Effects of fertilisers on pulse crop productivity and nitrogen assimilation on acid soil

Abstract

This research aimed to compare the productivity of three species of pulse plants (Vicia faba L., Pisum sativum L., Lupinus angustifolium L.) in acidic sandy loam soil and to determine the influence of NPK (N0P0K0, N0P27K73, N30P27K73) fertilisers on grain yield and nitrogen assimilation. The experiments were conducted Voke Branch of Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry (Baltic Sea region, 54°33'49.8''N, 25°05'12.9''E) in 2016–2018. Fertilisation with PK increased the grain yield of Vicia faba L. and Pisum sativum L. (P < 0.05) and had no effect on the yield of Lupinus angustifolium L. (P > 0.05). Nitrogen fertilisers only increased the yield of Pisum sativum L. grain, reduced the yield of Lupinus angustifolium L. grain and did not affect Vicia faba L. The chlorophyll concentration in the leaves was significantly dependent on the species of plant. In acidic soil, Vicia faba L. and Lupinus angustifolium L. assimilated similar amounts of total nitrogen in the grain – 146.8–230.0 and 160.1–220.5 kgN/ha, respectively. Pisum sativum L. nitrogen assimilation was lower – 93.0–128.8 kg N/ha. The assimilation of total nitrogen in Pisum sativum L. was stimulated by the application of P27K73 and N30, and in Vicia faba L. – only by fertilisation with PK.