Growth, nitrogen fixation, and nutrient uptake of hairy vetch as a cover crop in a subtropical region

Abstract

Hairy vetch (Vicia villosa), as a winter cover crop, can be used to suppress weeds in subtropical regions, as well as temperate regions. Information on the potential biomass growth of hairy vetch for weed control and nutrient accumulation is not available in subtropical regions. Hairy vetch was sown in November 2004, and October, November, and December 2005. The wide‐ranging cultivation period of hairy vetch indicated that it could be used in various cropping systems. It showed a higher biomass and nutrient accumulation when grown in subtropical Okinawa, Japan. Moreover, the biomass, and fixed carbon and magnesium (Mg) uptake in the above‐ground parts of hairy vetch were found to be the highest in late May, with the highest nitrogen (N), potassium, and calcium uptake in mid‐April and phosphorus (P) uptake in late March. Meanwhile, in the underground parts of the plant, they were highest in early May, except for the P and Mg uptake, which were highest in mid‐April. According to the sowing date, the biomass and nutrient uptake of hairy vetch that was harvested in February were higher when sown in October. Similarly, when harvested in March, the biomass and nutrient uptake were higher when sown in October or November. In April, they were higher when sown in November or December. Hairy vetch has the potential to effectively suppress weeds in the winter and the spring seasons related to its sufficient biomass during the growing seasons. However, both the sowing and harvesting times of hairy vetch should be considered with reference to the cropping system; the subsequent crop will be sown to meet the N requirement.

Potential growth of hairy vetch as a winter legume cover crops in subtropical soil conditions

“…In the present study, over a longer growing period and with P non-limiting, the total biomass of shoots and roots of hairy vetch in the vegetative (February) and flowering (March) stages was almost double that of the clover species, excluding pink clover in the flowering stage; similar results have been found for hairy vetch and white clover in a northern temperate region (Brandsaeter et al 2008). The greater biomass of hairy vetch may result from its high N-fixing activity in the late vegetative and early flowering stages (Anugroho et al 2009a). Unlike hairy vetch and pink clover, the flowering stage of white clover and crimson clover occurred in April, whereas red clover was still in the vegetative stage during the experimental period.…”

“…In the pot experiments, the decrease in shoot P uptake of hairy vetch in April, even though biomass increased, may have occurred because the number of yellow leaves increased, senesced and were shed in April, as also reported by Anugroho et al. (2009a), and hairy vetch displayed significantly higher shoot K uptake than clover species during the vegetative growth stage (February), but no other stage.…”

“…2008). The greater biomass of hairy vetch may result from its high N‐fixing activity in the late vegetative and early flowering stages (Anugroho et al. 2009a).…”

Relationships among Quantitative Traits and Seed Yield in Vetch (Vicia sativa L., Vicia villosa Roth.)

“…It is well adapted to organic cultivation and grows well on a wide range of soil types -on sandy, nitrogen depleted and lightly acidic soils (McLeod, 1982;Dastikaitė et al, 2009). V. villosa provides a good soil cover and is used as a weed control means for alternative cropping systems (Fujii and Araki, 2000;Fujii, 2001;Zhou and Everts, 2004;Sheaffer and Seguin, 2003;Anugroho et al, 2009) and as a soil amendment; it is among the best of the legumes in its ability to produce in low fertility or acid soils (Mcleod, 1982;Hargrove, 1986;Sheaffer and Seguin, 2003).…”

Possibility of Introducing Winter Legumes, Hairy Vetch and Faba Bean, as Green Manures to Turmeric Cropping in Temperate Region

“…This crop is an efficient N fixer, accumulating a large amount of N during the growing period (Hartwig and Ammon, 2002;Anugroho et al, 2009a). For example, hairy vetch yearly produced 7.6 -16.7 g N m -2 (Sainju et al, 2006), 10 -15 g N m -2 (Anugroho et al, 2009b), 14.9 g N m -2 (Campiglia et al, 2010a), and 25.8 g N m -2 (Campiglia et al, 2010b) during their growth season, and its cultivation as a cover crop and an organic fertilizer increased the yields of several crops such as corn, cotton, sorghum, potato, and tomato compared with the other cover crops such as ryegrass and subclover, or conventional weedy fallow (Czapar et al, 2002;Sainju et al, 2006;Campiglia et al, 2009;Campiglia et al, 2010aCampiglia et al, , 2010b.…”