Rotating perennial forages into annual wheat cropping systems: correlations between plant available soil and grain mineral concentrations

Authors: Clemensen, Andrea; Grusak, Michael; Duke, Sara; Franco, Jose; Liebig, Mark; Hendrickson, John; Archer, David

Submitted to: Agrosystems, Geosciences & Environment
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/29/2022
Publication Date: 6/20/2022
Citation: Clemensen, A.K., Grusak, M.A., Duke, S.E., Franco Jr, J.G., Liebig, M.A., Hendrickson, J.R., Archer, D.W. 2022. Rotating perennial forages into annual wheat cropping systems: correlations between plant available soil and grain mineral concentrations. Agrosystems, Geosciences & Environment. 5:e20281. https://doi.org/10.1002/agg2.20281.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/agg2.20281

Interpretive Summary: Different land management techniques may influence both soil and crop quality. However, few studies examine linkages between land management and soil or crop quality. We analyzed soil and wheat grain samples in a dryland cropping study in the northern Great Plains conducted from 2006-2011. We looked at wheat yield, test weight, and protein concentration, and linkages between 11 plant available soil mineral concentrations and 11 wheat grain mineral concentrations following five years of perennial forages compared to a continuous spring wheat system. The perennial forage treatments were either alfalfa, intermediate wheatgrass, or an alfalfa intermediate wheatgrass mixture. Wheat following five years of alfalfa had greater yield, test weight, and protein, yet lower grain Zn concentration. As plant available soil B, Mg, Mn, and S concentrations increased, wheat grain mineral B, Mg, Mn, and S concentration increased. Interestingly, when plant available soil Zn and Ca concentrations increased, the wheat grain Zn and Ca concentrations decreased. Our study shows that integrating perennial forage phases into wheat cropping systems increases wheat yield and protein but may deplete some plant available soil minerals. However, lower plant available mineral concentrations do not always cause grain mineral concentration to be lower. Although incorporating perennials into annual cropping systems can benefit some soil quality parameters it may also deplete plant available soil minerals. This information is useful to producers in improving wheat yield and nutrient concentrations and in making fertilizer application decisions.

Technical Abstract: Land management strategies may influence soil and crop quality, yet few studies examine these associations. We analyzed soil and wheat grain samples in a semi-arid dryland cropping study in the northern Great Plains conducted from 2006-2011. This study assessed how the duration of a perennial forage phase affected the performance of subsequent spring wheat. We compared wheat performance [yield, thousand kernel weight (TKW), and crude protein (CP) concentration], and associations between 11 plant available soil mineral concentrations and 11 wheat grain mineral concentrations following five years of perennial forages of either alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), intermediate wheatgrass (Thinopyrum intermedium (Host) Barkw. & D.R. Dewey sbsp. Intermedium; IWG), or an alfalfa intermediate wheatgrass mixture (MIX), to continuous spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L; CSW). Wheat following five years of alfalfa had greater yield, TKW, and CP, yet lower grain Zn concentration (p = 0.05). Multivariate correlation analysis of plant available soil mineral concentrations and grain mineral concentrations resulted in 121 associations, with six showing correlations for the same soil and grain mineral. Plant available soil and grain B, Mg, Mn, and S concentrations were positively correlated (p = 0.02), while plant available soil and grain Zn and Ca concentrations showed negative associations (p = 0.05). Our study shows that integrating perennial forage phases into wheat cropping systems increases wheat yield and CP but depletes plant available soil minerals. Although integrating perennials into annual cropping systems can benefit some soil quality parameters it may also deplete plant available soil minerals, influencing fertilization recommendations.