The effect of soil pH and natural fertilizers on the productivity of different mixtures and nitrogen accumulation in plant biomass

Abstract

Research aimed at comparing the productivity and nitrogen (N) accumulation in plant biomass of different mixtures and permanent meadow grown in soils with different pH was performed. Most of the N was accumulated in permanent meadow grass biomass. Barley/lupine and barley/pea mixtures accumulated considerably less N. In most cases, soil pH had no significant effect on N accumulation. In fact, N accumulation strongly depended on plant productivity. In 2008, there was a more significant decrease in the productivity of barley/lupine mixture, compared to that of 2007. Permanent meadow was a more stable agroecosystem compared with annual mixtures; therefore different agroclimatic conditions had little effect on yield formation (somewhat bigger in 2008, but insignificantly), whereas increase in grass productivity was obtained. Average data for 2007 and 2008 showed that barley/pea mixture was the most productive.