Abstract
An experiment is described in which the magnitude of N transferred from damaged white clover roots to perennial ryegrass was determined, using 15N labelling of the grass plant. There was no effect on the growth and N-fixation of the clover plants after removing part of the root system. The 15N data suggested that N had been acquired by all grass plants, even in plants grown alone with no further N supplied after labelling. However, after quantifying the mobile and stored N pools of the grass plants it was evident that significant transfer of N from clover to grass only took place from damaged clover roots. Dilution of the atom% 15N in the roots of the grass plants grown alone, and in association with undamaged clover roots, was explained by remobilisation of N within the plant.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Brown V K and Gange A C 1990 Insect herbivory below ground. In Advances in Ecological Research, Vol 20. Eds. MBegon, A HFitter and AMacFadyen. pp 1–58. Academic Press. New York.
Clement C R, Hopper M J, Jones L H P and Leafe E L 1978 The uptake of nitrate by Lolium perenne from flowing nutrient solution. II. Effect of light, defoliation, and relationship to CO2 flux. J. Exp. Bot. 112, 1173–1183.
Faris M A and Ta T C 1985 Study of nitrogen transfer from alfalfa to associated timothy under field conditions. In Proc. XV Intl. Grassld. Congr. Kyoto, Japan. pp 48–449.
Hauck R D and Bremner J M 1976 Use of tracers for soil and fertilizer nitrogen research. Adv. Agron. 28, 219–266.
Hewitt E J 1966 Sand and water culture methods used in the study of plant nutrition. Tech. Comm. Commonw. Bur. Hort. Plantn Crops. No. 22 (Revised 2nd Edition). p 190.
Jones L 1992 Preliminary trials using a white clover (Trifolium repens L.) understory to supply the nitrogen requirements of a cereal crop. Grass Forage Sci. 47, 366–374.
Ledgard S F, Freney J R and Simpson J R 1985 Assessing nitrogen transfer from legumes to associated grasses. Soil Biol. Biochem. 17, 575–577.
Macduff J H and Jackson S B 1992 Influx and efflux of nitrate and ammonium in Italian ryegrass and white clover roots: Comparisons between effects of darkness and defoliation. J. Exp. Bot. 43, 525–535.
Murray P J and Clements R O 1992 A technique for assessing damage to roots of white clover caused by root feeding insects. Ann. Appl. Biol. 121, 715–719.
Murray P J and Hatch D J 1994 Sitona weevils (Coleoptera; Curculionidae) as agents for rapid transfer of nitrogen from white clover (Trifolium repens L.) to perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.). Ann. Appl. Biol. 125, 24–33.
Ourry A, Boucaud J and Salette J 1988 Nitrogen mobilization from stubble and roots during re-growth of defoliated perennial ryegrass. J. Exp. Bot. 39, 803–809.
Quinn M A and Hall M H 1992 Compensatory response of a legume root-nodule system to nodule herbivory by Sitona hispidulus. Entomol. Exp. Appl. 64, 167–176.
Wood M and McNeill A M 1993 15N2 measurement of nitrogen fixation by legumes and actinorhizals: Theory and practice. Plant and Soil 155/156, 329–332.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hatch, D.J., Murray, P.J. Transfer of nitrogen from damaged roots of white clover (Trifolium repens L.) to closely associated roots of intact perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L). Plant Soil 166, 181–185 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00008331
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00008331