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Decomposition of leguminous plant roots in sand. I.—transformation of nitrogen compounds
Author(s) -
Myskow W.,
Morrison R. I.
Publication year - 1963
Publication title -
journal of the science of food and agriculture
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 142
eISSN - 1097-0010
pISSN - 0022-5142
DOI - 10.1002/jsfa.2740141107
Subject(s) - nitrogen , lupinus , decomposition , chemistry , composition (language) , amino acid , botany , nitrification , hydrolysate , horticulture , agronomy , food science , biology , hydrolysis , organic chemistry , biochemistry , linguistics , philosophy
The rates of biological decomposition and transformation of nitrogen compounds, especially free and combined amino‐acids, in roots of yellow lupin (Lupinus luteus) and white melilot (Melilotus alba) in washed‐sand culture were studied. Most of the free amino‐acids in the sand‐root mixtures were broken down early in the experiment, but the amounts of certain free amino‐acids and of free glucosamine increased at times in both series. The composition of the combined amino‐acid hydrolysate of the melilot material at the end of the experiment differed noticeably from that at the beginning; the difference was smaller in the lupin material. The insoluble organic nitrogen content of the sand‐lupin root mixture changed little during the experimental period, but it decreased rapidly in the sand‐melilot root mixture. As organic nitrogen compounds were mineralised, ammonia was liberated and nitrogen lost. At the end of the experiment this loss was 64% with melilot roots but only 9% with lupin roots. In the experiment with melilot roots nitrification started at 10 days, and with lupin roots at 2 months.