15N estimates of nitrogen fixation by white clover (Trifolium repens L.) growing in a mixture with ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.)

McNeill, Ann; Wood, M.

doi:10.1007/bf00011118

Cited by 49 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 45 publications

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“…McNeil and Wood (1990), obtained similar results which may be explained by the fact that the 15 N isotope dilution technique integrates overtime the N derived from BNF hence masking seasonal variations. Pichard et al (1986), studied the influence of cutting frequency on the botanical composition of these prairies, and found that the increase in cutting frequency favoured a higher proportion of leguminous plants and, consequently, a higher protein value of the sward.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 84%

Strategies to optimise biological nitrogen fixation in legume/grass pastures in the southern region of Chile

Campillo¹,

Urquiaga

Undurraga³

et al. 2005

Plant Soil

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Pastures in southern Chile are composed of forage grasses and associated legumes. Apart from native grass species, in many areas perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) and white clover (Trifolium repens L.) have been introduced. It is thought that most of the N in these pastures is derived from the symbiosis between rhizobium bacteria and the clover. However, various factors can limit the biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) potential. Soils of Chiloe´(southern Chile) are derived from volcanic ash (Andisols), and show high acidity and phosphorus (P) retention capacity and there is often a low availability of exchangeable cations and, sometimes, micronutrients, which together with high aluminium (Al) concentrations can inhibit BNF potential by nodulated legumes. An experiment was carried out on an Andisol of Chiloe´, on a permanent pasture, to evaluate the influence of these fertility factors grass and legume productivity and on the BNF contribution to white clover. Treatments included two rates of lime (0 and 4 Mg ha )1 ) and eight fertilisation treatments: 1. Complete (macronutrients in kg ha )1 : N-50, P 2 O 5 -180, K 2 O-100, MgO-70, S-50, and micronutrients); six other treatments with complete fertilisation but, respectively, without N, P, K, Mg, S and micronutrients, and a control without fertiliser application. The experiment was conducted over 2 years and soil fertility parameters, grass and clover biomass production were evaluated and the BNF contribution to the clover was estimated using 15 N isotope dilution technique. Potassium was found to be the most limiting element for dry matter production, especially for the clover. Liming increased soil pH values and Ca and Mg contents, strongly reduced Al saturation and increased dry matter production. The proportional contribution of BNF to the white clover was high, reaching 80% of total N accumulated by the plants and not significantly affected by addition of lime or fertiliser. However, the accumulation of dry matter and total N, and the total N derived from BNF by the clover were over three times higher in the complete fertilisation treatments than in the control in both years and in the limed and unlimed treatments. The results of this study indicate that pasture productivity can be improved by liming and fertilisation which favour growth of the legume and ryegrass to the detriment of the native grasses. The increase in the proportion of ryegrass and clover should result in improved quality of the available forage, and in the case of the clover, stimulates an increase in the N contribution from BNF thus dispensing with the need for N fertiliser.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 84%

Strategies to optimise biological nitrogen fixation in legume/grass pastures in the southern region of Chile

Campillo¹,

Urquiaga

Undurraga³

et al. 2005

Plant Soil

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“…Consequently, fixed N was almost none in plots fertilized with 90 g m 22 year 21 N in the third production year. Averaged across 3 years, apparent N 2 fixation ranged from 37.7 to 39.0 g m 22 year 21 under unfertilized conditions and from 24.8 to 36.2 g m 22 year 21 when these species were fertilized with different levels of N. The N 2 fixation data are comparable with estimates of several researchers (Ledgard and Steele 1992;Whitehead 1995;McNeil and Wood 1990;Jorgensen, Jensen, and Schjoerring 1999), who reported annual amounts of N 2 fixation between 23 and 296 kg N ha 21 in different forage mixtures.…”

Section: N 2 Fixationsupporting

confidence: 69%

“…The quantity of N fixed by white clover in the mixtures can vary from none to about 400 kg N ha 21 year 21 , and productive mixtures often fix between 100 and 200 kg N ha 21 year 21 (Whitehead 1995). Nitrogen fixation by white clover in the U.K. was 155 kg N ha 21 ; about 28% of this was subsequently transferred to perennial ryegrass and accounted for 29% of the total N content of ryegrass (McNeil and Wood 1990). Jorgensen, Jensen, and Schjoerring (1999) indicated that the amounts of N fixed in the perennial ryegrass and white clover mixture were 23, 187, and 177 kg N ha 21 in the seeding, first, and second production year, respectively, whereas pure stand white clover fixed 28, 262, and 211 kg N ha 21 in the 3 years.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of White Clover Inclusion on Turf Characteristics, Nitrogen Fixation, and Nitrogen Transfer from White Clover to Grass Species in Turf Mixtures

Sincik

Acikgoz

2007

Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis

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An irrigated field trial was conducted to test the effects of white clover in three turfgrass species (perennial ryegrass, Kentucky bluegrass, and creeping bentgrass) on color, clipping yield, and botanical composition and to estimate nitrogen (N) 2 fixation and N transfer from white clover to associated turfgrass species under different N-fertilization conditions in 1999-2002.Nitrogen fertilizers significantly increased color ratings in all observations. Grass-white clover mixtures had better color ratings than pure grass at all sampling dates and seasonal averages in unfertilized conditions. Fertilized pure grass plots yielded significantly more than control plots in all turfgrass species. Nitrogen fertilization did not affect clipping yield greatly in turfgrass -white clover mixtures. Nitrogen application significantly decreased white clover percentage in the harvested clippings in second and third year.Nitrogen fertilization increased tissue N concentration positively in all turfgrass species grown alone. In contrast, N fertilization did not greatly affect tissue N concentration of either turfgrass species or white clover in the mixtures. Nitrogen fixation of white clover was estimated as 24.6, 30.7, and 33.8 g m 22 year 21 in perennial ryegrass, Kentucky bluegrass, and creeping bentgrass, respectively. The total estimated N 2 fixation gradually decreased with increasing N fertilization. Nitrogen transfer from white clover to the associated turfgrass varied from 4.2 to 13.7% of the total N that the white clover fixed annually.

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“…The transfer of atmospheric derived nitrogen appears to increase with time (Table 3; Heichel and Henjum, 1991;Ledgard et al, 1985b;Mallarino et al, 1990;McNeill and Wood, 1990;Merckx et al, 1985). In a young clover-grass system only small amounts of atmospheric derived nitrogen is expected to be transferred from clover to grass, since the transfer presumably takes place via the microbial biomass.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Measurement of biological dinitrogen fixation in grassland: Comparison of the enriched 15N dilution and the natural 15N abundance methods at different nitrogen application rates and defoliation frequencies

Høgh‐Jensen¹,

Schjøerring²

1994

Plant Soil

113

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A plant mixture of white clover (Trifolium repens L.), red clover (Trifolium pratense L.), and ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) was established in the spring of 1991 under a cover-crop of barley. Treatments were two levels of nitrogen (400 and 20 kg N ha -l) and two cutting intensities (3 and 6 cuts per season). Fixation of atmospheric derived nitrogen was estimated by two 15N dilution methods, one based on application of 15N to the soil, the other utilising small differences in natural abundance of 15N.Both methods showed that application of 400 kg N ha-1 significantly reduced dinitrogen fixation, while cutting frequency had no effect. Atmospheric derived nitrogen constituted between 50 and 64% of harvested clover nitrogen in the high-N treatment, while between 73% and 96% of the harvested clover nitrogen was derived from the atmosphere in the low-N treatment. The amounts of fixed dinitrogen varied between 31-72 kg N ha -1 and 118-161 kg N ha -1 in the high-N and low-N treatment, respectively. The highest values for biological dinitrogen fixation were estimated by the enriched 15N dilution method.Estimates of transfer of atmospheric derived nitrogen from clover to grass obtained by the natural 15N abundance method were consistently higher than those obtained by the enriched lSN dilution method. Neither mineral nitrogen application nor defoliation frequency affected transfer of atmospheric derived nitrogen from clover to grass.Isotopic fractionation of 14N and 15N (B value) was estimated by comparing results for nitrogen fixation obtained by the enriched 15N dilution and the natural 15N abundance method, respectively. B was on average +1.20, which was in agreement with a B value determined by growing white clover in a nitrogen free media.

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15N estimates of nitrogen fixation by white clover (Trifolium repens L.) growing in a mixture with ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.)

Cited by 49 publications

References 45 publications

Strategies to optimise biological nitrogen fixation in legume/grass pastures in the southern region of Chile

Strategies to optimise biological nitrogen fixation in legume/grass pastures in the southern region of Chile

Effects of White Clover Inclusion on Turf Characteristics, Nitrogen Fixation, and Nitrogen Transfer from White Clover to Grass Species in Turf Mixtures

Measurement of biological dinitrogen fixation in grassland: Comparison of the enriched 15N dilution and the natural 15N abundance methods at different nitrogen application rates and defoliation frequencies

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