Different Species and Cultivars of Broad Beans, Lupins, and Clovers Demonstrated Varying Environmental Adaptability and Nitrogen Fixation Potential When Cultivated as Green Manures in Northeastern Portugal

Peltier Aguiar, Margarida Arrobas, Ezar Alfredo Nharreluga and Manuel Ângelo Rodrigues ()
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Peltier Aguiar: Centro de Investigação de Montanha (CIMO), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 5300-253 Bragança, Portugal
Margarida Arrobas: Centro de Investigação de Montanha (CIMO), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 5300-253 Bragança, Portugal
Ezar Alfredo Nharreluga: Centro de Investigação de Montanha (CIMO), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 5300-253 Bragança, Portugal
Manuel Ângelo Rodrigues: Centro de Investigação de Montanha (CIMO), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 5300-253 Bragança, Portugal

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 23, 1-17

Abstract: The success of growing legumes as green manure depends on their spatial and temporal integration within agroecosystems, which minimizes competition with cash crops, and on their nitrogen (N) fixation potential. This study evaluated seven legume species for biomass production, N fixation, and suitability for use in cropping systems in northern Portugal. Oats ( Avena sativa L.) were grown to estimate the N fixation using the difference method, as a non-legume reference crop is required for this purpose, and oats are widely grown in the region. The study was conducted over four cropping cycles (2021–2024) in two climate zones across four land plots. The results indicated that the biomass production and N fixation varied by the species/cultivar and cropping cycle, which was significantly influenced by spring precipitation. Broad beans ( Vicia faba L.) failed to develop in one cycle on highly acidic soil (pH 4.9), showing negative N fixation values when calculated by the difference method. Conversely, the lupins maintained a relatively high level of N fixation across all the conditions, demonstrating strong environmental adaptability. Thus, the N fixation values across the four cycles ranged from −5.4 to 419.4 kg ha −1 for broad bean (cv. Favel), while yellow lupin ( Lupinus luteus L.) exhibited average values between 204.0 and 274.0 kg ha −1 . The percentage of N derived from the atmosphere (%Ndfa) ranged from −13.3 to 91.6, −39.4 to 85.8, 83.8 to 94.7, 74.9 to 94.3, 72.8 to 92.2, 23.1 to 75.8, and 11.7 to 21.7 for these species/cultivars. Due to their environmental adaptability, biomass production, and N fixation capacity, these legumes could be used as green manure in inter-rows of woody crops or in summer annual crops like tomatoes and maize, grown in winter as an alternative to fallow land. The lupins showed strong promise due to their environmental resilience.

Keywords: Vicia faba; Lupinus luteus; Lupinus albus; Lupinus angustifolius; Trifolium incarnatum; Trifolium subterraneum; biological nitrogen fixation; nitrogen derived from atmosphere (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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