Publications

Gentsch N., Boy J., Batalla J., Heuermann D., von Wirén N., Schweneker D., Feuerstein U., Groß J., Bauer B., Reinhold-Hurek B., Hurek T., Céspedes F., Guggenberger G. (2020). Catch crop diversity increases rhizosphere carbon input and soil microbial biomass. Biology and Fertility of Soils, 56(7), 943-957. doi:10.1007/s00374-020-01475-8

Abstract Catch crops increase plant species richness in crop rotations, but are most often grown as pure stands. Here, we investigate the impacts of increasing plant diversity in catch crop rotations on rhizosphere C input and microbial utilization. Mustard (Sinapis alba L.) planted as a single cul…

Heuermann D., Gentsch N., Boy J., Schweneker D., Feuerstein U., Groß J., Bauer B., Guggenberger G., von Wirén N. (2019). Interspecific competition among catch crops modifies vertical root biomass distribution and nitrate scavenging in soils. Scientific Reports, 9(1), . doi:10.1038/s41598-019-48060-0

Improving N cycling in agroecosystems is one of the key challenges in reducing the environmental footprint of agriculture. Further, uncertainty in precipitation makes crop water management relevant in regions where it has not been necessary thus far. Here, we focus on the potential of winter-killed …