| dc.description.abstract | Prunings of leucaena [Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) De Wit]
have long been regarded as a useful alternative to N fertilizer,
but N use efficiency by crops is often low. The potential exists
to synchronise nutrient release with crop nutrient demand through
variation in the rate and placement of prunings. A 2x2x3
factorial experiment was conducted to evaluate the potential of
leaves of leucaena to supply N to maize (Zea mays L.)
plants grown in pots of soil (Grossarenic Paleudult) under
glasshouse conditions. Factors tested were two rates of
application (3 and 6 Mg ha-1), two methods of placement (surface
vs incorporation), and 3 levels of N fertilizer (0, 50, and 150
kg ha-1 equivalent of urea in solution form). Surface applied
prunings significantly increased maize shoot dry weight with
increasing levels of N fertilizer. Although incorporation of
prunings increased maize shoot dry weight, the incorporated
treatments did not show any significant response to N fertilizer,
indicative of adequate N supply from prunings. Both shoot and
total dry weight significantly increased with increasing rates
of prunings applied. Nitrogen recovery was increased by applying
prunings together with N fertilizer. There was a higher N
recovery with incorporation compared to surface application.
Prunings applied at a rate of 3 Mg ha-1 gave higher %N recovery
than 6 Mg ha-1. At the final harvest date, application of 6 Mg
ha-1 of prunings produced taller plants than 3 Mg ha-1. | en_US |
