Abstract
ABSTRACT Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) crop rotation is regarded as a key procedure for ecological restoration in the semiarid areas of China's Loess Plateau. This study was designed to clarify the soil water restoration in alfalfa crop rotation, to examine the responses of soil nitrogen and organic matter to alfalfa crop conversion in two years, and to assess the adaptability of various rotations for soil water restoration and soil fertility's sustainability. Soil moisture in the millet fields converted from alfalfa grassland was always higher than in alfalfa grassland in the two years after the conversion, which indicates rotation as an efficient way to restore soil water after continuous planting of alfalfa. However, planting millet (Setaria italica Beauv) as it is usually done as local practice, is not helpful for soil water restoration in the first year. In the second year after the conversion, planting potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.), spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), corn (Zea mays L.), and fallow following millet restored soil water by 36.0 mm, 11.3 mm, −1.3 mm and 4.9 mm, respectively, from April to October, and potatoes resulted the best choice in alfalfa crop rotation for soil water restoration. Compared to the continuous alfalfa planting, rotation treatments resulted in lower soil total nitrogen (by 9.9% in 2001 and 21.5% in 2002), lower soil organic matter (by 46.8% in 2001 and 28.1% in 2002), and higher soil mineral nitrogen (by 27.2% in 2002). Among the rotation treatments, soil total nitrogen and organic matter decreased greatly in cornfields, while they remained the same or increased slightly in spring wheat fields. This indicated that if there is no fertilizer application, spring wheat might be the best choice to keep soil fertility in balance for the farmland converted from perennial alfalfa stands in this region, whereas planting corn and other crops with large consumption of soil nutrients should be avoided.
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Claims 16
Claim · model-written summary
Millet fields converted from alfalfa grassland had higher soil moisture than alfalfa grassland over two years.
Verbatim
e0“Soil moisture in the millet fields converted from alfalfa grassland was always higher than in alfalfa grassland in the two years after the conversion”
Claim · model-written summary
Planting millet was not helpful for soil water restoration in the first year.
- Taxon
- millet (Setaria italica Beauv)
Setaria italicae0 - Treatment
- planting millete0
- Outcome
- soil water restoratione0
- Direction
- not helpfule0
- Qualifier
- first yeare0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“However, planting millet (Setaria italica Beauv) as it is usually done as local practice, is not helpful for soil water restoration in the first year.”
Claim · model-written summary
planting potatoes changed soil water by 36.0 mm in the second year after alfalfa conversion.
- Taxon
- potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.)
Solanum tuberosume0 - Treatment
- planting potatoese0
- Outcome
- soil watere0
- Direction
- restorede0
- Value
- 36.0 mme0
- Qualifier
- second year after the conversione0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“In the second year after the conversion, planting potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.), spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), corn (Zea mays L.), and fallow following millet restored soil water by 36.0 mm, 11.3 mm, −1.3 mm and 4.9 mm, respectively, from April to October, and potatoes resulted the best choice in alfalfa crop rotation for soil water restoration.”
Claim · model-written summary
spring wheat changed soil water by 11.3 mm in the second year after alfalfa conversion.
- Taxon
- spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)
Triticum aestivume0 - Treatment
- spring wheate0
- Outcome
- soil watere0
- Direction
- restorede0
- Value
- 11.3 mme0
- Qualifier
- second year after the conversione0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“In the second year after the conversion, planting potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.), spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), corn (Zea mays L.), and fallow following millet restored soil water by 36.0 mm, 11.3 mm, −1.3 mm and 4.9 mm, respectively, from April to October, and potatoes resulted the best choice in alfalfa crop rotation for soil water restoration.”
Claim · model-written summary
corn changed soil water by −1.3 mm in the second year after alfalfa conversion.
- Treatment
- corne0
- Outcome
- soil watere0
- Direction
- restorede0
- Value
- −1.3 mme0
- Qualifier
- second year after the conversione0
Zea maysNot reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“In the second year after the conversion, planting potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.), spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), corn (Zea mays L.), and fallow following millet restored soil water by 36.0 mm, 11.3 mm, −1.3 mm and 4.9 mm, respectively, from April to October, and potatoes resulted the best choice in alfalfa crop rotation for soil water restoration.”
Claim · model-written summary
fallow following millet changed soil water by 4.9 mm in the second year after alfalfa conversion.
- Taxon
- millete0
- Treatment
- fallow following millete0
- Outcome
- soil watere0
- Direction
- restorede0
- Value
- 4.9 mme0
- Qualifier
- second year after the conversione0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“In the second year after the conversion, planting potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.), spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), corn (Zea mays L.), and fallow following millet restored soil water by 36.0 mm, 11.3 mm, −1.3 mm and 4.9 mm, respectively, from April to October, and potatoes resulted the best choice in alfalfa crop rotation for soil water restoration.”
Claim · model-written summary
Potatoes were judged the best rotation choice for restoring soil water.
- Taxon
- potatoesSolanum tuberosume0
- Outcome
- best choice in alfalfa crop rotation for soil water restoratione0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“In the second year after the conversion, planting potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.), spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), corn (Zea mays L.), and fallow following millet restored soil water by 36.0 mm, 11.3 mm, −1.3 mm and 4.9 mm, respectively, from April to October, and potatoes resulted the best choice in alfalfa crop rotation for soil water restoration.”
Claim · model-written summary
Rotation treatments gave lower soil total nitrogen by 9.9% in 2001 than continuous alfalfa.
- Taxon
- Alfalfa
Medicago sativat0 - Treatment
- rotation treatmentse0
- Outcome
- soil total nitrogene0
- Direction
- lowere0
- Value
- 9.9%e0
- Qualifier
- 2001e0
- Comparator
- continuous alfalfa plantinge0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Compared to the continuous alfalfa planting, rotation treatments resulted in lower soil total nitrogen (by 9.9% in 2001 and 21.5% in 2002), lower soil organic matter (by 46.8% in 2001 and 28.1% in 2002), and higher soil mineral nitrogen (by 27.2% in 2002).”
t0“Alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
Rotation treatments gave lower soil total nitrogen by 21.5% in 2002 than continuous alfalfa.
- Taxon
- AlfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Treatment
- rotation treatmentse0
- Outcome
- soil total nitrogene0
- Direction
- lowere0
- Value
- 21.5%e0
- Qualifier
- 2002e0
- Comparator
- continuous alfalfa plantinge0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Compared to the continuous alfalfa planting, rotation treatments resulted in lower soil total nitrogen (by 9.9% in 2001 and 21.5% in 2002), lower soil organic matter (by 46.8% in 2001 and 28.1% in 2002), and higher soil mineral nitrogen (by 27.2% in 2002).”
t0“Alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
Rotation treatments gave lower soil organic matter by 46.8% in 2001 than continuous alfalfa.
- Taxon
- AlfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Treatment
- rotation treatmentse0
- Outcome
- soil organic mattere0
- Direction
- lowere0
- Value
- 46.8%e0
- Qualifier
- 2001e0
- Comparator
- continuous alfalfa plantinge0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Compared to the continuous alfalfa planting, rotation treatments resulted in lower soil total nitrogen (by 9.9% in 2001 and 21.5% in 2002), lower soil organic matter (by 46.8% in 2001 and 28.1% in 2002), and higher soil mineral nitrogen (by 27.2% in 2002).”
t0“Alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
Rotation treatments gave lower soil organic matter by 28.1% in 2002 than continuous alfalfa.
- Taxon
- AlfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Treatment
- rotation treatmentse0
- Outcome
- soil organic mattere0
- Direction
- lowere0
- Value
- 28.1%e0
- Qualifier
- 2002e0
- Comparator
- continuous alfalfa plantinge0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Compared to the continuous alfalfa planting, rotation treatments resulted in lower soil total nitrogen (by 9.9% in 2001 and 21.5% in 2002), lower soil organic matter (by 46.8% in 2001 and 28.1% in 2002), and higher soil mineral nitrogen (by 27.2% in 2002).”
t0“Alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
Rotation treatments gave higher soil mineral nitrogen by 27.2% in 2002 than continuous alfalfa.
- Taxon
- AlfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Treatment
- rotation treatmentse0
- Outcome
- soil mineral nitrogene0
- Direction
- highere0
- Value
- 27.2%e0
- Qualifier
- 2002e0
- Comparator
- continuous alfalfa plantinge0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Compared to the continuous alfalfa planting, rotation treatments resulted in lower soil total nitrogen (by 9.9% in 2001 and 21.5% in 2002), lower soil organic matter (by 46.8% in 2001 and 28.1% in 2002), and higher soil mineral nitrogen (by 27.2% in 2002).”
t0“Alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
Soil total nitrogen and organic matter decreased greatly in cornfields.
- Taxon
- corn
Zea mays subsp. mayse0 - Outcome
- soil total nitrogen and organic mattere0
- Direction
- decreased greatlye0
- Setting
- cornfieldse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Among the rotation treatments, soil total nitrogen and organic matter decreased greatly in cornfields, while they remained the same or increased slightly in spring wheat fields.”
Claim · model-written summary
Soil total nitrogen and organic matter remained the same or increased slightly in spring wheat fields.
- Taxon
- spring wheatTriticum aestivume0
- Outcome
- soil total nitrogen and organic mattere0
- Direction
- remained the same or increased slightlye0
- Setting
- spring wheat fieldse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Among the rotation treatments, soil total nitrogen and organic matter decreased greatly in cornfields, while they remained the same or increased slightly in spring wheat fields.”
Claim · model-written summary
Without fertilizer, spring wheat might best maintain soil fertility after alfalfa conversion.
- Taxon
- spring wheatTriticum aestivume0
- Outcome
- keep soil fertility in balancee0
- Qualifier
- if there is no fertilizer applicatione0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“This indicated that if there is no fertilizer application, spring wheat might be the best choice to keep soil fertility in balance for the farmland converted from perennial alfalfa stands in this region, whereas planting corn and other crops with large consumption of soil nutrients should be avoided.”
Claim · model-written summary
Planting corn and other nutrient-demanding crops should be avoided after alfalfa conversion without fertilizer.
- Taxon
- cornZea mays subsp. mayse0
- Outcome
- planting corn and other crops with large consumption of soil nutrients should be avoidede0
- Qualifier
- if there is no fertilizer applicatione0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“This indicated that if there is no fertilizer application, spring wheat might be the best choice to keep soil fertility in balance for the farmland converted from perennial alfalfa stands in this region, whereas planting corn and other crops with large consumption of soil nutrients should be avoided.”
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