2019/01/01 by Maé Guinet, Bernard Nicolardot, Guinet, Maé +13
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · #Agronomic Practices and Intercropping Systems #Legume Nitrogen Fixing Symbiosis #Phytase and its Applications
paper · pdf · doi:10.15454/jj5qvv
Legumes should play a key role in the transition towards a more sustainable agriculture by allowing a reduction of nitrogen inputs due to their specific properties relative to the nitrogen cycle. However, there is a lack of references for a wide diversity of species regarding their agronomic performances and the nitrogen fluxes they induce. A comparative study on ten grain legumes was conducted to i) quantity symbiotic nitrogen fixation, ii) evaluate its response to inorganic soil nitrogen, and iii) quantify the effect of legumes on the yield of the subsequent wheat (unfertilised) as related to the N mineralisation of their crop residues. For nine species out of ten, symbiotic fixation was able to ensure plant growth and nitrogen acquisition at levels similar to those achieved by nutrition based on inorganic nitrogen. Differences in symbiotic fixation inhibition were observed and were partially explained by differences in inorganic nitrogen uptake efficiency among species. Those differences were related to differences in root lateral expansion rate among species. The great majority of legumes led to higher wheat yields compared to those of wheat cultivated after cereals. Wheat yield variability was partially related to differences in crop residue nitrogen mineralisation among species according to their carbon /nitrogen ratio. However, nitrogen supplied to the soil by legumes can be lost during the fallow period before nitrogen is retrieved by the subsequent crop. This risk increases with legumes harvested in summer vs. beginning of autumn, because of a longer fallow period.