Components of Seed and Straw Yield in Common Vetch (Vicia sativa L.)

178 common vetch (Vicia sativa L.) strains were tested for 2 years under dryland conditions in Bursa, Turkey. Broad-sense heritability of the traits was calculated for each trait. Phenotypic and genotypic correlation coefficients between seed and straw yield, with several morphological and reproductive traits, were obtained. Broad-sense heritability estimates were high for 1000-seed weight and number of seeds per pod. Heritability values for both seed and straw yield were small and insignificant. Harvest index, 1000-seed weight and spring vigour showed significant positive correlations with seed yield, but days to flower correlated negatively with seed yield. Spring vigour, plant height and number of leaflets per leaf correlated positively, while harvest index, seeds per pod and seeds per plant correlated negatively with straw yield. Correlations between seed and straw yield were both positive and significant.     

Protein content and amino acid profile of some wild leguminous seeds

Seeds of 28 wild growing legumes of India were analysed for their protein content and amino acid compositions. A wide variation was observed in protein contents (18.3 to 50.9%). The amino acid composition and protein content of some of these seeds were in close proximity to that of soybean; however, some legumes registered a higher level of certain amino acids and protein as compared to the latter.     

Effects of dietary inclusion of peas,chickpeas and faba beans on growth,feed utilization and health of gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata)

Three legumes [field peas (P), chickpeas (CP) and faba beans (B)] at two inclusion levels [170 g kg^?1 (L) and 350 g kg^?1 (H)] were evaluated in a 13‐week experiment with triplicate groups of 92.6 ± 5.0 g gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata L.). A control diet included wheat meal, fishmeal (FM) and a mixture of plant ingredients as protein sources. Diets were formulated to be isonitrogenous and isoenergetic and processed in a twin‐screw extruder. Restricted feeding was applied (15 g kg^?1 of body weight) and growth, haematology and histology parameters were evaluated. Decreased, but not significant, growth values were observed for all diets including legumes compared to the control. Poorer feed conversion ratio values were observed for both P diets and for high level B diet. Liver glycogen increased with increasing starch level, but hepatosomatic index did not differ significantly for any of the diet treatments. Histological examination of internal organs showed no pathological abnormalities that could be related to nutritional treatment. The study indicated that the tested legumes are ingredients that could be used in farmed seabream diets up to 350 g kg^?1 without negative effects replacing other carbohydrate sources and part of FM.     

Forage and Food Legumes in a Multi‐Year,Wheat‐Based Rotation Under Drought‐Stressed Conditions in Northern Syria’s Medium Rainfall Zone

Long‐term crop rotation trials were designed to assess sustainability of alternatives to traditional fallow and monocropping. The trial described here (6 years) involved wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in rotation with lentil (Lens culinaris L.), forage vetch (Vicia sativa), pasture medic (Medicago spp.), fallow and watermelon (Citrullus vulgaris). Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) was compared with wheat for an additional 2 years. Cereal grain and straw yields were highest with fallow and watermelon followed by vetch, lentil and medic; the latter showed no differential effect of variable grazing intensity. Fertilizer N increased yields except in the low‐rainfall years (less than 250 mm). Barley out‐yielded wheat in terms of grain, but not straw. Medic yielded highest in dry matter, whereas lentil produced highest seed yield. Despite the difficulty of assessing crop and animal‐oriented rotations because of non‐commonality of outputs, economic considerations are foremost, but other benefits of rotations (soil quality, water‐use relations) are also relevant to the overall assessment of cereal‐based Mediterranean rotations. The study suggested barley rather than wheat as the desired cereal in rotation with legumes in this marginal‐rainfall (350 mm) environment and provided support for the viability of vetch and lentil in the cropping system. Given the importance of sheep in the region’s farming system, vetch is likely to have a major role in crop rotations.     

INTERACTIVE EFFECT OF SULFUR AND PHOSPHORUS ON NODULATION,NITROGEN FIXATION,AND NUTRIENT UPTAKE BY CHICKPEA GROWN ON CALCAREOUS SOILS IN PAKISTAN

Field experiments were conducted at two different locations under rainfed conditions of Punjab, Pakistan to assess nodulation, nitrogen fixation and nutrient uptake by chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) in response to application of three rates [0, 40, and 80 kg phosphorus pentoxide (P₂O₅ ha^?1)] of phosphorus and three rates (0, 15 and 30 kg S ha^?1) of sulfur in different combinations. Effect of phosphorus application was nonsignificant while that of sulfur was significant on percent nitrogen derived from atmosphere. Both phosphorus and sulfur application resulted in increase in nitrogen fixation up to 38% and 33% over control, respectively. Nutrient uptake [nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and sulfur (S)] increased significantly with the application of phosphorus and sulfur and correlated positively with nitrogen fixation. There is direct involvement of sulfur in the process of nitrogen fixation whereas effect of phosphorus on nitrogen fixation is indirect mainly through enhanced growth and dry matter production.     

A winter intercrop of faba bean and rapeseed for silage as a substitute for Italian ryegrass in rotation with maize

In order to combine the ability of legumes to fix atmospheric nitrogen and the cruciferous capacities to mobilize soil nutrients and herbicide action, the aim of this work was to evaluate an alternative winter intercrop (faba bean-rapeseed) as a replacement of Italian ryegrass culture in a rotational system with maize as summer crop. For this purpose, two adjacent plots were used during three agronomic years (2011–2012, 2012–2013 and 2013–2014) to evaluate the agronomic performance through the forage production, nutritional composition of forage and silage, and the effects on soil fertility. The Italian ryegrass was cultivated under conventional management: using chemical fertilization and recommended dosages of herbicides. The faba bean-rapeseed intercrop was cultivated under an alternative management: organic fertilization and less herbicide supply. The intercrop provides higher forage yield per hectare than Italian ryegrass, with greater protein (kg ha^?1) and similar energy (GJ ha^?1) yields. The intercrop allows reducing the inputs of chemical fertilization and herbicides, and it has a positive effect on the balance of soil nutrients, especially increasing the potassium, calcium and magnesium contents. The results show that faba bean-rapeseed intercrop could be an alternative to the Italian ryegrass as winter crop.     

Amelioration of a degraded Oxic Paleustalf by leguminous and natural fallows

Abstract. The restorative ability of herbaceous ( Psophocarpus palustris, Pueraria phaseoloides ) and woody ( Leucaena leucocephala, Senna siamea, Acacia leptocarpa, Acacia auriculiformis ) legume species and of natural regrowth was studied on an eroded and compacted Oxic Paleustalf in southwestern Nigeria. Compared to the control treatment that was continuously cropped for 15 years, four years of fallowing significantly improved test crop yields. However, fallowing with the above species did not substantially improve soil properties, particularly soil bulk density. A longer fallow period may be needed to amend soil physical conditions of this degraded Alfisol. Soil chemical properties were greatly improved following land clearing and plant biomass burning in 1993. However, the residual effect of burning on soil fertility was insignificant in the second cropping year. Among the fallow species, P. palustris and natural fallow showed the best residual effect on test crop performance. Despite the high biomass and nutrient yields of S. siamea and A. auriculiformis , test crop yields on these plots were low due to the border effects from the uncleared and fallowed subplots.     

Genetic diversity of rhizobia associated with indigenous legumes in different regions of Flanders (Belgium)

We investigated the diversity of rhizobia isolated from different indigenous legumes in Flanders (Belgium). A total of 3810 bacterial strains were analysed originating from 43 plant species. Based on rep-PCR clustering, 16S rRNA gene and recA gene sequence analysis, these isolates belonged to Bradyrhizobium, Ensifer (Sinorhizobium), Mesorhizobium and Rhizobium. Of the genera encountered, Rhizobium was the most abundant (62%) and especially the species Rhizobiumleguminosarum, followed by Ensifer (19%), Bradyrhizobium (14%) and finally Mesorhizobium (5%). For two rep-clusters only low similarity values with other genera were found for both the 16S rRNA and recA genes, suggesting that these may represent a new genus with close relationship to Rhodopseudomonas and Bradyrhizobium. Primers for the symbiotic genes nodC and nifH were optimized and a phylogenetic sequence analysis revealed the presence of different symbiovars including genistearum, glycinearum, loti, meliloti, officinalis, trifolii and viciae. Moreover, three new nodC types were assigned to strains originating from Ononis, Robinia and Wisteria, respectively. Discriminant and MANOVA analysis confirmed the correlation of symbiosis genes with certain bacterial genera and less with the host plant. Multiple symbiovars can be present within the same host plant, suggesting the promiscuity of these plants. Moreover, the ecoregion did not contribute to the separation of the bacterial endosymbionts. Our results reveal a large diversity of rhizobia associated with indigenous legumes in Flanders. Most of the legumes harboured more than one rhizobial endosymbiont in their root nodules indicating the importance of including sufficient isolates per plant in diversity studies.     

Effects of various cover crops after peas on nitrate leaching and nitrogen supply to succeeding winter wheat or potato crops

In organic farming systems, it has been demonstrated that grain pulses such as peas often do not enhance soil N supply to the following crops. This may be due to large N removals via harvested grains as well as N‐leaching losses during winter. In two field‐trial series, the effects of legume (common vetch, hairy vetch, peas) and nonlegume (oil radish) cover crops (CC), and mixtures of both, sown after peas, on soil nitrate content, N uptake, and yield of following potatoes or winter wheat were studied. The overall objective of these experiments was to obtain detailed information on how to influence N availability after main‐crop peas by adapting cover‐cropping strategies. Cover crops accumulated 56 to 108 kg N ha^–1 in aboveground biomass, and legume CC fixed 30–70 kg N ha^–1 by N₂ fixation, depending on the soil N supply and the length of the growing period of the CC. Nitrogen concentration in the aboveground biomass of legume CC was much higher and the C : N ratio much lower than in the nonlegume oil radish CC. At the time of CC incorporation (wheat series) as well as at the end of the growing season (potato series), soil nitrate content did not differ between the nonlegume CC species and mixtures, whereas pure stands of legume CC showed slightly increased soil nitrate content. When the CC were incorporated in autumn (beginning of October) nitrate leaching increased, especially from leguminous CC. However, most of the N leached only into soil layers down to 1.50 m and was recovered more or less by the following winter wheat. When CC were incorporated in late winter (February) no increase in nitrate leaching was observed. In spring, N availability for winter wheat or potatoes was much greater after legumes and, after mixtures containing legumes, resulting in significantly higher N uptake and yields in both crops. In conclusion, autumn‐incorporated CC mixtures of legumes and nonlegumes accomplished both: reduced nitrate leaching and larger N availability to the succeeding crop. When the CC were incorporated in winter and a spring‐sown main crop followed even pure stands of legume CC were able to achieve both goals.     

Variation in temperature requirements for germination and early seedling root development in Chamaecrista rotundifolia and three allied species

Two experiments are discussed. In the first, rates of root elongation during the first four days of growth at 25 °C were studied in Chamaecrista rotundifolia (34 accessions), C. nictitans (2 accessions), C. pilosa (1 accession) and C. serpens (3 accessions). In the second, a comparison was made of germination characteristics of 14 accessions of C. rotundifolia and one of C. pilosa at nine constant temperatures (11–27 °C). Entries included accessions from a wide latitudinal range. There were statistically significant differences in root length on all four days of measurement. No accession had significantly longer roots than the commercial cultivar cv. Wynn on day 1, but over the following three days, 4, 10 and 13 accessions had significantly longer roots, respectively. Root length on day 4 was positively correlated with latitude of origin. In the second experiment, maximum germination occurred at 25.5–27 °C, with progressively lower percentages at lower temperatures. There were highly significant differences between accessions at each temperature (P<0.001), and a highly significant accession × temperature interaction. No accession had a higher germination percentage than cv. Wynn at any temperature. Percentage mortality differed significantly (P<0.05) at all temperatures except 27 °C. Mortality at low temperature was negatively correlated with latitude of provenance. Increased temperatures up to 22.5 °C reduced the time taken to reach 50% of maximum germination (T₅₀), and thereafter it was reasonably constant. With one exception (22.5 °C), no accession germinated significantly more quickly than cv. Wynn, and at 13 °C cv. Wynn germinated significantly more rapidly than all other entries. Over all temperatures, there was a significant negative correlation between days to 50% germination and latitude of provenance. Estimated base temperature for germination (T _b ) ranged from 10.6 °C to 13.6 °C. T _b was positively correlated with latitude of provenance. It is argued that accessions from higher latitudes have developed mechanisms for survival of soft seed at low temperatures, low base germination temperature, germination rates and root elongation rates that adapt them to an environment with summer-dominant rainfall and winters which are too cool to support growth.