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Competition for nitrogen-15 depleted ammonium nitrate and nitrogen fixation in arrowleaf clover-gulf ryegrass mixtures

Journal Article · · Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J.; (United States)
OSTI ID:6645736

Yuchi arrowleaf clover (Trifolium vesiculosum Savi) and gulf ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam) are commonly grown together but their competitive relationship for fertilizer N has not been determined. Two greenhouse experiments were conducted to examine this relationship and to determine the effects on biological N/sub 2/ fixation. Seeds were sown in a Norwood soil that was mixed with vermiculite or sand. Nitrogen was applied at different rates during the seedling stage to plants sown in pure and mixed stands. In Exp. I, plants were grown for 8 weeks. In Exp II, plants were grown for 20 weeks and three clippings were taken. The N source was 99% /sup 15/ depleted NH/sub 4/No/sub 3/. Ryegrass in mixed stand accumulated several times more fertilizer N than its clover component. But clover in pure stand accumulated similar quantities of fertilizer N as the ryegrass in pure stand. The percentage of total N/sub 2/ fixed in the clover was usually decreased with increasing fertilizer N rates due to increased fertilizer N uptake. Total N in the clover from N/sub 2/ fixation was often not significantly altered with increasing fertilizer N rates which indicates that fixed N was complimenting the N taken up from the fertilizer.

Research Organization:
Texas A and M Univ., College Station
OSTI ID:
6645736
Journal Information:
Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J.; (United States) Vol. 51:1; ISSN SSSJD
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English