Abstract
The nitrogen contribution from the shoot and root system of symbiotically grown leucaena was evaluated in a field experiment on an Alfisol at IITA in Southern Nigeria. Maize in plots that received prunings from inoculated leucaena contained more N and grain yield was increased by 1.9 t.ha.−1. Large quantities of nitrogen were harvested with leucaena prunings (300 kg N ha−1 in six months) but the efficiency of utilization of this nitrogen by maize was low compared to inorganic N fertilizer (ammonium sulphate) at 80 kg N ha−1. Maize yield data indicated that nitrogen in leucaena prunigs was 34 and 45% as efficient as 80 kg N ha−1 of (NH4)2SO4 for uninoculated and inoculated plants with Rhizobium IRc 1045, respectively. In plots where the prunings were removed, the leaf litter and decaying roots and nodules contributed N equivalent of 32 kg ha−1. Twenty-five kg ha−1 was the inorganic N equivalent from nitrogen fixed symbiotically by leucaena when inoculated with Rhizobium strain IRc 1045. Application of prunings from inoculated leucaena resulted in higher soil ogranic C, total N, pH and available NO3.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Agboola A A and Fayemi A A 1972 Fixation and excretion of nitrogen by tropical legumes. Agron. J. 64, 409–412.
Guevarra A B 1976 Management ofLeucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit for Maximum Yield and Nitrogen Contribution to Intercropped Corn. Honolulu, Hawaii, USA, University of Hawaii. p 126 ph D thesis.
Hesse P R 1971 A Textbook of Soil Chemical Analysis. London, U.K., 520 p.
I.I.T.A. 1979 Selected Methods for Soil and Plant Analysis. Manual Series No. 1 p. 70.
Kang B T, Wilson G F and Sipkens L 1981 Alley cropping maize (Zea mays L.) and leucaena (Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit in Southern Nigeria. Plant and Soil 63, 165–179.
Kang B T, Grimme H and Lawson T L 1985 Alley cropping sequentially cropped maize and cowpea with leucaeena on a sandy soil in Southern Nigeria. Plant and Soil 85, 267–277.
Mafuka M M 1984 Study on the Physiology, Survival, Competitive Ability and Cross Infectivity of the Rhizobia of the Cowpea Group. Louvain-La-Neuve, Belgium, 122 p. PhD. thesis.
Mulongoy K 1983 Leaf decomposition.In Annual Report for 1982 (International Institute of Tropical Agriculture). pp 126–128. Ibadan, Nigeria.
National Academy of Sciences 1977 Leucaena: Promising forage and tree crop for the tropics, Washington, DC, USA, NAS. p 115.
Sahu S K and Behera B 1972 Effect of inoculation of cowpea and groundnut on soil. Indian J. Agron. 17, 359.
Saginga N, Mulongoy K and Ayanaba A 1986 Inoculation ofLeucaena Leucocephala Lam.) de Wit with Rhizobium and its nitrogen contribution to a subsequent maize crop. Biological Agriculture and Horticulture 3, 341–347.
Sanginga N, Mulongoy K and Ayanaba A 1988 Nodulation and growth ofLeucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit as affected by inoculation and N fertilizer. Plant and Soil 112, 129–135.
Whitney A S and Kanehiro Y 1967 Pathways of nitrogen transfer in some tropical legume-grass associations. Agron. J. 59, 585–588.
Wilson G F and Kang B T 1980 Developing stable and productive biological cropping systems for the humid tropics. Proceeding of the Conference on Biological Agriculture, Wye College, London. August 22–26.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Sanginga, N., Mulongoy, K. & Ayanaba, A. Nitrogen contribution of Leucaena/Rhizobium symbiosis to soil and a subsequent maize crop. Plant Soil 112, 137–141 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02181763
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02181763