Field evaluation of nitrogen fixation and use of nitrogen fertilizer by sorghum/pigeonpea intercropping on an Alfisol in the Indian semi-arid tropics

Tobita, S and Ito, O and Matsunaga, R and Rao, T P and Rego, T J and Johansen, C and Yoneyama, T (1994) Field evaluation of nitrogen fixation and use of nitrogen fertilizer by sorghum/pigeonpea intercropping on an Alfisol in the Indian semi-arid tropics. Biology and Fertility of Soils, 17 (4). pp. 241-248. ISSN 0178-2762

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Abstract

A field experiment was conducted to obtain the N balance sheet for sole crops and intercrops of sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] and pigeonpeas [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.]. Intercropping gave a significant advantage over sole cropping in terms of dry matter production and grain yield, as calculated on the basis of the land equivalent ratio and area-time equivalent ratio. The N fertilizer use efficiency and atmospheric N2 fixation by pigeonpea were estimated using 15N-labeling and natural abundance methods. The N fertilizer use efficiency of sorghum was unaltered by the cropping system, while that of the pigeonpea was greatly reduced by intercropping. Although intercropping increased the fractional contribution of fixed N to the pigeonpeas, no significant difference was observed between the cropping systems in total symbiotically fixed N. There was no evidence of a significant transfer of N from the pigeonpea to the sorghum. This study showed that use of soil N and fertilizer N by pigeonpeas was almost the same as that by sorghum in sole cropping, indicating the potential competence of pigeonpeas to exploit soil N. However, when N was exhausted by a companion crop in intercropping, the pigeonpea crop increased its dependency on atmospheric N2 fixation. We conclude that knowledge of how N from different sources is shared by companion crops is a prerequisite to establishing strategies to increase N use, and consequently land productivity, in intercropping systems.

Item Type:	Article
Divisions:	UNSPECIFIED
CRP:	UNSPECIFIED
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Fertilizer Use Efficiency, Intercropping, Natural, N abudance, Nitrogen Fixation, Pigeonpea, Sorghum,
Subjects:	Mandate crops > Pigeonpea Mandate crops > Sorghum
Depositing User:	Mr Charan Sai Ch
Date Deposited:	24 Oct 2011 11:54
Last Modified:	24 Oct 2011 11:54
URI:	http://oar.icrisat.org/id/eprint/3150
Official URL:	http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00383976
Projects:	UNSPECIFIED
Funders:	UNSPECIFIED
Acknowledgement:	UNSPECIFIED
Links:	Author

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