R. Bras. Zootec.01/Oct/2007;36(5):1435-42.
Nitrogen biological fixation by clover plants (Trifolium spp) on crop-pasture systems in southern Brazil
DOI: 10.1590/S1516-35982007000600029
The objective of this research was to study the effect of including grazed clover plants, in crop-pasture systems, on the amount of N fixed, maize productivity and yield components, and soil nitrate concentration. It was used a split-plot arrangement in a complete randomized block design, with three replications per treatment. The main plots were formed by two types of residues of winter pastures (oat and clover) and the split-plots were formed by different doses of broadcasted N in the urea form (0, 60, 120, and 240 kg/ha N). The effect of the previous residue was observed during all periods of the corn crop (2004/2005). All plots that contained clover residue presented greater N-nitrate concentration in the soil layer of 0-5 cm compared to those plots cultivated previously with oats. These results showed that the white clover residues after grazing would provide practically all nitrogen demand by the maize crop. It was not observed nitrate leaching caused by legume residues until the depth of 20 cm. In the second experimental year, the clover residue contributed, at the very least, with 90 kg/ha of N, resultant from the N biological fixation, to the corn crop. However, maize plants cultivated on oat residual mulch showed maximum grain yield under 180 kg/ha of N-fertilizer.
Keywords: N maximum technical efficiency; nitrate; oat; yield components