Abstract
In 1985, 1986 and 1988, maize (Zea mays L.) was monocropped or intercropped with nodulating or nonnodulating soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr.). In addition, nodulating soybean and nonnodulating soybean were each monocropped and grown as a mixture. In 1985 and 1986, treatments were grown at 0 and 60 kg N ha−1 and in 1988, the treatments were grown without N fertilizer, on N-depeted soil and on non-N-depleted soil. 15N enriched N was applied to soil in all the aforementioned treatments to test for N transfer from nodulating soybean to non-N2-fixing crops by the 15N dilution method.
The 15N dilution method did not show the occurrence of N transfer in 1985 and 1986, but the N sparing effect was evident from the total N uptake of nonnodulating soybean, dwarf maize and tall maize, in 1986. In 1988, maize and nonnodulating soybean seed yields and seed N yields were higher on non-N-depleted soil than on N-depleted soil. On N-depleted soil, the 15N dilution method indicated N transfer from nodulating soybean to maize and to nonndulating soybean. At a population ratio of 67% nodulating soybean to 33% nonnodulating soybean, N transfer was also seen on non-N-depleted soil in 1988.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Broadbent F E, Nakashima T and Chang G Y 1982 Estimation of nitrogen fixation by isotope dilution in field and green house experiments. Agron. J. 74, 625–628.
Eaglesham A R J, Ayanaba A, Ranga Rao V and Eskew D L 1981 Improving the nitrogen nutrition of maize by intercropping with cowpea. Soil Biol. Biochem. 13, 169–171.
Elmore R W and Jackobs J A 1986 Yield and nitrogen yield of sorghum intercropped with nodulating and nonnodulating soybeans. Agron. J. 78, 780–782.
Environment Canada 1985 Monthly records of meteorological observations in Canada at Ottawa International Airport. Atmospheric Environment Service of Environment Canada.
Environment Canada 1986 Monthly records of meteorological observations in Canada at Ottawa International Airport. Atmospheric Environment Service of Environment Canada.
Environment Canada 1988 Monthly records of meteorological observations in Canada at Ottawa International Airport. Atmospheric Environment Service of Environment Canada.
Fiedler R and Proksch G 1975 The determination of nitrogen-15 by emission and mass spectrometry in biochemical analysis: A review. Anal. Chim. Acta 78, 1–62.
Goodroad L L and Jellum M D 1988 Effect of N fertilizer rate and soil pH on N efficiency in corn. Plant and Soil 106, 85–89.
Hardarson G, Danso S K A and Zapata F 1988 Dinitrogen fixation measurements in alfalfa-ryegrass swards using nitrogen-15 and influence of the reference crop. Crop Sci. 28, 101–105.
Knowles R 1980 Nitrogen fixation in natural plant communities and soils. In Methods for Evaluating Biological Nitrogen Fixation. Ed. F JBergersen. pp. 557–582. Wiley: New York.
Martin R C, Voldeng H D and Smith D L 1990 Intercropping corn and soybean for high-protein silage in a cool temperature region: Yield, protein and economic benefits. Field Crops Res. 23, 295–310.
Martin R C, Voldeng H O and Smith D L 1991 Nitrogen transfer from nodulating soybean in intercrops: Direct 15N labelling methods. New Phytol. In press.
Patra D D, Sachdev M S and Subbiah B V 1986 15N studies on the transfer of legume-fixed nitrogen to associated cereals in intercropping systems. Biol. Fertil. Soils 2, 165–171.
Preston C M, Preston J M and Callway E G 1981 Inexpensive 15N analysis of agricultural samples by optical emission spectroscopy employing a simple, one-step dumas sample preparation procedure. Can. J. Spectrosc. 26, 239–244.
Rennie R J 1982 Quantifying dinitrogen (N2) fixation in soybeans by 15N isotope dilution: The question of the nonfixing control plant. Can. J. Bot. 60, 856–861.
SAS Institute Inc. 1982 SAS User's Guide: Statistical Analysis Institute Inc., Cary, NC.
Smith D L, Dijak M and Hume D J 1988 Effects of irrigation and fertilizer N on N accumulation and partitioning in white bean and soybean. Can. J. Plant Sci. 68, 31–39.
Smith D L and Hume D J 1987 Comparison of assay methods for N2 fixation utilizing white bean and soybean. Can. J. Plant Sci. 67, 11–19.
Steel R G D and Torrie J H 1980 Principles and Procedures of Statistics. McGraw-Hill, New York.
Stutte C A, Weiland R T and Blem A R 1979 Gaseous nitrogen loss from soybean foliage. Agron. J. 71, 95–97.
Ta T C and Faris M A 1987 Effects of alfalfa proportions and clipping frequencies on timothy-alfalfa mixtures. II. Nitrogen fixation and transfer. Agron. J. 79, 820–824.
Talbott H J, Kenworthy W J, Legg J O and Douglass L W 1985 Soil-nitrogen accumulation in nodulated and nonnodulated soybeans: A verification of the difference method by a 15N technique. Field Crops Res. 11, 55–67.
Vallis I, Haydock K P, Ross P J and Henzell E F 1967 Isotropic studies on the uptake of nitrogen by pasture plants. III. The uptake of small additions of 15N-labelled fertilizer by Rhodes grass and Townesville lucerne. Aust. J. Agric. Res. 18, 865–877.
VanKessel C, Singleton P W and Hoben H J 1985 Enhanced N-transfer from a soybean to maize by vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungi. Plant. Physiol. 79, 562–563.
VanKessel C and Roskoski J P 1988 Row spacing effects on N2-fixation, N-yield and soil N uptake of intercropped cowpea and maize. Plant and Soil 111, 17–23.
Vest G 1971 Nitrogen increases in a non-nodulating soybean genotype grown with nodulating genotypes. Agron. J. 63, 356–359.
Willey R W 1979 Intercropping—its importance and research needs. Parts I and II. Field Crop Abstr. 32, 1–10, 73–85.
Witty J F and Ritz K 1984 Slow-release 15N fertilizer formulations to measure N2-fixation by isotope dilution. Soil Biol. Biochem. 16, 657–661.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Martin, R.C., Voldeng, H.D. & Smith, D.L. Nitrogen transfer from nodulating soybean to maize or to nonnodulating soybean in intercrops: the 15N dilution method. Plant Soil 132, 53–63 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00011012
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00011012