Open AccessNitrate effects on N2 fixation, growth and feed quality of lucerne and perennial lupin
Author(s) -
Eilish Burrows,
Annamaria Mills,
Dan Dash,
Dave Jack,
Mitchell Andrews,
Alistair Black
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
journal of new zealand grasslands
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.179
H-Index - 2
eISSN - 2463-2880
pISSN - 2463-2872
DOI - 10.33584/jnzg.2021.83.3511
Subject(s) - perennial plant , shoot , agronomy , fodder , biology , legume , horticulture
The effects of NO3– supply (0–500 kg N/ha) on total plant dry weight (DW), shoot N content and nutritional quality, and the proportion of plant N derived from the atmosphere (%Ndfa) were determined for lucerne and perennial lupin using 15NO3– under glasshouse conditions. Fodder beet was used as a non-legume control plant. The experiment was repeated. In both the initial and repeat experiments, total plant DW, shoot N% and shoot nutritional quality for lucerne and perennial lupin were not affected by NO3– supply. Total plant DW increased 10-fold and shoot N% tripled for fodder beet with increased N supply. In the initial experiment, the %Ndfa for lucerne decreased from 89 to 37% with increased N supply from 0 to 500 kg N/ha: comparable values for perennial lupin were 96 to 64%. In the repeat experiment, %Ndfa decreased from 90 to 49% and 93 to 65% for lucerne and perennial lupin, respectively, with increased NO3– supply from 0 to 500 kg N/ha. Both legumes showed an increased reliance on NO3– with increased soil NO3– level, but even at 500 kg N/ha (similar to N in sheep urine patch) perennial lupin obtained much of its N from N2 fixation.