Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-xbtfd Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-03T05:37:41.315Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The effect of planting density, inorganic nitrogen fertilizer and supplementary carbon dioxide on yield of Vicia faba L.

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

J. M. Day ,
R. J. Roughley  and
J. F. Witty
J. M. Day
Affiliation:
Soil Microbiology Department, Rothamsted Experimental Station, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, AL5 2JQ
R. J. Roughley
Affiliation:
Soil Microbiology Department, Rothamsted Experimental Station, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, AL5 2JQ
J. F. Witty
Affiliation:
Soil Microbiology Department, Rothamsted Experimental Station, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, AL5 2JQ
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

Vicia faba cv. Minden was planted at densities ranging from 6 to 98 plants/m2. Nitrogen was applied to the soil as split dressings or as a foliar spray. CO2 concentration in the canopy was increased in some plots to 0·22% for 3 weeks during the early pod-filling stage.

Yield and number of seeds per plant varied inversely with plant spacing between 9 and 98 plants/m2. Mean seed weight increased up to 13 plants/m2 and then remained constant between 13 and 98 plants/m2. Yield/ha was unaffected by plant density above 18 plants/m2.

Application of 200 kg N/ha as ‘Nitro-Chalk’ (mixture of NH4NO3 and CaCO3) to the soil as split dressings did not affect yield or its components but 80 kg N/ha as urea applied in four foliar sprays increased yield by 361 kg/ha (8·6%). Recovery of the labelled nitrogen in the grain varied from 28% when applied during vegetative growth to 8% when applied in the reproductive phase and 15% in the foliar spray.

The highest yield (5·12 t/ha) was obtained by supplementary CO2. The results suggest that there is no advantage in applying fertilizer nitrogen to well-nodulated spring beans.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 93 , Issue 3 , December 1979 , pp. 629 - 633
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1979

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Anon, . (1978). Carbon dioxide fertilisation. In Centro International de Agricultura Tropical (CIAT) Bean Program 1977 Report pp. B33–34.Google Scholar
Day, J. M., Roughley, R. J. & White, S. P. (1979). Nodulation and nitrogen fixation by the field bean (Vicia faba). Rothamsted Annual Report for 1978, Ft 1, pp. 240–241.Google Scholar
Fried, M. & Broeshart, H. (1975). An independent measure of the amount of nitrogen fixed by a legume crop. Plant and Soil 43, 707–711.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Garcia, R. L. & Hanway, J. J. (1976). Foliar fertilisation of soybeans during the seed-filling period. Agronomy Journal 68, 653–657.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Graham, P. H. & Halliday, J. (1977). Inoculation and nitrogen fixation in the genus Phaseolus. In Exploiting the Legume-Rhizobium Symbiosis in Tropical Agriculture (ed. Vincent, J. M., Whitney, A. S. & Bose, J.), University of Hawaii, College of Tropical Agriculture, Miscellaneous publication 145, pp. 313–334.Google Scholar
Ham, G. (1978). Use of 15N in evaluating N2 fixation of field-grown soybeans. In Isotopes in Biological Dinitrogen Fixation. Joint FAO/IAEA Panel Proceedings Series. Vienna, pp. 151–161.Google Scholar
Hardy, R. W. F. & Havelka, U. D. (1976). Photosynthate as a major factor limiting nitrogen fixation by field-grown legumes with emphasis on soybeans. In Symbiotic Nitrogen Fixation (ed. Nutman, P. S.), pp. 421–439. Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Hebblethwaite, J., Ingram, J., Scott, R. K. & Elliot, J. (1977). Some factors influencing yield variation of field beans. Scottish Horticultural Research Institute Association, Bulletin No. 15 (ed. Thompson, R.), pp. 20–27.Google Scholar
Hodgson, G. L. & Blackman, G. E. (1956). Analysis of the influence of plant density on the growth of Vicia faba. 1. The influence of density on the pattern of development. Journal of Experimental Botany 7, 147–165.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mcewen, J. (1970 a). Fertilizer nitrogen and growth regulators for field beans (Vicia faba L.). I. The effects of seed bed applications of large dressings of fertilizer nitrogen and the residual effects on following winter wheat. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 74, 61–66.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mcewen, J. (1970b). Fertilizer nitrogen and growth regulators for field beans (vicia faba L.). II. The effects of large dressings of fertilizer nitrogen, single and split applications, and growth regulators. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 74, 67–72.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sprent, J. I. & Bradford, A. M. (1977). Nitrogen fixation in field beans (Vicia faba) as affected by population density, shading and its relationship with soil moisture. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 88, 303–310.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sprent, J. I., Bradford, A. M. & Norton, C. (1977). Seasonal growth patterns in field beans (Vicia faba) as affected by population density, shading and its relationship with soil moisture. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 88, 293–301.CrossRefGoogle Scholar