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The Effects of Fertilizer Applications on the Yields and Nodulation of Tropical Kudzu
Author(s) -
Samuels George,
Landrau Pablo
Publication year - 1952
Publication title -
soil science society of america journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.836
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1435-0661
pISSN - 0361-5995
DOI - 10.2136/sssaj1952.03615995001600020011x
Subject(s) - lime , nitrogen , kudzu , ammonium , chemistry , borax , agronomy , horticulture , biology , medicine , raw material , paleontology , alternative medicine , organic chemistry , traditional chinese medicine , pathology
In view of the reported good growth of tropical kudzu, Pueraria phaseoloides javanica , in acid soils (pH 5.5 and below) and the use of nitrogen fertilizers to establish kudzu stand, this study was initiated to determine the effects of liming and nitrogen on yields and nodulation. The tropical kudzu was grown in the greenhouse on Lares clay, an acid lateritic clay with a pH of 4.4. The treatments consisted of a control, nitrogen (1,200 pounds of ammonium sulfate), calcium (10,000 pounds of CaCO 3 ), nitrogen plus calcium, and borax (30 pounds) plus calcium. All treatments received P 2 O 5 and K 2 O at a rate of 100 pounds each per acre. The kudzu was harvested at a crop age of 3 months. The use of nitrogen increased yields significantly over the control with no nitrogen, but the number of nodules per plant decreased very significantly from 59 nodules per plant to 10 nodules per plant. The lime treatment gave higher yields than the control, but not as high as the nitrogen treatment; the number of nodules per plant, however, was highest for the lime treatment. The use of lime and nitrogen in combination gave the highest yields, but the number of nodules per plant was reduced to the same as the treatment with nitrogen only. Lime and borax together gave high yields, parallel to the nitrogen treatment, but the number of nodules per plant was the lowest obtained for any treatment. The nitrogen content showed no statistically significant difference for any treatment.