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Root nitrogen transformation and mineral composition in selected forage legumes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

L. A. Nnadi  and
I. Haque
L. A. Nnadi
Affiliation:
Soils & Plant Nutrition Section, International Livestock Centre for Africa (ILCA), P.O. Box 5689, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
I. Haque
Affiliation:
Soils & Plant Nutrition Section, International Livestock Centre for Africa (ILCA), P.O. Box 5689, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
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Summary

A study was conducted at Debre Zeit, Ethiopia to examine the differences in mineral composition, root N contents and their rates of transformation in the soil of different species of four genera of forage legumes, Trifolium steudneri (ILCA D/Z), Trifolium steudneri (Shola), Vicia dasycarpa (ILCA 6795), Vicia benghalensis, Lablab purpureus cv. Rongai, Lablab purpureus cv. Highworth, Medicago scutellata cv. Snail and Medicago truncatula cv. Barrel. M. truncatula cv. Barrel had higher N and P values than M. scutellata in both roots and tops. Root N contents of the legumes ranged from 2·43% for Vicia to 0·87% for Lablab. These differences were also reflected in the rates of organic root N transformation in soil as determined in laboratory incubation studies.

The P concentration in the tops of the legumes ranged from 0·32% in Vicia to 0·14% in Medicago spp. The observed P concentration in the Medicago species suggests a low internal P requirement. Potassium concentrations in the Trifolium species were much higher than the average for all legumes.

The results suggest that the Vicia species used in this study could contribute a considerable amount of N to subsequent crops even when the tops are not returned to the soil. Also, the Medicago species are more likely to thrive better under low soil P conditions than the other legumes.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 111 , Issue 3 , December 1988 , pp. 513 - 518
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1988

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