Role of N2 fixation in the soybean N credit in maize production

Many studies have shown that maize (Zea mays L.) requires less fertilizer N for optimum yield when grown in rotation with soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr] than when grown in monoculture, which is referred to as the `soybean N credit' in the maize growing areas of the United States. Because the specific source of this soybean N credit is unclear, our objective was to determine the role of nodules and N₂ fixation as a contributing source of the soybean N credit. Our research approach was designed to separate the effect of symbiotic N₂ fixation from other rotational effects, as the treatments included: maize grown after nodulated (N₂ fixing) soybean and maize grown after non-nodulated (non N₂ fixing) soybean. A separate experiment examined maize grown after maize. For each previous crop, maize was grown the following year with varying rates of fertilizer applied N. In both years, the yield differences between nodulated and non-nodulated soybean as the previous crop were much smaller than the apparent yield decrease associated with continuous maize. Although small in magnitude, maize following non-nodulated soybean accumulated less total N, was paler in leaf color, and yielded less than maize following nodulated soybean in the more favorable year of 1999, while most of these differences were not observed in 2000. These findings indicate that soybean nodules and N₂ fixation, while having a certain role, are not the major determinants of the soybean N credit.     

Source of the soybean N credit in maize production

Nitrogen response trials throughout the United States Corn Belt show that economic optimum rates of N fertilization are usually less for maize (Zea mays L.) following soybean (Glycine max L.) than for maize following maize; however, the cause of this rotation effect is not fully understood. The objective of this study was to investigate the source of the apparent N contribution from soybean to maize (soybean N credit) by comparing soil N mineralization rates in field plots of unfertilized maize that had either nodulated soybean, non-nodulated soybean, or maize as the previous crop. Crop yields, plant N accumulation, soil inorganic N, and net soil mineralization were measured. Both grain yield (6.3 vs. 2.8 Mg ha^–1) and above-ground N accumulation (97 vs. 71 kg ha^–1) were greatly increased when maize followed nodulated soybean compared with maize following maize. A partial benefit to yield and N accumulation was also observed for maize following non-nodulated soybean. Cumulative net soil N mineralization following nodulated soybean, non-nodulated soybean, and maize was 112, 92 and 79 kg N ha^–1, respectively. Net mineralization of soil N appeared to be influenced by both quality (C:N ratio) and quantity of residue from the previous crop. In addition to an increase in plant available N from mineralization, the amount of soil inorganic N (especially in soil 5 cm from the row) was greater following nodulated soybean than non-nodulated soybean or maize. Based on these data, the soybean N credit appears to result from a combination of a decrease in net soil mineralization in continuous maize production and an increase in residual soil N from symbiotic fixation.