@article{soto_luna-orea_wagger_smyth_alvarado_2005, title={Foliage residue decomposition and nutrient release in peach palm (Bactris gasipaes Kunth) plantations for heart-of-palm production in Costa Rica}, volume={97}, ISSN={["1435-0645"]}, DOI={10.2134/agronj2004.0250}, abstractNote={Peach palm (Bactris gasipaes Kunth) for heart‐of‐palm production exports relatively low amounts of nutrients from the field and leaves considerable amounts of residue and nutrients on the ground as mulch. The primary objective of this study was to gain an understanding of residue decomposition and nutrient release patterns of peach palm foliage in a mature plantation in Costa Rica. The study was conducted within a 16‐yr commercial peach palm stand during two typically seasonal wet periods and one typically dry period. The third leaf of the five leaves cut during harvest of the stem portion were placed in 1‐mm mesh nylon bags. Bags were placed on the soil surface and retrieved at 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 24, 32, 40, and 48 wk. Initial residue N concentrations over the three placement periods ranged from 24.2 to 28.1 g kg−1, C to N ratios between 16:1 and 17:1, cellulose from 251 to 325 g kg−1, and lignin from 80 to 104 g kg−1. There was no effect of seasonal periods on residue decomposition and N, P, and K release. Residue decomposition and nutrient release were best fitted by single‐exponential, three‐parameter models. The residue decomposition rate was 0.1472 wk−1 while nutrient release rates ranged from 0.0297 to 0.2998 wk−1. The potentially available nutrient pools in 4‐ and 8‐yr peach palm stands from a companion experiment ranged on an annual basis from 93 to 107 kg N ha−1, 14 to 15 kg P ha−1, 90 to 116 kg K ha−1, 19 to 23 kg Ca ha−1, and 13 to 14 kg Mg ha−1. The relatively rapid decomposition and nutrient release rates would seem to be ideal for this perennial cropping system where plants are continuously absorbing nutrients during the year to support the growth of offshoots that eventually become harvestable stems.}, number={5}, journal={AGRONOMY JOURNAL}, author={Soto, G and Luna-Orea, P and Wagger, MG and Smyth, TJ and Alvarado, A}, year={2005}, pages={1396–1402} }
 @article{njunie_wagger_luna-orea_2004, title={Residue decomposition and nutrient release dynamics from two tropical forage legumes in a Kenyan environment}, volume={96}, ISSN={["1435-0645"]}, DOI={10.2134/agronj2004.1073}, abstractNote={Soil fertility decline is one of the factors limiting food production on the east coast of Africa. Increased awareness by smallholder farmers of the role of legumes as sources of food and fodder and for soil fertility improvement has stimulated research on the influence of herbaceous legumes in various cropping systems. Decomposition and nutrient release from foliage of legume species clitoria (Clitoria ternatea L.) and dolichos (Lablab purpureus L.) planted in monoculture and as an intercrop with tropical food crops cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) and maize (Zea mays L.) were evaluated under field conditions in fine‐loamy, kaolinitic, isohyperthermic, arenic Paleustalfs. The nylon mesh bag technique was used to obtain data to calculate the residue decomposition and nutrient release rates of the clitoria foliage cut every 6 or 10 wk and dolichos foliage cut at 2 or 4 mo. Asymptotic models provided the best fit for both dry matter decomposition and nutrient release. Legume residue decomposition rates (k) were unaffected by cropping system, with values of 0.2 and 0.5 wk−1 for clitoria and dolichos, respectively. Across cutting management strategies, the general order of nutrient release for clitoria at 6 or 10 wk was K > P > Mg > N; while that of dolichos was K > Mg > P > N and K > P > Mg > N for cuts at 2 and 4 mo, respectively. Overall, the residue N, P, and Mg release curves became asymptotic shortly after 60% of the nutrients had been released. Clitoria and dolichos showed their potential to become sources of nutrients for associated crops while protecting the soil surface.}, number={4}, journal={AGRONOMY JOURNAL}, author={Njunie, MN and Wagger, MG and Luna-Orea, P}, year={2004}, pages={1073–1081} }