02660naa a2200337 a 450000100080000000500110000800800410001902200140006002400370007410000190011124501420013026000090027252016660028165000150194765000250196265000260198765000130201365000170202665000130204365000190205665000290207565000160210465000130212070000240213370000280215770000200218570000210220570000200222670000140224677300620226021059682019-02-14       2018    bl uuuu     u00u1 u    #d  a0011-183X7 a10.2135/cropsci2018.01.00282DOI1 aKOHMANN, M. M.  aNitrogen fertilization and proportion of legume affect litter decomposition and nutrient return in grass pastures.h[electronic resource]  c2018  aWarm-climate grasslands are often N limited. Legume litter decomposition can contribute significantly to N input in grazing systems, but its contribution depends on litter deposition, decomposition, and chemical composition. We evaluated these responses for 2 yr in unfertilized (BG) and fertilized (BGN; 50 kg N ha−1) bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum Flügge) monocultures and in mixed swards of bahiagrass plus the legume rhizoma peanut (Arachis glabrata Benth.). Legume?grass mixture litter had greater initial N concentration (26 g N kg−1 organic matter [OM]) and lower C/N ratio (22) than BG and BGN, which did not differ from each other (18 g N kg−1 OM, C/N ratio of 31). Litter biomass relative decay rate was greater for mixtures than for bahiagrass monocultures. As a result, less biomass and N remained at the end of incubation in mixtures (62 and 76%, respectively) than in monocultures (69 and 80%, respectively). Litter deposition rate was similar across treatments, but faster decomposition and greater N concentration for legume?grass mixtures resulted in larger litter N release than in monocultures (44 and 26 kg ha−1, respectively). At the end of incubation, remaining litter biomass and remaining N decreased with increasing litter legume proportion, whereas litter N concentration and litter decay rate increased. Results indicate that legume?grass mixtures are an alternative to N fertilizer for increasing N cycling through plant litter in grasslands, and although litter deposition rates were similar across treatments, increasing legume proportion in mixtures is likely to be associated with greater litter N release.  aGrasslands  aNitrogen fertilizers  aNutrient requirements  aPastures  aPlant litter  aBiomassa  aDecomposição  aFertilizante Nitrogenado  aNitrogênio  aPastagem1 aSOLLENBERGER, L. E.1 aDUBEUX JUNIOR, J. C. B.1 aSILVEIRA, M. L.1 aMORENO, L. S. B.1 aSILVA, L. S. da1 aARYAL, P.  tCrop Sciencegv. 58, n. 5, p. 2138-2148, Sept./Oct. 2018.