Nitrogen mineralization of leguminous crops in soils

Abstract

AbstractOrganic‐N production by legumes is a key benefit of growing cover crops and green manures. A soil sample was mixed with legume residue commonly used as green manure in Kenya at a rate of 500 mg N (kg soil)–1. Silica sand equal to the weight of the soils was added and mixed thoroughly. The mixture was packed in a leaching tube and leached with 100 mL of 5 mM of CaCl2 . 2H2O and incubated at 30°C. The leaching was repeated every 2 weeks for a total of 16 weeks and analyzed for N as NH$ _4^+ $, NO$ _3^- $, and NO$ _2^- $. Five legume residues and five different soils were used in this study. Nitrogen mineralization of the legume residues conformed to an exponential model. Application of a two‐components exponential model showed two phases of N mineralization. The relationship between the organic N remaining after each incubation period and time of incubation was controlled by two first‐order reactions. The initial fast rate (k1) changed to a slow rate (k2) at incubation times ranging from 2 to 8 weeks, depending on the legume residue and the soil used. The percentage of N in each phase varied among the legume residue and soils. Linear regression analyses showed that net cumulative amounts of N mineralized from individual legume residues was significantly correlated with the total polyphenols and polyphenol‐to‐N ratios for two soils. Nitrogen mineralization of dolichos and field bean was significantly and negatively correlated with clay and sand, respectively; of field bean and alfalfa was significantly correlated with Cmic; and of dolichos significantly but negatively correlated with the total N and organic N in soils. Linear regression analysis of the pooled data showed that net cumulative amounts of N mineralized and percentage N mineralized were significantly correlated with C : N ratios of the residues (r = 0.44 and 0.48 at p < 0.05, respectively), and that net cumulative N mineralized was significantly correlated with (lignin + polyphenols)‐to‐N ratios (r = 0.41 at p < 0.05) and with lignin contents (r = 0.61 at p < 0.001).