ISSN:
1432-0789
Keywords:
Nitrogen use
;
Nitrogen fertilizer recovery
;
Zea mays
;
Phaseolus vulgaris
;
Vigna unguiculata
;
Nitrogen fixation
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
,
Geosciences
,
Agriculture, Forestry, Horticulture, Fishery, Domestic Science, Nutrition
Notes:
Abstract Locally suitable cultivars of maize, beans, and cowpeas were grown in field experiments for four seasons in semi-arid Kenya. For three seasons, the dry matter production and grain yield of maize and beans were not increased by N fertilizer additions up to 120 kg N ha-1. Fertilizer recoveries measured by 15N isotope dilution techniques were low, less than 20%. Inoculated and uninoculated beans failed to fix N2. By contrast the cowpea derived 50% of its N from fixation, equivalent to 197 kg N ha-1. The N content of the grain generally exceeded 40 kg N ha-1, and the N content of the seeds from the grain legumes were greater than those from the cereals. Large inputs of N fertilizer or N by fixation are required if maize-grain legume cropping system in semiarid Kenya are to be sustained in the long term.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00307842
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