Current Scenario and Perspectives for Nitrogen Fertilization Strategies on Tropical Perennial Grass Pastures: A Review
Traditional Nitrogen (N) fertilization practices for tropical perennial grass are still based on annual amounts, following flat N rates instalments. This strategy does not consider variations in climatic conditions along the growing season, their impacts on the plant’s demand and the soil N availabi...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2022-08-01
|
| Series: | Agronomy |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/12/9/2079 |
| _version_ | 1797492144704847872 |
|---|---|
| author | Lilian Elgalise Techio Pereira Valdo Rodrigues Herling Adriano Rogerio Bruno Tech |
| author_facet | Lilian Elgalise Techio Pereira Valdo Rodrigues Herling Adriano Rogerio Bruno Tech |
| author_sort | Lilian Elgalise Techio Pereira |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Traditional Nitrogen (N) fertilization practices for tropical perennial grass are still based on annual amounts, following flat N rates instalments. This strategy does not consider variations in climatic conditions along the growing season, their impacts on the plant’s demand and the soil N availability. At regrowth cycles where the amount of soil N released from mineralization or through animal excreta surpass the plant’s demand, most of the N may be lost (as ammonia, nitrate, and nitrous oxide), increasing production costs and environmental pollution. This paper examines current N fertilization and discusses possible gaps in knowledge for the definition of more precise fertilization guidelines in pasture-based livestock systems based on tropical perennial grasses. More precise fertilization practices, based upon site and seasonal-specific recommendations, will substantially contribute to the establishment of best fertilization guidelines. Sustainable approaches can be defined by combining the identification of regrowth cycles where high N rates are required, with enhanced efficiency fertilizers, and/or using grass species with the potential for biological nitrification inhibition. The lack of information on tropical grasses requirements, and soil and climatic factors driving the N fate into the mineralization and immobilization processes and how these factors affect plant’s N demand, still prevents opportunities for tactical applications and the establishment of best management guidelines. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T00:59:23Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-258e924d92bf4a159900bb3e001281db |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4395 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T00:59:23Z |
| publishDate | 2022-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Agronomy |
| spelling | doaj.art-258e924d92bf4a159900bb3e001281db2023-11-23T14:37:00ZengMDPI AGAgronomy2073-43952022-08-01129207910.3390/agronomy12092079Current Scenario and Perspectives for Nitrogen Fertilization Strategies on Tropical Perennial Grass Pastures: A ReviewLilian Elgalise Techio Pereira0Valdo Rodrigues Herling1Adriano Rogerio Bruno Tech2Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Animal Science and Food Engineering (FZEA), University of São Paulo (USP), Av. Duque de Caxias Norte, 225, Pirassununga 13635-900, São Paulo, BrazilDepartment of Animal Science, Faculty of Animal Science and Food Engineering (FZEA), University of São Paulo (USP), Av. Duque de Caxias Norte, 225, Pirassununga 13635-900, São Paulo, BrazilDepartment of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Animal Science and Food Engineering (FZEA), University of São Paulo (USP), Av. Duque de Caxias Norte, 225, Pirassununga 13635-900, São Paulo, BrazilTraditional Nitrogen (N) fertilization practices for tropical perennial grass are still based on annual amounts, following flat N rates instalments. This strategy does not consider variations in climatic conditions along the growing season, their impacts on the plant’s demand and the soil N availability. At regrowth cycles where the amount of soil N released from mineralization or through animal excreta surpass the plant’s demand, most of the N may be lost (as ammonia, nitrate, and nitrous oxide), increasing production costs and environmental pollution. This paper examines current N fertilization and discusses possible gaps in knowledge for the definition of more precise fertilization guidelines in pasture-based livestock systems based on tropical perennial grasses. More precise fertilization practices, based upon site and seasonal-specific recommendations, will substantially contribute to the establishment of best fertilization guidelines. Sustainable approaches can be defined by combining the identification of regrowth cycles where high N rates are required, with enhanced efficiency fertilizers, and/or using grass species with the potential for biological nitrification inhibition. The lack of information on tropical grasses requirements, and soil and climatic factors driving the N fate into the mineralization and immobilization processes and how these factors affect plant’s N demand, still prevents opportunities for tactical applications and the establishment of best management guidelines.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/12/9/2079environmental N lossesfertilizer managementlitter qualitysite-specific nutrient managementsoil N mineralization |
| spellingShingle | Lilian Elgalise Techio Pereira Valdo Rodrigues Herling Adriano Rogerio Bruno Tech Current Scenario and Perspectives for Nitrogen Fertilization Strategies on Tropical Perennial Grass Pastures: A Review Agronomy environmental N losses fertilizer management litter quality site-specific nutrient management soil N mineralization |
| title | Current Scenario and Perspectives for Nitrogen Fertilization Strategies on Tropical Perennial Grass Pastures: A Review |
| title_full | Current Scenario and Perspectives for Nitrogen Fertilization Strategies on Tropical Perennial Grass Pastures: A Review |
| title_fullStr | Current Scenario and Perspectives for Nitrogen Fertilization Strategies on Tropical Perennial Grass Pastures: A Review |
| title_full_unstemmed | Current Scenario and Perspectives for Nitrogen Fertilization Strategies on Tropical Perennial Grass Pastures: A Review |
| title_short | Current Scenario and Perspectives for Nitrogen Fertilization Strategies on Tropical Perennial Grass Pastures: A Review |
| title_sort | current scenario and perspectives for nitrogen fertilization strategies on tropical perennial grass pastures a review |
| topic | environmental N losses fertilizer management litter quality site-specific nutrient management soil N mineralization |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/12/9/2079 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT lilianelgalisetechiopereira currentscenarioandperspectivesfornitrogenfertilizationstrategiesontropicalperennialgrasspasturesareview AT valdorodriguesherling currentscenarioandperspectivesfornitrogenfertilizationstrategiesontropicalperennialgrasspasturesareview AT adrianorogeriobrunotech currentscenarioandperspectivesfornitrogenfertilizationstrategiesontropicalperennialgrasspasturesareview |