• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.102-105
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• 1999

Mineralization of organic N is an important factor in determining the appropriate rate of organic matter application to paddy fields. A kinetic analysis was conducted for nitrogen mineralization of rice, barley, Chinese milk Ovetch (Astragalus sinicus L.; MV) and narrow leaf vetch straw in paddy soil. Nitrogen immobilization occurred rapidly and its rate increased in straw with high C/N ratio. The amount of nitrogen mineralization was rapid in the first year of rice-vetch cropping system. The rate constant (K) depended on the C/N ratio of organic matter. Mineralization of straw increased at high temperature. The amount of available N increment resulted in fast mineralization of straw, especially in rice and barley straw. Chinese milk vetch had the greatest mineralization rate at all temperatures and fertilization levels followed by narrow-leaf vetch. However, rice and barley straws with high C/N ratio immobilized the soil N at the initial incubation duration. Chinese milk vetch or narrow leaf vetch was not effectively mineralized in mixed treatments with rice or barley straw. The mineralization rate of organic matter was mostly affected by the C/N ratio of straw and temperature of incubation. Organic matter with low C/N ratio should be recommended to avoid the immobilization of soil N and the increasing mineralization rate of straw.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.221-224
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• 1999

A field experiment was carried out to observe the weed control effects of vetch and to evaluate vetch characteristics on clay loam soil in no-till direct-sown rice-vetch cropping systems. The effects of weed control, forage productivity, and N content of vetch plants were investigated. With the progress of plant growth, density of Chinese milk vetch (Astragalus sinicus L.) gradually decreased, but densities of foxtail and other weeds decreased steeply due to the depression by the over-shaded vetch canopy in a no-till direct-sown rice-vetch cropping paddy field. The vetch density in tillage systems was lower than in notillage cropping systems. Lower vetch density occurred with an increase in foxtail density and other weeds. Weed control effect increased by the progress of vetch growth, which indicated that the vetch canopy over-shaded the weeds. Vetch straw was degraded rapidly submergence after with water at the time of wet sowing of rice. Early harvesting of vetch seed resulted in lower seed germination. To acquire enough seedlings without re-sowing, the harvesting of seed should be delayed at least 28 days after the flowering stage in order to ensure the vetch population is sustainable in a no-till direct-sown rice-vetch cropping system. In order to improve the survival of vetch plants, vetch seeds should germinate from the heading .stage to before the full-ripening stage of rice plants. To enhance the percent of over-wintering survival, vetch seeds should germinate no later than the end of October in southern Korea. The dry weight of vetch plants increased with the progress of vetch growth until the flowering stage but N content decreased for 30 days from before the flowering stage (2.9%) until the ripening stage (1.8%). We concluded that Chinese milk vetch could have an effect on weed control before the flowering stage, sustainability without re-sowing of seed annually, and effective green manure for rice pre-crop in no-till direct-sown rice-vetch relay cropping systems.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.308-315
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• 2003

A field experiment was conducted to investigate the performance of three legume species in a zero-tillage, non-fertilized rice field in a temperate zone. Before the experiment for 5 years, from 1995 to 1999, plant growth patterns of three legume species grown as over-wintering (October-May) cover crops on a paddy field were maintained to study N balance and $\textrm{N}_2$ fixation. Decrease in plant density accelerated from after winter to flowering from 1,090, 320, and 5 to 732, 232, and 6 plants $\textrm{m}^{-2}$ in Chinese milk vetch (CMV), white clover (WC), and hairy vetch (HV), respectively. Total dry weights of plants above-ground level were 0.05, 0.11, and 2.43 g $\textrm{plant}^{-1}$. in WC, CMV and HV respectively but steeply increased at ripening up to 0.77, 2.33, and 26 g $\textrm{plant}^{-1}$. The root dry weight of HV and CMV rapidly increased while in WC, root dry weight increased slightly towards flowering. The highest nodule numbers were recorded in CMV to April thereafter WC produced the highest. Nodule size was distributed within 7mm in CMV but it was larger in HV varying from 1 to 10mm. Shoot N (g $\textrm{m}^{-2}$) greatly increased from over-wintering to flowering in CMV, HV and WC and it ranged from 1.66, 0.5 and 1.92 to 12.6, 3.1 and 13.02 g $\textrm{m}^{-2}$, respectively. After wintering, the initial shoot N content (%) was more in CMV. Root N content (%) was constant or slightly decreased in HV and WC. Soil total N in the control plot (clean fallow) was the highest on Mar. 2 then decreased rapidly to flowering. Soil N content was constant in HV plots whereas it was low in WC plots for the entire growth period except just after winter. Maximum nitrogenase activities were 9, 37.8, and 131 mol $\textrm{C}_2\textrm{H}_4$ $\textrm{plant}^{-1}$ $\textrm{hour}^{-1}$. in CMV, HV, and WC, respectively. Nitrogenase activity showed a direct correlation with nodule number, size and fresh weight. As a cover crop preceding a rice crop, CMV is more suited to colder regions due to its earlier ripening characteristics. Hairy vetch and WC are recommended for regions with a mild winter and a long summer owing to their late ripening and great N fixation activity.