Abstract
Fertilizer studies in Mexico indicate that coffee production can be stimulated by added nitrogen. One traditional method of coffee cultivation employs leguminous trees for shade, but these species may also play an important role in coffee production by biologically fixing nitrogen.
The presence and importance of nitrogen fixation was evaluated in four systems: coffee only, coffee plus the leguminous shade tree Inga jinicuil Schletchter, coffee plus the leguminous tree Inga vera H.B. and K., and coffee plus banana and orange trees. In all systems coffee leaves with epiphylls, wood litter, soil, roots, and root nodules were assayed for nitrogen fixing activity with the acetylene reduction technique.
All components of these systems exhibited activity except roots. Total apparent fixation was highest in the Inga jinicuil site, and equivalent to > 40kg N ha-1 yr-1 assuming a 3:1 C2H2:N2 ratio. The activity was primarily associated with Inga jinicuil nodules. Apparent fixation in the other three sites was less than 1 kg N ha-1 yr-1. Nitrogen fixed in the I. jinicuil site was 53% of the average amount of fertilizer nitrogen applied annually, suggesting that fixation by non-crop legumes can be an important nitrogen source for coffee agro-ecosystems.
Resumen
En estudios de fertilización en México se ha encontrado que la produccion de café puede ser estimulada por la adición de nitrógeno. Uno de los métodos tradicionales de cultivo de café es el de proveer al cultivo de sombra por medio de árboles de la familia Leguminosae los cuales pueden jugar un papel importante en la producción del café a través de la fijación biológica de nitrógeno.
La presencia e importancia de fijación de nitrógeno se evaluó en cuatro sistemas: café solo, café con Inga junicuil Schletcher, café con Inga vera H.B. & K. y café con bananos y naranjos. En todos los sistemas las hojas de café con epifilos, restos leñoso en el mantillo, suelo, raices y nódulos fueron estudiados por el método de reducción de acetileno para fijación de nitrógeno. Todos estos componentes presentaron actividad fijadora excepto las raices. El total de fijación aparente fué mayor en el sitio con I. jinicuil, equivalente a > 40 kg N ha-1 ão-1 asumiendo una relación de 3:1 para C2H2: N2. La actividad estaba relacionada con los nódulos de I. jinicuil. La fijación aparente en los otros tres sitios fue menos de 1 kg N ha-1 año-1. La fijación de nitrógeno para el sitio con I. jinicuil equivale al 53% de la cantidad promedio de fertilizante nitrogenado aplicado anualmente, lo cual puede tomarse como indicativo de que la fijación de nitrógeno por leguminosas adicionales al cultivo puede ser una fuente importante de nitrógeno para el café.
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© 1982 Martinus Nijhoff/Dr W. Junk Publishers, The Hague
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Roskoski, J.P. (1982). Nitrogen fixation in a Mexican coffee plantation. In: Robertson, G.P., Herrera, R., Rosswall, T. (eds) Nitrogen Cycling in Ecosystems of Latin America and the Caribbean. Developments in Plant and Soil Sciences, vol 6. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-7639-9_25
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-7639-9_25
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