Enhanced denitrification in plots of N2-fixing faba beans compared to plots of a non-fixing legume and non-legumes

Abstract

Denitrification rates were studied using the C2H2 inhibition technique in a 2-year field experiment within plots of nodulated and non-nodulated faba beans, ryegrass, and cabbage. Denitrification rates ranged from 14.40 to 0.02 ng N2O−N g−1 soil dry weight h−1. Mean denitrification increased fourfold in plots of N2−fixing Vicia faba compared to non-nodulated V. faba mutant F48, Lolium perenne, and Brassica oleracea. The results with and without C2H2 treatment indicate that in the field the major part of this enhanced denitrification led to the endproduct N2 rather than to the ozone-degrading N2O. Higher denitrification rates of plots with N2−fixing plants in September seemed to be caused by an increase in soil NO inf3 sup- of about 20 kg ha−1 found between July and August. Soil NO inf3 sup- and soil moisture explained 67% of the variation in denitrification rates of the different soil samples over the growing seasons in the 2 years. Soil moisture explained 44% of the variation for soil planted with N2−fixing plants and 62% for soil planted with non-fixing plants. Positive exponential relationships were obtained between denitrification rates and soil nitrate (r=0.71) and soil moisture (r=0.82).