Biological nitrogen fixation by faba bean, pea and vetch, using isotopic techniques (N-15) and two reference crops

A field experiment was carried out on a Typic Dystrandept soil at Santa Catalina Experimental Station, Cutuglagua, Pichincha, Ecuador. The objectives were to quantify faba bean (Vicia faba) pea (Pisum sativum) and vetch (Vicia sativa) biological nitrogen fixation using N-15 isotopic technique and to evaluate suitability of reference crops for such quantification. Higher values of biological nitrogen fixation were obtained using maize (Zea mays L.) than using wheat (Triticum vurgare) as reference crops. The average values were 85 and 81 per cent for vetch; 73 and 69 per cent for faba bean; and 34 and 18 per cent for pea, respectively. It was assumed that nitrogen use efficiency should be the same for fixing and no fixing crop, but it was observed that a reference crop with low nitrogen use efficiency underestimates legume biological nitrogen fixation. Results suggest that greater caution is needed when selecting reference crops for legumes with low nitrogen fixation