Effects of legume mixture on nitrogen fixation and transfer to grasses in spring paddy field

  • Lee, H. (Department of agriculture, Korea National Open University)
  • Published : 2011.11.30

Abstract

Nitrogen fixation by legumes can be valuable sources for organic farming. This study was to investigate the effect of different legume mixtures on nitrogen fixation and transfer to grasses on spring paddy field. Three different mixtures were used (rye+hairy vetch, Italian ryegrass+crimson clover, oat+pea) in a randomized complete block design with three replications and sowed in pots with different sowing rate (5:5 rye:hairy vetch,7:3=Italian:crimson, 6:4=oat:pea) on early March. $(^{15}NH_4)SO_4$ solution at. 99.8 atom%$^{15}N$ was applied to the each pot at the rate of 2kg N $ha^{-1}$ on $16^{th}$ April. Forage were harvested at ground level in heading stage and separated into legume and grass. Total N content and $^{15}N$ value were determined using a continuous flow stable isotope ratio mass spectrometry. DM yield of rye+vetch, Italian+crimson and oat+pea were 6,607, 3,213 and 4,312kg/ha, respectively. Proportion of N from fixation was 0.73(rye+vetch), 0.42(Italian+crimson) and 0.93(oat+pea). The percentages of N transfer from legume to grass were from 61% to 24% in different method by treatments and -35% to 21% in isotope dilution method.

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