Bidirectional Nitrogen Transfer and Plant Growth in a Mixed Plantation of N2-Fixing Species and Eucalyptus urophylla × E. grandis under Different N Applications

Abstract

N2-fixing species play a crucial role in mixed-plantations as they improve stand productivity. To quantify the N transfer from N2-fixing species to Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus urophylla × E. grandis) in N2-fixing species/Eucalyptus plantations, we established a pot experiment and confirmed the occurrence of this process under natural conditions. The 15N was traced in labeled species as well as in neighboring tree species after labeling, and the growth was evaluated in short-term natural trials. Our results showed that a bidirectional N transfer occurred. The amount of net N transfer was 21.8–127.0 mg N plant−1, which was equal to 1.5–21.2% of the total nitrogen (TN) that accumulated in Eucalyptus plants under pot conditions, was transferred from Dalbergia odorifera to Eucalyptus. The amount of N transferred significantly decreased with the increasing N application rate but increased with time after labeling. Compared with the results for the Eucalyptus monocrop, the soil N concentration (including NO3−-N and NH4+-N) greatly improved when D. odorifera was introduced together with Eucalyptus under both field and pot conditions. Furthermore, the results under field conditions were consistent with the results of the pot experiment. The dry matter (DM) yield (14.5–16.4%) and the N content (5.1–9.6%) in Eucalyptus increased when mixed together with D. odorifera, but the N content in and DM yield of D. odorifera slightly decreased. It is concluded that the N transfer between Eucalyptus and D. odorifera is a much more important dynamic process than previously recognized, and Eucalyptus and legume intercropping is a successful management practice because N transfer provides a significant amount of N required for Eucalyptus productivity.