EFFECT OF NITROGEN AND AGE OF ALFALFA (Medicago sativa L. ) SEEDING ON GROWTH AND NODULATION WHEN GROWN UNDER A HOT ENVIRONMENT

고온하에서 질소시비가 근류균을 접종한 Alfalfa의 생육부위에 미치는 영향에 관하여

There are differences in opinion as to whether nitrogen fertilizer should be used when establishing alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.). Various reports show that under a hot environment, rhizobia (Rhizobium meliloti) are not as effective in fixing atmospheric nitrogen as they are under moderate temperatures. It is also believed that the addition of nitrogen fertilizer inhibits nodulation of alfalfa seedlings. A replicated experiment was conducted under controlled environmental conditions at the University of Nevada-Reno, Reno, Nevada, USA, to determine the effects of nitrogen application on seedling growth and nodulation of alfalfa grown in a hot environment. Sterile sand was used as the growing media to which a complete nutrient solution minus nitrogen was applied volumetrically to each pot daily. In addition, half of the pots received NH4-$NO_3$, at the rate of 11.2 kg per ha at seeding and at two and four weeks after planting giving a total nitrogen application rate of 33.6 kg per ha during the seven-week experimental period. Rhizobia inoculant (R-12) consisted of a mixture of strains 171-15a, 1682c and 80 PI 265 of (Rhizobium meliloti). Inoculant was applied to the seeds prior to planting and to the sand media at two and four weeks after seeding. Twenty seeds were planted in pots 14.0 cm in diameter and 11.5 cm deep. Plants were thinned to ten plants per pot after emergence and were grown in a controlled environment chamber with a 16-hour light period. Soil temperature at 6 cm depth ranged from 17.4^{\circ}C.$ to 31.1^{\circ}C.$ and had a daily mean of 26.5^{\circ}C.$. Plants were harvested at weekly intervals for seven weeks. Root, shoot and total length, dry weight, volume and number of nodules per plant were determined. Root, shoot, and total length were greater in seedlings grown in soil where nigrogen was applied than that grown in soil to which no nitrogen was applied. The average size of the seedlings as determined by volume and weight was more than two times greater where plants were fertilized with nitrogen. Nodule number per seedling was also greater when nitrogen was applied compared to those which received no nitrogen. The differences were greater as the plants became older. The rhizobia did not fix enough nitrogen for adequate growth of seedlings. This is probably due to high temperature growing conditions that caused the rhizobia to become relatively ineffective as compared to cooler growing conditions. Data suggests it would be desirable to apply nitrogen at seeding when alfalfa is established under hot conditions that occur in mid- or late summer.

영양액을 사용한 고온하의 Growth chamber에서 근류균을 접종한 Alfalfa의 수양시기별 작물명부위에 대한 실표시비의 영향에 관한여 미국 University of Nevada에서 실험한 결과들을 요약하면 다음과 같다. 초장과 그장에 대한 실표시비의 효과는 높이 인정되었으나 근장에 있어서는 유의성이 없는 다소의 증가을 보였다. 실표시비의 작물의 용접과 건물수량은 무실표구에 비하여 2배이상의 증가를 보여 실표시비의 높은 효과를 나타냈다. 근류의 착생수에 있어서도 실표시비의 효과가 인정되었으나 전구 공히 근류균의 활동이 미흡한 것으로 사료된다. 이상의 결과들은 Alfalfa 분배시 소량의 실표시비의 장려를 암시하는 것 같다.