Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

N transfer in three-species grass-clover mixtures with chicory, ribwort plantain or caraway

  • Regular Article
  • Published:
Plant and Soil Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background and aims

There is substantial evidence that legume-derived Nitrogen (N) is transferred to neighboring non-legumes in grassland mixtures. However, there is sparse information about how deep rooted non-legume forage herbs (forbs) influence N transfer in multi-species grasslands.

Methodology

Red clover (Trifolium pretense L.) was grown together with perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) and one of three forb species: chicory (Cichorium intybus L.), ribwort plantain (Plantago lanceolata L.) or caraway (Carum carvi L.) in a field experiment. During the first year after the establishment, red clover leaves were labeled with 15N-urea to determine the N transfer from red clover to companion ryegrass and forbs.

Results

On an annual basis, up to 15 % of red clover N was transferred to the companion ryegrass and forbs, but predominantly to the grass. The forb species did not differ in their ability to take up clover N, but biomass production and soil N acquisition was higher in chicory and plantain than in caraway.

Conclusions

Grass relied to a great extent on clover N, whereas forbs relied on soil N. Soil 15N-enrichment indicated that N transfer occurred in the upper soil layers and that a dependence on clover-derived N did not necessarily give grass a growth advantage.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Carlsson G, Huss-Danell K (2003) Nitrogen fixation in perennial forage legumes in the field. Plant Soil 253:353–372

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Carlsson G, Huss-Danell K (2014) Does nitrogen transfer between plants confound 15N-based quantifications of N2 fixation? Plant Soil 374:345–358

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chalk P, Smith C (1997) Estimating nitrogen transfer by foliar 15N-labelling in legume–non-legume associations. Biol Fertil Soils 24:239–242

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chalk PM, Peoples MB, McNeill AM, Boddey RM, Unkovich MJ, Gardener MJ, Silva CF, Chen D (2014) Methodologies for estimating nitrogen transfer between legumes and companion species in agro-ecosystems: a review of 15N-enriched techniques. Soil Biol Biochem 73:10–21

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • R Core Team (2014) R: a language and environment for statistical computing. R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna. URL http://www.R-project.org/

  • Dahlin AS, Stenberg M (2010) Transfer of N from red clover to perennial ryegrass in mixed stands under different cutting strategies. Eur J Agron 33:149–156

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Daudin D, Sierra J (2008) Spatial and temporal variation of below-ground N transfer from a leguminous tree to an associated grass in an agroforestry system. Agric Ecosyst Environ 126:275–280

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Eriksen J, Strandberg B, Søegaard K (2011) Ecosystem services of biodiversity in organic grasslands. ICROFS news, p 8–9

  • Eriksen J, Mortensen T, Søegaard K (2012) Root biomass and carbon storage in differently managed multispecies temporary grasslands. Grassl Sci Eur 17:610–612

    Google Scholar 

  • Eriksen J, Askegaard M, Rasmussen J, Søegaard K (2015) Nitrate leaching and residual effect in dairy crop rotations with grass–clover leys as influenced by sward age, grazing, cutting and fertilizer regimes. Agric Ecosyst Environ 212:75–84

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Frankow-Lindberg B, Dahlin A (2013) N2 fixation, N transfer, and yield in grassland communities including a deep-rooted legume or non-legume species. Plant Soil 370:567–581

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fustec J, Lesuffleur F, Mahieu S, Cliquet J-B (2010) Nitrogen rhizodeposition of legumes. A review. Agron Sustain Dev 30:57–66

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gardener M, Peoples M, Condon J, Li G, Conyers M, Dear B (2012) Evaluating the importance of a potential source of error when applying shoot 15N labelling techniques to legumes to quantify the below-ground transfer of nitrogen to other species. Proceedings of the 16th Australian Agronomy Conference, Armidale, NSW, Australia

  • Gylfadóttir T, Helgadóttir Á, Høgh-Jensen H (2007) Consequences of including adapted white clover in northern European grassland: transfer and deposition of nitrogen. Plant Soil 297:93–104

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hakala K, Keskitalo M, Eriksson C, Timo P (2009) Nutrient uptake and biomass accumulation for eleven different field crops. Agric Food Sci 18:366–387

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Haystead A, Marriott C (1979) Transfer of legume nitrogen to associated grass. Soil Biol Biochem 11:99–104

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Haystead A, Malajczuk N, Grove T (1988) Underground transfer of nitrogen between pasture plants infected with vesicular‐arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. New Phytol 108:417–423

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hoekstra N, Suter M, Finn J, Husse S, Lüscher A (2015) Do belowground vertical niche differences between deep-and shallow-rooted species enhance resource uptake and drought resistance in grassland mixtures? Plant Soil 394:21–34

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Høgh-Jensen H (2006) The nitrogen transfer between plants: an important but difficult flux to quantify. Plant Soil 282:1–5

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Høgh-Jensen H, Schjoerring JK (2000) Below-ground nitrogen transfer between different grassland species: direct quantification by 15N leaf feeding compared with indirect dilution of soil 15N. Plant Soil 227:171–183

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Høgh-Jensen H, Schjoerring JK (2001) Rhizodeposition of nitrogen by red clover, white clover and ryegrass leys. Soil Biol Biochem 33:439–448

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Høgh-Jensen H, Nielsen B, Thamsborg SM (2006) Productivity and quality, competition and facilitation of chicory in ryegrass/legume-based pastures under various nitrogen supply levels. Eur J Agron 24:247–256

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Janzen H, Bruinsma Y (1989) Methodology for the quantification of root and rhizosphere nitrogen dynamics by exposure of shoots to 15N-labelled ammonia. Soil Biol Biochem 21:189–196

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ledgard S, Freney J, Simpson J (1985) Assessing nitrogen transfer from legumes to associated grasses. Soil Biol Biochem 17:575–577

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lesuffleur F, Paynel F, Bataillé M-P, Le Deunff E, Cliquet J-B (2007) Root amino acid exudation: measurement of high efflux rates of glycine and serine from six different plant species. Plant Soil 294:235–246

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li G, Kemp PD (2005) Forage chicory (Cichorium intybus L.): a review of its agronomy and animal production. Adv Agron 88:187–222

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Louarn G, Pereira-Lopès E, Fustec J, Mary B, Voisin AS, de Faccio CPC, Gastal F (2015) The amounts and dynamics of nitrogen transfer to grasses differ in alfalfa and white clover-based grass-legume mixtures as a result of rooting strategies and rhizodeposit quality. Plant Soil 389:289–305

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lüscher A, Mueller‐Harvey I, Soussana JF, Rees RM, Peyraud JL (2014) Potential of legume‐based grassland–livestock systems in Europe: a review. Grass Forage Sci 69:206–228

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Mayer J, Buegger F, Jensen ES, Schloter M, Heß J (2003) Estimating N rhizodeposition of grain legumes using a 15 N in situ stem labelling method. Soil Biol Biochem 35:21–28

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Paynel F, Murray PJ, Cliquet JB (2001) Root exudates: a pathway for short-term N transfer from clover and ryegrass. Plant Soil 229:235–243

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Paynel F, Lesuffleur F, Bigot J, Diquélou S, Cliquet J-B (2008) A study of 15N transfer between legumes and grasses. Agron Sustain Dev 28:281–290

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pirhofer-Walzl K, Rasmussen J, Høgh-Jensen H, Eriksen J, Søegaard K, Rasmussen J (2012) Nitrogen transfer from forage legumes to nine neighbouring plants in a multi-species grassland. Plant Soil 350:71–84

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pirhofer-Walzl K, Eriksen J, Rasmussen J, Høgh-Jensen H, Søegaard K (2013) Effect of four plant species on soil 15N-access and herbage yield in temporary agricultural grasslands. Plant Soil 371:313–325

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pirhofer‐Walzl K, Søegaard K, Høgh‐Jensen H, Eriksen J, Sanderson M, Rasmussen J (2011) Forage herbs improve mineral composition of grassland herbage. Grass Forage Sci 66:415–423

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rasmussen J (2011) Why we need to restrict the use of “rhizodeposition” and the Janzen and Bruinsma equation. Soil Biol Biochem 43:2213–2214

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rasmussen J, Eriksen J, Jensen ES, Esbensen KH, Høgh-Jensen H (2007) In situ carbon and nitrogen dynamics in ryegrass–clover mixtures: transfers, deposition and leaching. Soil Biol Biochem 39:804–815

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rasmussen J, Søegaard K, Pirhofer-Walzl K, Eriksen J (2012) N2-fixation and residual N effect of four legume species and four companion grass species. Eur J Agron 36:66–74

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rasmussen J, Gylfadóttir T, Loges R, Eriksen J, Helgadóttir Á (2013) Spatial and temporal variation in N transfer in grass–white clover mixtures at three Northern European field sites. Soil Biol Biochem 57:654–662

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sanderson M, Soder K, Muller L, Klement K, Skinner R, Goslee S (2005) Forage mixture productivity and botanical composition in pastures grazed by dairy cattle. Agron J 97:1465–1471

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Søegaard K, Eriksen J, Askegaard M (2008) Herbs in grasslands-effect of slurry and grazing/cutting on species composition and nutritive value. Grassl Sci Eur 13:200–202

    Google Scholar 

  • Søegaard K, Eriksen J, Askegaard M (2011) Herbs in high producing organic grasslands–effect of management

  • Søegaard K, Eriksen J, Mortensen TB (2013) Species competition in multispecies grass swards. ICROFS News 3:12–13

    Google Scholar 

  • Stewart A (1996) Plantain (Plantago lanceolata)-a potential pasture species. Proceedings of the Conference-New Zealand Grassland Association

  • Thorup-Kristensen K (2006) Effect of deep and shallow root systems on the dynamics of soil inorganic N during 3-year crop rotations. Plant Soil 288:233–248

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Xiao Y, Li L, Zhang F (2004) Effect of root contact on interspecific competition and N transfer between wheat and fababean using direct and indirect 15N techniques. Plant Soil 262:45–54

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Younie D (2012) Grassland management for organic farmers. Crowood Press

Download references

Acknowledgements

This study was financially supported by the Green Development and Demonstration Program (GUDP project MultiPlant) as part of the Organic RDD-2 programme, coordinated by the International Centre for Research in Organic Food Systems (ICROFS).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Agroecology, Aarhus University, PO Box 50, 8830, Tjele, Denmark

    Nawa Raj Dhamala, Jim Rasmussen, Karen Søegaard & Jørgen Eriksen

  2. Department of Biosystems and Technology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, PO Box 103, 23053, Alnarp, Sweden

    Georg Carlsson

Authors
  1. Nawa Raj Dhamala
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jim Rasmussen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Georg Carlsson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Karen Søegaard
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Jørgen Eriksen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Nawa Raj Dhamala.

Additional information

Responsible Editor: Euan K. James.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Dhamala, N.R., Rasmussen, J., Carlsson, G. et al. N transfer in three-species grass-clover mixtures with chicory, ribwort plantain or caraway. Plant Soil 413, 217–230 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-016-3088-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-016-3088-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation