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Recovery of Leucaena and Dactyladenia Residue Nitrogen‐15 in Alley Cropping Systems
Author(s) -
Vanlauwe B.,
Sanginga N.,
Merckx R.
Publication year - 1998
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/sssaj1998.03615995006200020023x
Subject(s) - leucaena , leucaena leucocephala , residue (chemistry) , agronomy , vigna , crop residue , multipurpose tree , biology , horticulture , botany , woody plant , ecology , biochemistry , agriculture
Quantification of the fate of residue N is essential in low‐input tropical cropping systems for the development of management practices that optimize N‐use efficiency. The recovery of N from 15 N‐labeled leucaena [ Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit] and dactyladenia [ Dactyladenia barteri (Hook fex Oliv.) Engl.] leaf residues was followed in the soil, crop, and hedgerow of the respective alley cropping systems during three maize ( Zea mays L.) and two cowpea ( Vigna unguiculata L. Walp. subsp. unguiculata ) seasons. More residue N was recovered in the top 5 cm of soil in the leucaena than in the dactyladenia microplot during the first 471 d after residue application (DAA). The first maize crop recovered 8.6 and 5.2% of the N from leucaena and dactyladenia, respectively, while the two subsequent crops recovered <1%. The cowpea plants in the leucaena and dactyladenia microplots contained 0.5 and 1.1% of the residue N in the first harvest. Sixteen and 9% of the residue N was recovered by the leucaena hedgerow in the first and second pruning following residue application. The dactyladenia hedges recovered maximally 3.1% of the residue N in a single pruning. The total N recovery in the leucaena microplots was ≈90% at 120 and 471 DAA, compared with 56 and 35% in the dactyladenia microplots. At 858 DAA, 62% of the added leucaena N was accounted for, compared with 25% of the dactyladenia N. Residue quality was shown to have a major impact on the dynamics of applied residue N in alley cropping systems and will be an important factor in deciding which residue‐supplying plant species to integrate into similar cropping systems.