Nitrogen mineralization and crop uptake from surface-applied leaves of green manure species on a tropical volcanic-ash soil

Leaves of nine green manure (GM) species were surface applied to a tropical volcanic-ash soil at a rate of 100 kg N ha(-1) in order to evaluate their N-fertilizer value in a glasshouse experiment. GM treatments were compared to urea at two rates, 50 kg N ha(-1) (FN50) and 100 kg N ha(-1) (FN100), and to a control with no fertilizer application (FNO). Two weeks after treatment application, upland rice seedlings were sown in order to conduct N uptake studies. Soil volumetric moisture content was maintained close to 50%. In general, soil showed an initial increase in inorganic N followed by a rapid decline with time. After 2 weeks of evaluation FN100, FN50 and leaves of Mucuna pruriens var. TIaltizapan and Indigofera constricta presented higher values of inorganic N (157-109 mg N kg(-1) soil); while, FNO and leaves of Mucuna deerengianum, Cratylia argentea and Calliandra calothyrsus presented lower values (75-89 mg N kg-1 soil). N recovery by rice, at 20 weeks after planting, was highest for FN100 (59.9%) followed by Canavalia brasiliensis (54.6%), Calliandra calothyrsus (47.4%) and M. pruriens var. IITA-Benin (32.4%); while, M. pruriens var. Tlaltizapan, FN50, Tithonia diversifolia and L constricta presented lower N uptake (13-20%). Significant relationships were found between some quality parameters of GM evaluated (i.e. total N, fibers, lignin and polyphenol content), soil N availability and rice N uptake. These results suggest that GM that decomposed and released N slowly resulted in high N uptake when they were used at pre-sowing in a tropical volcanic-ash soil.