1. Enhancing Soil Nitrogen Availability in Corn-Based Cropping Systems

The development of sustainable N management systems requires a better understanding of the contribution of on-farm resources to the active N pool size and its mineralization. This study explores the effect of substrate diversity and living corn roots on improving N supply through mineralization. A "diverse system", consisting of a corn (Zea mays L.)-corn-soybean (Glycine mar L.)-wheat (Triticum aesiiwrm L.) rotation with cover crops and fertilized with composted manure was compared with a corn monoculture...