Legume Nitrogen Fixation and Symbioses in Low-Inputs Rainfed Rice Rotations

Harimenja Razafintsalama, Marie Sauvadet, Jean Trap, Patrice Autfray, Aude Ripoche and Thierry Becquer
Additional contact information
Harimenja Razafintsalama: Laboratoire des Radio Isotopes, Department of Agronomy, University of Antananarivo, BP 3383, Route d’Andraisoro, Antananarivo 101, Madagascar
Marie Sauvadet: Eco&Sols, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, INRAe, IRD, Montpellier SupAgro, 34060 Montpellier, France
Jean Trap: Eco&Sols, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, INRAe, IRD, Montpellier SupAgro, 34060 Montpellier, France
Patrice Autfray: CIRAD, UPR AIDA, 34398 Montpellier, France
Aude Ripoche: AIDA, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, 34398 Montpellier, France
Thierry Becquer: Eco&Sols, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, INRAe, IRD, Montpellier SupAgro, 34060 Montpellier, France

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 22, 1-14

Abstract: Cropping systems with legumes play key roles in farming systems in sub-Saharan Africa. However, how commonly legume associations perform in low input-systems is not well-known. Here, we studied four legume species used in three systems in rotation with upland rice, i.e., groundnut monocropping, sorghum–cowpea intercropping, and velvet bean–crotalaria intercropping, in two fertilization managements on the previous rice, i.e., manure alone or complemented with mineral fertilization. Legume suitability was assessed using rhizobial and mycorrhizal colonization rates, plant biomass production, shoot N and P content, and biological N 2 fixation based on their δ 15 N natural abundance. Shoot and root biomasses varied significantly between legume species and were positively correlated with nodule number (r = 0.49 and 0.74, p -value < 0.05 and <0.001, respectively) and the amount of fixed N (r = 0.73 and 0.50, p -value < 0.001 and <0.05, respectively). The proportion of plant N derived from N 2 fixation also varied significantly between species, with a higher percentage for velvet bean (66%), compared to the other three species (50 to 60%). Legume roots were weakly colonized by AM fungi, with similar levels between species. Overall, fertilization management did not significantly impact legume biomass, symbioses, or N 2 fixation, yet the organo-mineral fertilization significantly increased legume shoot P content. The lack of effect of mineral fertilization on N 2 fixation and biomass could be due to other nutrient deficiencies (Ca, Mg, micronutrients), which can hamper symbioses with rhizobia and mycorrhizae.

Keywords: ecological intensification; plant diversification; intercropping; arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi; rhizobia; P deficiency; low-fertility tropical soil; low input farming systems (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/22/12349/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/22/12349/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:22:p:12349-:d:675001

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().