Abstract
An on-farm field experiment was conducted on an acidic soil to investigate the effects of combined use of lime and deficient nutrients on herbage yield of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.). Omitting lime and limiting nutrients led to elevated concentrations of aluminium (Al), iron (Fe), and manganese (Mn) in alfalfa leaves and stems and caused severe reductions in herbage yield of alfalfa. Combined use of lime (2 t ha−1) and nutrients [phosphorus (P): 20 kg ha−1, sulfur (S): 20 kg ha−1, zinc (Zn): 4 kg ha−1, and boron (B): 2 kg ha−1] had the maximum increase in groundcover, root biomass, nodulation, leaf retention, leaf-to-stem ratio, herbage yield, crude protein, and nutrient composition of alfalfa. These beneficial effects were due to raised soil pH; improved calcium (Ca), P, S, Zn, and B nutrition; and reduced Al, Mn, and Fe toxicity. Aluminium and all the nutrients except copper (Cu) were more concentrated in alfalfa leaves than stems. Aluminum concentration was about three times greater in the lower leaves than in upper leaves. Lower leaves also had much greater concentrations of Ca, Mg, K, S, Fe, Mn, Cu, and B compared with upper leaves. In contrast, P and Zn concentrations were greater in the upper leaves than in lower leaves. Results suggest that the combined use of lime and all the limiting nutrients may realize potential beneficial effects of alfalfa on acidic soils where more than one essential nutrient is deficient. This may increase growth potential, nitrogen contributions, and groundcover by alfalfa and reduce soil erosion and runoff.
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Claims 14
Claim · model-written summary
Omitting lime and limiting nutrients elevated leaf and stem Al, Fe and Mn concentrations.
- Taxon
- alfalfa
Medicago sativae0 - Treatment
- Omitting lime and limiting nutrientse0
- Outcome
- concentrations of aluminium (Al), iron (Fe), and manganese (Mn)e0
- Direction
- elevatede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Omitting lime and limiting nutrients led to elevated concentrations of aluminium (Al), iron (Fe), and manganese (Mn) in alfalfa leaves and stems”
Claim · model-written summary
Omitting lime and limiting nutrients severely reduced herbage yield.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativae0
- Treatment
- Omitting lime and limiting nutrientse0
- Outcome
- herbage yielde0
- Direction
- severe reductionse0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Omitting lime and limiting nutrients led to elevated concentrations of aluminium (Al), iron (Fe), and manganese (Mn) in alfalfa leaves and stems and caused severe reductions in herbage yield of alfalfa.”
Claim · model-written summary
Combined lime and nutrients maximized groundcover, root biomass and nodulation.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativae0
- Treatment
- Combined use of lime (2 t ha−1) and nutrients [phosphorus (P): 20 kg ha−1, sulfur (S): 20 kg ha−1, zinc (Zn): 4 kg ha−1, and boron (B): 2 kg ha−1]e0
- Outcome
- groundcover, root biomass, nodulatione0
- Direction
- maximum increasee0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Combined use of lime (2 t ha−1) and nutrients [phosphorus (P): 20 kg ha−1, sulfur (S): 20 kg ha−1, zinc (Zn): 4 kg ha−1, and boron (B): 2 kg ha−1] had the maximum increase in groundcover, root biomass, nodulation, leaf retention, leaf-to-stem ratio, herbage yield, crude protein, and nutrient composition of alfalfa.”
Claim · model-written summary
Combined lime and nutrients maximized leaf retention, leaf-to-stem ratio and herbage yield.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativae0
- Treatment
- Combined use of lime (2 t ha−1) and nutrients [phosphorus (P): 20 kg ha−1, sulfur (S): 20 kg ha−1, zinc (Zn): 4 kg ha−1, and boron (B): 2 kg ha−1]e0
- Outcome
- leaf retention, leaf-to-stem ratio, herbage yielde0
- Direction
- maximum increasee0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Combined use of lime (2 t ha−1) and nutrients [phosphorus (P): 20 kg ha−1, sulfur (S): 20 kg ha−1, zinc (Zn): 4 kg ha−1, and boron (B): 2 kg ha−1] had the maximum increase in groundcover, root biomass, nodulation, leaf retention, leaf-to-stem ratio, herbage yield, crude protein, and nutrient composition of alfalfa.”
Claim · model-written summary
Combined lime and nutrients maximized crude protein and nutrient composition.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativae0
- Treatment
- Combined use of lime (2 t ha−1) and nutrients [phosphorus (P): 20 kg ha−1, sulfur (S): 20 kg ha−1, zinc (Zn): 4 kg ha−1, and boron (B): 2 kg ha−1]e0
- Outcome
- crude protein, and nutrient compositione0
- Direction
- maximum increasee0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Combined use of lime (2 t ha−1) and nutrients [phosphorus (P): 20 kg ha−1, sulfur (S): 20 kg ha−1, zinc (Zn): 4 kg ha−1, and boron (B): 2 kg ha−1] had the maximum increase in groundcover, root biomass, nodulation, leaf retention, leaf-to-stem ratio, herbage yield, crude protein, and nutrient composition of alfalfa.”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors attributed benefits to higher soil pH, improved nutrition and reduced metal toxicity.
- Taxon
- AlfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Outcome
- beneficial effectse0
- Qualifier
- raised soil pH; improved calcium (Ca), P, S, Zn, and B nutrition; and reduced Al, Mn, and Fe toxicitye0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“These beneficial effects were due to raised soil pH; improved calcium (Ca), P, S, Zn, and B nutrition; and reduced Al, Mn, and Fe toxicity.”
t0“Alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
Aluminium and all nutrients except copper were more concentrated in leaves than stems.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativae0
- Organ / stage
- leavese0
- Outcome
- Aluminium and all the nutrients except copper (Cu)e0
- Direction
- more concentratede0
- Comparator
- stemse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Aluminium and all the nutrients except copper (Cu) were more concentrated in alfalfa leaves than stems.”
Claim · model-written summary
Aluminum concentration in lower leaves was about three times that in upper leaves.
- Taxon
- AlfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Organ / stage
- lower leavese0
- Outcome
- Aluminum concentratione0
- Direction
- greatere0
- Value
- about three timese0
- Comparator
- upper leavese0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Aluminum concentration was about three times greater in the lower leaves than in upper leaves.”
t0“Alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
Lower leaves had greater Ca, Mg and K concentrations than upper leaves.
- Taxon
- AlfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Organ / stage
- Lower leavese0
- Outcome
- concentrations of Ca, Mg, Ke0
- Direction
- much greatere0
- Comparator
- upper leavese0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Lower leaves also had much greater concentrations of Ca, Mg, K, S, Fe, Mn, Cu, and B compared with upper leaves.”
t0“Alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
Lower leaves had greater S, Fe and Mn concentrations than upper leaves.
- Taxon
- AlfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Organ / stage
- Lower leavese0
- Outcome
- S, Fe, Mne0
- Direction
- much greatere0
- Comparator
- upper leavese0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Lower leaves also had much greater concentrations of Ca, Mg, K, S, Fe, Mn, Cu, and B compared with upper leaves.”
t0“Alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
Lower leaves had greater Cu and B concentrations than upper leaves.
- Taxon
- AlfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Organ / stage
- Lower leavese0
- Outcome
- Cu, and Be0
- Direction
- much greatere0
- Comparator
- upper leavese0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Lower leaves also had much greater concentrations of Ca, Mg, K, S, Fe, Mn, Cu, and B compared with upper leaves.”
t0“Alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
P and Zn concentrations were greater in upper leaves than lower leaves.
- Taxon
- AlfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Organ / stage
- upper leavese0
- Outcome
- P and Zn concentrationse0
- Direction
- greatere0
- Comparator
- lower leavese0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“P and Zn concentrations were greater in the upper leaves than in lower leaves.”
t0“Alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors recommended combined lime and limiting nutrients for alfalfa on multiply deficient acidic soils.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativae0
- Outcome
- combined use of lime and all the limiting nutrientse0
- Qualifier
- acidic soils where more than one essential nutrient is deficiente0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Results suggest that the combined use of lime and all the limiting nutrients may realize potential beneficial effects of alfalfa on acidic soils where more than one essential nutrient is deficient.”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors suggested combined treatment could increase growth potential, nitrogen contributions and groundcover, and reduce erosion and runoff.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativae0
- Outcome
- increase growth potential, nitrogen contributions, and groundcover by alfalfa and reduce soil erosion and runoffe0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“This may increase growth potential, nitrogen contributions, and groundcover by alfalfa and reduce soil erosion and runoff.”
The same questions in other papers
boron atom · quality: protein · Medicago sativa (alfalfa)Results differ
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See all 23 papers →zinc atom · symbiosis · Medicago sativa (alfalfa)Positive and negative results
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zinc atom · quality: protein · Medicago sativa (alfalfa)Positive and negative results
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See all 7 papers →polysulfur · quality: protein · Medicago sativa (alfalfa)Results agree
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lime · yield · Medicago sativa (alfalfa)Results differ
40 papers in the same direction as this paper · 9 in the opposite direction
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See all 50 papers →phosphorus · yield · Medicago sativa (alfalfa)Results differ
53 papers in the same direction as this paper · 13 in the opposite direction · 1 reporting no difference from an alternative
- no effect
- no effect
- negative
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See all 68 papers →8 of 13 groups shown: named compounds and organisms first, then groups whose results differ (checked claim by claim), then those with positive and negative results, then the smaller groups.
Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.