Effect of preceding legume or cereal on barley grain and nitrogen yield

Abstract

SummaryTwo separate short-term rotation experiments were conducted during 1982–5 in order to study the production and effect on subsequent barley of legumes grown in Cyprus. The treatment crops, seven legumes and three cereals, were grown in 1982–3 and in 1983–4 growing seasons and barley was grown in the subsequent growing seasons (1983–4 and 1984–5).Among the treatment crops, cereals gave equal or higher dry-matter yields, but equal or lower nitrogen yields compared with legumes. Barley, the test crop, which followed the treatment crops, gave lower grain and nitrogen yields when following cereals than after legumes. There were differences among legumes in their residual effect on the subsequent crop.