TY  - JA
AU  - Nezomba,H.
AU  - Tauro,T.P.
AU  - Mtambanengwe,F.
AU  - Mapfumo,P.
TI  - Indigenous legumes biomass quality and influence on C and N mineralization under indigenous legume fallow systems
SN  - 0334-5114
PY  - 2009///
CY  - Netherlands
PB  - Springer
KW  - Legumes
KW  - AGROVOC
KW  - Native organisms
KW  - Nitrogen
KW  - Mineralization
KW  - Lignins
KW  - Smallholders
KW  - Fallow
KW  - Phosphorus
N1  - Peer review; Peer-review: Yes - Open Access: Yes|http://science.thomsonreuters.com/cgi-bin/jrnlst/jlresults.cgi?PC=MASTER&ISSN=0334-5114
N2  - Non-cultivated N2-fixing indigenous legumes can be harnessed to enhance soil fertility replenishment of smallholder farms. Understanding N release patterns of biomass generated by such legumes is key in managing N availability to crops. Nitrogen and C mineralization patterns of indigenous legume species, mainly ofTephrosia andCrotalaria genera, and of soils sampled at termination of 1- and 2-year indigenous legume fallows (indifallows)were investigated in leaching tube incubations under laboratory conditions. With the exception ofTephrosia longipes Meisn (2.4%) andCrotalaria cylindrostachys Welw.ex Baker (1.8%), all indigenous legumes had >2.5% N. Total polyphenols and lignin were <4% and 15%, respectively, for all species.Crotalaria pallida (L.) andEriosema ellipticum Welw.ex Baker mineralized >50% of the added N in the first 30 days of incubation. Similar to mixed plant biomass from natural weed fallow,C. Cylindrostachys immobilized N during the 155-day incubation period. Indifallow fallow biomass reached peak N mineralization 55 days after most legumes had leveled off. Carbon release by legume species closely followedN release patterns,with mostCrotalaria species releasing >500 mg CO2-C kg−1 soil. Soils sampled at termination of fallows reached peak N mineralization in the first 21 days of incubation, with indifallows mineralizing significantly (P<0.05) more N than natural fallows. Application of mineral P fertilizer to indifallows and natural fallows increased C and N mineralization relative to control treatments. It was concluded that (i) indigenous legumes generate biomass of high quality within a single growing season, (ii) the slow N release of biomass generated under indifallow systems suggests that such fallows can potentially be manipulated to enhance N availability to crops, and (iii) N and C mineralization of organic materials in sandy soils is likely controlled by availability of P to the soil microbial pool
UR  - https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12665/182
T2  - Symbiosis
DO  - https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03179987
ER  -