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Book of Abstracts First Legume Society Conference 2013: A Legume Odyssey Novi Sad, Serbia, 9-11 May 2013
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A study of soil nitrogen supplies available to winter cereals following pulses compared to
winter cereals following oilseed rape
Becky Ward¹, Sarah Palmer²
1Processors and Growers Research Organisation, The Research Station, Thornhaugh, Peterborough, UK
²Wherry and Sons Ltd., the Old School, Rippingale, Bourne, Lincolnshire, UK
The value of residual nitrogen through soil nitrogen supply to cereal crops following pulses is
currently estimated to be around 30kgN/ha, providing a yield benefit to first wheat. The
recommendation for nitrogen fertiliser applications (Defra Fertiliser Manual (RB209) 8 th edition)
to cereals following pulses is for a reduction of this quantity compared to cereals following
cereals, providing a cost benefit to pulse growers as well as the associated environmental benefit.
In addition to this pulses do not require nitrogen fertiliser as they are able to fix atmospheric
nitrogen. The Processors and Growers Research Organisation in collaboration with Wherry and
Sons Ltd. undertook work in 2011 and 2012 to quantify more accurately the nitrogen available to
the succeeding crop. The study investigated soil mineral nitrogen to 90 cm depth, and the
percentage nitrogen that was measured in the unfertilised crop at harvest (grain and straw) for
commercial cereal crops following peas and beans compared to paired crops following oilseed
rape. Although the data in 2011 and 2012 were very variable, overall both measures of soil
mineral nitrogen in spring and harvested nitrogen indicated that pulses provided more nitrogen
to the succeeding cereal crop than oilseed rape. Additional investigations in 2013 and 2014 will
clarify whether preliminary conclusions represent typical soil nitrogen supplies and apparent
mineralisation following pulse crops.
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