Nodulation, nitrogen fixation and nitrogen uptake in pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp) of different maturity groups

Summary

The seasonal patterns of nodulation, acetylene reduction, nitrogen uptake and nitrogen fixation were studies for 11 pigeonpea cultivars belonging to different maturity groups grown on an Alfisol at ICRISAT Center, Patancheru, India. In all cultivars the nodule number and mass increased to a maximum around 60–80 days after sowing and then declined. The nodule number and mass of medium- and late-maturing cultivars was greater than that of early-maturing cultivars. The nitrogenase activity per plant increased to 60 days after sowing and declined thereafter, with little activity at 100 days when the crop was flowering. At later stages of plant growth nodules formed down to 90 cm below the soil surface but those at greater depth appeared less active than those near the surface.

All the 11 cultivars continued to accumulate dry matter until 140 days, with most biomass production by the late-maturing cultivars (up to 11 t ha⁻¹) and least by the early-maturing determinate cultivars (4 t ha⁻¹). Total nitrogen uptake ranged from 69 to 134 kg ha⁻¹. Nitrogen fixation by pigeonpea was estimated as the difference in total nitrogen uptake between pigeonpea and sorghum and could amount to 69 kg N ha⁻¹ per season, or half the total nitrogen uptake. Fixation by pigeonpea increased with crop duration, but there were differences within each maturity group. The limitations of the methods used for estimating N₂ fixation by pigeonpea are discussed.