Influence of nitrogen and herbicide treatments on the nitrogen uptake of pea and Chenopodium album L.

Abstract

Based on the results of earlier greenhouse tests, a field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of three different herbicide combinations (clomazone, flumioxazine and pendimethaline combined with bentazone) at increasing nitrogen levels on the nitrogen uptake of green pea and common lambsquarters ( Chenopodium album L.). Nitrogen was administered to the pea plants in the form of ammonium nitrate at increasing levels: 0, 100, 200 and 300 kg/ha. The experimental soil was loamy Ramann’s brown forest soil (Eutric Cambisol). Green peas were grown to green maturity and harvested according to standard agricultural practices. Following harvest, the fresh and dry weight of the pea and weed shoots were recorded. The nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium contents were determined from dried plant samples after digestion with concentrated sulphuric acid.The main results can be summarized as followsThe addition of nitrogen to the treatments considerably altered the growing potential of pea plants, especially at the early growth stage, where an increase in dry biomass of nearly 30% was observed. Yield biomass decreased in the nitrogen treatments. The nitrogen concentration, which increased in every treatment, was directly correlated to the addition of nitrogen fertilizer. Herbicides mainly influenced the vegetative growth of the plants. Pendimethalin and flumioxazin indirectly caused an increase in the dry biomass of the shoots by killing the surrounding weeds.