Effects of mixing ratio and nitrogen fertilization on root characteristics in the common vetch/oat mixture

doi:10.11686/cyxb2020014

Abstract

Abstract: Legume-grass mixtures are common in cultivated grasslands, and such mixtures can significantly improve soil fertility and enhance the natural productivity. Root litter is an important source of soil organic matter, but the reciprocal impact of each species on the root characteristics of the other species in forage mixtures is still not clear. The reciprocal impacts on root biomass and root traits in mixtures comprising common vetch and oats were studied under different nitrogen fertilizer levels and ratios of plant numbers of the two species in the mixture (mixing ratios) or in pure stands. 1) There were significant interactions between mixing ratio and nitrogen fertilization for root biomass and root traits. Root biomass values of the mixtures were significantly greater than those of the monocultures. Root biomass was greater at low and medium fertilization levels, than at high fertilization levels. There was an inhibition effect of high nitrogen fertilizer on root length, specific root length, root surface area and specific root area in the early stages of plant development, and the inhibition effect decreased with increase in common vetch proportion in the mixtures in the later stages of plant development. 2) The content of nitrate nitrogen in the mixtures was greater than that in the monocultures, but the content of ammonium nitrogen in the mixtures was greater than that in the monocultures only at the milk stage of grain development. The content of mineral nitrogen increased with the increase in common vetch proportion. Nitrogen fertilization significantly affected mineral nitrogen content in 0-30 cm soil layers and was highest under 100 kg·ha^-1 nitrogen fertilization, and lowest without nitrogen fertilization. 3) There was a significant positive correlation between soil nitrate nitrogen content and root biomass, and there were significant negative correlations with root length, root surface area and root volume. In summary, increase in the common vetch proportion in the mixtures was helpful to improve soil the mineral nitrogen of soil and optimize the root traits of the mixed stands of common vetch and oats.

Key words: legume/grass mixture, root trait, mixing ratio, nitrogen fertilizer, soil nitrogen

WU Xiao-juan, YANG Mei, LU Yi-xiao, YANG Hui-min. Effects of mixing ratio and nitrogen fertilization on root characteristics in the common vetch/oat mixture[J]. Acta Prataculturae Sinica, 2020, 29(9): 106-116.

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