat has left more NO3 compared with the soybean • In treatment with woodchips N depression was observed

0,00

2,00

4,00

6,00

8,00

10,00

12,00

14,00

16,00

18,00

20,00

CON LSi LNp LWa SSi SNp SWa WSi WNp WWa Average

Re

sid

ua

l N

O3

kg

N/h

a

Buckwheat Soybean

(W) -Wood chips, (S) - Wheat Straw, (L) - Living mulch, (CON) - Control, (Si) – Siforga, (Wa) - Wuxal ascofol, (Np) - Natur plasma

Soil Bulk density

• Control plots were higher in BD more compacted • In general applied treatments were able to decrease BD and decrease

compaction • Lower value was obtained in LWa and Ssi in soybean • Buckwheat was higher compared to soybean

0,50

0,60

0,70

0,80

0,90

1,00

1,10

1,20

1,30

1,40

1,50

1,60

1,70

CON LSi LNp LWa SSi SNp SWa WSi WNp WWa Average

Bu

lk d

en

sit

y g

cm

3

TREATMENTS

Buckwheat Soybean

(W) -Wood chips, (S) - Wheat Straw, (L) - Living mulch, (CON) - Control, (Si) – Siforga, (Wa) - Wuxal ascofol, (Np) - Natur plasma

Total soil porosity

• In soybean higher values in L and SNp • For buck wheat higher values were observed with

woodchips application • In average lower higher values was found after soybean

30

35

40

45

50

55

60

CON LSi LNp LWa SSi SNp SWa WSi WNp WWa Average

To

tal p

oro

sty

(V

ol %

)

TREATMENTS

Buckwheat Soybean

(W) -Wood chips, (S) - Wheat Straw, (L) - Living mulch, (CON) - Control, (Si) – Siforga, (Wa) - Wuxal ascofol, (Np) - Natur plasma

Buckwheat plant height (cm)

• Significantly higher height was observed in woodchips compared to other treatments

• Mulches and commercial fertilizer out performed control

• Woodchips+natur plasma has higher effects of buckwheat plant height

50

60

70

80

90

100

110

120

130

140

CON L S W Si Np Wa

Pla

nt

he

igh

t (

cm

)

TREATMENTS

A B B B a a a

50

60

70

80

90

100

110

120

130

140

150

CON LSi LNp LWa SSi SNp SWa WSi WNp WWa

Pla

nt h

eig

ht (c

m)

TREATMENTS(W) -Wood chips, (S) - Wheat Straw, (L) - Living mulch, (CON) - Control, (Si) – Siforga, (Wa) - Wuxal ascofol, (Np) - Natur plasma

Soybean plant height (cm)

• Woodchips increase soybean height compared to living mulch and straw

• Addition of mulch material was more pronounced in soybean compared to buckwheat

• Single higher values was woodchips and natur plasma

50

55

60

65

70

75

80

85

90

95

CON L S W Si Np Wa

Pla

nt h

eig

ht (

cm

)

TREATMENTS

ABBC aaa

50

60

70

80

90

100

110

120

130

140

150

CON LSi LNp LWa SSi SNp SWa WSi WNp WWa

Pla

nt h

eig

ht (c

m)

TREATMENTS (W) -Wood chips, (S) - Wheat Straw, (L) - Living mulch, (CON) - Control, (Si) – Siforga, (Wa) - Wuxal ascofol, (Np) - Natur plasma

Buckwheat Thousand Grain Weight

• Mulches increase TGW compared to control

• Wheat straw and Siforga produced higher value of TGW

• This trait is specific to variety and average values are 23-25g

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

CON L S W Si Np Wa

Th

ou

san

d G

rain

we

igh

t (g

)

TREATMENTS

AAAB aaa

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

CON LSi LNp LWa SSi SNp SWa WSi WNp WWa

Th

ou

san

d G

rain

we

igh

t (g

)

TREATMENTS(W) -Wood chips, (S) - Wheat Straw, (L) - Living mulch, (CON) - Control, (Si) – Siforga, (Wa) - Wuxal ascofol, (Np) - Natur plasma

Soybean Thousand Grain Weight

• NS Kaća variety is 000 maturity group short vegetation and for human consumption

• Mulch treatment were significantly higher

• Siforga has also produced significant effect on TGW

• Higher value in LSi • Np has lower

effects on this trait 50

70

90

110

130

150

170

190

210

230

250

CON LSi LNp LWa SSi SNp SWa WSi WNp WWa

Th

ou

san

d G

rain

We

igh

t (g

)

TREATMENTS (W) -Wood chips, (S) - Wheat Straw, (L) - Living mulch, (CON) - Control, (Si) – Siforga, (Wa) - Wuxal ascofol, (Np) - Natur plasma

50

70

90

110

130

150

170

190

210

230

250

CON L S W Si Np Wa

Th

ou

san

d G

rain

We

igh

t(g

)

TREATMENTS

AAB babaA

Bukwheat plant dry mass

• Mulches affected plant dry mass compared to control

• Wheat straw and Siforga produce higher plant dry mass

• Siforga has better contributed as application was not foliar

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

CON L S W Si Np Wa

Pla

nt d

ry m

as

s (g

)

TREATMENTS

A AAB aaa

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

CON LSi LNp LWa SSi SNp SWa WSi WNp WWa

Pla

nt d

ry m

as

s (g

)

TREATMENTS (W) -Wood chips, (S) - Wheat Straw, (L) - Living mulch, (CON) - Control, (Si) – Siforga, (Wa) - Wuxal ascofol, (Np) - Natur plasma

Soybean plant dry mass

• In soybean living mulch has affected performance of soybean dry mass also Siforga

• Single higher PDM was in LSi

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

CON L S W Si Np Wa

Pla

nt d

ry m

as

s (g

)

TREATMENTS

ABC A B a

a

a a

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

CON LSi LNp LWa SSi SNp SWa WSi WNp WWa

Pla

nt d

ry m

as

s (g

)

TREATMENTS(W) -Wood chips, (S) - Wheat Straw, (L) - Living mulch, (CON) - Control, (Si) – Siforga, (Wa) - Wuxal ascofol, (Np) - Natur plasma

• Higher grain mass per plant was observed with woodchips

• Siforga has also significantly affected grain mass per plant

• Straw and woodchips +Si were higher in increasing the grain mass per plant

Grain mass per plant of buckwheat

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

CON L S W Si Np Wa

Gra

in m

as

s p

er

pla

nt (g

)

TREATMENTS

AB ABC bb

b

a

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

CON LSi LNp LWa SSi SNp SWa WSi WNp WWa

Gra

in m

as

s p

er

pla

nt (g

)

TREATMENTS (W) -Wood chips, (S) - Wheat Straw, (L) - Living mulch, (CON) - Control, (Si) – Siforga, (Wa) - Wuxal ascofol, (Np) - Natur plasma

Seed mass per plant in soybean

• Higher seed mass was obtained with addition of woodchips and living mulch

• Single higher seed mass was attained in combination of LWa, WWa and Wsi

• Seed mass in control plants was 2-3 lower

0

5

10

15

20

25

CON L S W Si Np Wa

Gra

in m

as

s p

er

pla

nt (g

)

TREATMENTS

B AAC a a a

0

5

10

15

20

25

CON LSi LNp LWa SSi SNp SWa WSi WNp WWa

Gra

in m

as

s p

er

pla

nt (g

)

TREATMENTS (W) -Wood chips, (S) - Wheat Straw, (L) - Living mulch, (CON) - Control, (Si) – Siforga, (Wa) - Wuxal ascofol, (Np) - Natur plasma

Grain yield of buckwheat and soybean

0

1

1

2

2

3

3

4

4

5

CON L S W Si Np Wa

Se

ed

yie

ld k

g h

a-1

TREATMENTS

ABA BC a a

b

a

SOYBEAN

0,00

0,50

1,00

1,50

2,00

2,50

CON L S W Si Np Wa

Gra

in y

ield

kg

ha

-1

TREATMENTS

ABA BC aa

BUCKWHEATb

a

• Living mulch has affected yield for soybean and buckwheat

• In soybean Wa and for buckwheat Si show better result for yield

PCA study reveals that yield change is well explained. The first PC1, accounts for 90% of the total data variance. For soybean there is a strong relation with woodchip application and for buckwheat with living mulches.

C O N C L U S I O N S • Soil chemical properties slightly change more evident in buckwheat

compared to soybean • More residual N was found after buckwheat (living mulch) • Soil bulk density higher after buckwheat while total porosity

increases after soybean • Woodchips affected plant height • TGW increases after mulch application • Siforga has marked effect on plant dry mass in soybean also living

mulch • Grain mass per plant increases after woodchip application and

siforga while in soybean woodchip and living mulch has noticeable effects

• Yield of both, soybean and buckwheat increases with living mulch undersown

Thank you for your attention