Skip to main content
ARS Home » Midwest Area » St. Paul, Minnesota » Plant Science Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #114322
Title: INOCULATION AND NITROGEN FERTILIZATION AFFECT KURA CLOVER ESTABLISHMENT

Author
item SEGUIN, P - UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
item SHEAFFER, C - UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
item EHLKE, N - UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
item GRAHAM, P - UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
item Russelle, Michael

Submitted to: American Society of Agronomy Meetings
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/5/2000
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Kura clover (Trifolium ambiguum M.B.) use is limited by a slow establishment. We determined the effects of rhizobial inoculation and N fertilization on Kura clover seeding year growth and N fixation. Kura clover was seeded with or without a commercial inoculant and with or without N fertilizer (100 kg N/ha). Kura clover seeding year response to inoculation was low, while response to N fertilization was constantly positive. Split application of N resulted in a 125% increase in maximum herbage yield compared to no N; in contrast rhizobial inoculation increased yields by only 50%. Limited response to inoculation was associated with a slow nodulation, the first nodules being observed 50 days after seeding. As a consequence, N fixation in the seeding year averaged only 17 kg N fixed/ha and 24 %Ndfa (percent N derived from the atmosphere). Kura clover, however, responded to inoculation early in the post-seeding year, while maintaining response to N fertilization. This study suggests that Kura clover establishment might currently be N-limited when inoculated with commercial rhizobial inoculants.