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Decomposition of lupine seeds and seedlings as N fertilizer in organic vegetable production

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Abstract

Background and aims

Nitrogen mineralization of lupine seeds and seedlings to be used as flexible leguminous N source in organic vegetable production was investigated. It was hypothesized that changes in seed chemical composition during germination are associated with increased fertilizer efficiency of seed N.

Methods

Net N mineralization of seed meal and seedlings varying in age was determined in pot and field experiments. The temporal mineralization pattern was quantified by fitting first-order kinetics.

Results

In the pot experiment, seedling C:N ratio declined within 2 weeks from initially 8.8 to a minimum of 6.2 prior to a re-increase. Maximum net N mineralization increased strongly with decreasing C:N ratio being up to 44% higher for seedlings compared to seed meal. Time course of net N mineralization in the field showed initial peaks partly exceeding the amount of applied lupine seed N. Ignoring mineralization peaks, the relationship between maximum net N mineralization and C:N ratio was in close agreement with pot experimental data. The critical C:N ratio of the pooled data was 13.

Conclusions

Nitrogen mineralization of field-sown lupine seeds can be manipulated by varying seedling growing time until incorporation. High fertilizer efficiency provided by high net N mineralization is associated with early seedling incorporation and high germination rates.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Vegetable Research and Information Center, State Institute for Agriculture and Fisheries Mecklenburg-West Pomerania, Dorfplatz 1, 18276, Gülzow, Germany

    Kai-Uwe Katroschan

  2. Institute of Biological Production Systems, Vegetable Systems Modelling, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Herrenhäuser Str. 2, 30419, Hannover, Germany

    Kai-Uwe Katroschan, Gonçalo Teixeira, Katrin Kahlen & Hartmut Stützel

  3. Department of Vegetable Crops, Geisenheim Research Center, Von-Lade-Straße 1, 65366, Geisenheim, Germany

    Katrin Kahlen

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  1. Kai-Uwe Katroschan
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  2. Gonçalo Teixeira
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  3. Katrin Kahlen
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  4. Hartmut Stützel
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Correspondence to Kai-Uwe Katroschan.

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Responsible Editor: Hans Lambers.

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Katroschan, KU., Teixeira, G., Kahlen, K. et al. Decomposition of lupine seeds and seedlings as N fertilizer in organic vegetable production. Plant Soil 357, 59–71 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-012-1144-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-012-1144-4

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