Mineral nitrogen effects of hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth) on maize (Zea mays L.) by green manure amounts

Abstract

Legume with low C-to-N is more getting acceptance as an alternative to nitrogen (N) fertilizer because of high price of N fertilizer recently. Amounts of fresh aboveground hairy vetch equivalent to N rates of 80, 160 and 240 kg ha-1 were incorporated into soil as alternative N source for two years of maize in Suwon, Korea and were compared to the same N amounts applied as N fertilizer, ammonium nitrate. Soil organic N was increased considerably by hairy vetch. Dry matter (DM) yields of maize increased more in hairy vetch than ammonium nitrate with N rates over 160 kg ha-1. Maize N yields were not different between two N sources with N rates under 160 kg ha-1, but was higher in hairy vetch than ammonium nitrate with N rate 240 kg ha -1 showing superior mineral N alternative of hairy vetch to N fertilizer at high N rate. © 2008 Asian Network for Scientific Information.