{"id":{"repo_id":"zimbabwe","oai_identifier":"oai:dspace.unza.zm:123456789/156"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/zimbabwe/oai:dspace.unza.zm:123456789/156","repository":{"repo_id":"zimbabwe","name":"University of Zimbabwe","base_url":"https://dspace.unza.zm/server/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Decomposition and Nitrogen Release From Leucaena leucocephala,senna siamea, and Flemingia macrophylla Litter in managed alleys for maize in Zambia:Infuence of inorganic-N and litter Quality","abstract":"The effects of litter quality and inorganic nitrogen (N) on rate of decomposition and N release pattern by three leguminous woody species were investigated under field conditions by the litterbag technique. The species studied in 1994/1995 were Leucaena leucocephala, Senna siamea and Flemingia macrophylla. This study was superimposed on an existing alley cropping trial. In the on-going experiment , maize (variety MM 603,3-way cross), was the companion crop and the leguminous species comprised the alley hedgerows. Nylon litterbags with 4 mm mesh size were each filled with 20 g of dry leaf prunings of each species. Five litterbags of each pruning type were randomly buried in a subplot of each treatment. At each sampling time, one bag representing each pruning type was removed from each subplot. The samples were cleaned , dried , weighed and analysed for N, polyphenol and lignin contents. Decomposition rate constants (kD) and N release rate constants (kN) were calculated from exponential decomposition equations. The mean(kD) of the plant litter ranged from 0.30 to 0.12wk-1, decreasing in the order , L. leucocephala,>S. siamea> F. macrophylla. Analysis of variance of the mean kD values showed that L. leucocephala, and S. siamea decomposed significantly (P<_0.01) faster than F. macrophylla. It was also observed that the level of inorganic N had a significant effect on decomposition rate. Residues in plots which received 68 and 112 kg N ha-1 had similar decomposition rate which were faster((P<-0.05) than those for 0 and 34 kg N ha-1. Negative partial correlations were recorded between kDs, on one hand and lignin and polyphenol contents(P<-0.01), C:N ratio (P<-0.01) and lignin + polyphenol:N ratio (P<-0.01) and inorganic N level (P<-0.01). These results show that both the chemical composition of plant residues and level of inorganic fertilizer N applied increased the rate of plant residue decomposition. The mean (kN) ranged from 0.151 to 0.114wk-1, decreasing in the order L. leucocephala,>S. siamea> F.macrophylla. There were however , no significant species on N level effects on kN. Generally, net N release was obtained in the first 2-3 weeks followed by immobilization thereafter in all species. Positive partial correlations(P<-0.05)were recorded with initial N- content ( P<-0.05) suggested that it affects decomposition rates. Negative partial correlations were recorded between initial lignin and polyphenol contents and kN. Lignin and polyphenols are thought to have caused N immobilization through the formation of resistant complexes. There was no significant species effect on maize yields . A significant N fertilizer effect on yield was obtained at 68 kg N ha-1. This result probably indicates the need for moderate fertilizer N addition to incorporated residues in alley cropping.","abstract_html":"The effects of litter quality and inorganic nitrogen (N) on rate of decomposition and N release pattern by three leguminous woody species were investigated under field conditions by the litterbag technique. The species studied in 1994/1995 were Leucaena leucocephala, Senna siamea and Flemingia macrophylla. This study was superimposed on an existing alley cropping trial. In the on-going experiment , maize (variety MM 603,3-way cross), was the companion crop and the leguminous species comprised the alley hedgerows. Nylon litterbags with 4 mm mesh size were each filled with 20 g of dry leaf prunings of each species. Five litterbags of each pruning type were randomly buried in a subplot of each treatment. At each sampling time, one bag representing each pruning type was removed from each subplot. The samples were cleaned , dried , weighed and analysed for N, polyphenol and lignin contents. Decomposition rate constants (kD) and N release rate constants (kN) were calculated from exponential decomposition equations. The mean(kD) of the plant litter ranged from 0.30 to 0.12wk-1, decreasing in the order , L. leucocephala,&gt;S. siamea&gt; F. macrophylla. Analysis of variance of the mean kD values showed that L. leucocephala, and S. siamea decomposed significantly (P&lt;_0.01) faster than F. macrophylla. It was also observed that the level of inorganic N had a significant effect on decomposition rate. Residues in plots which received 68 and 112 kg N ha-1 had similar decomposition rate which were faster((P&lt;-0.05) than those for 0 and 34 kg N ha-1. Negative partial correlations were recorded between kDs, on one hand and lignin and polyphenol contents(P&lt;-0.01), C:N ratio (P&lt;-0.01) and lignin + polyphenol:N ratio (P&lt;-0.01) and inorganic N level (P&lt;-0.01). These results show that both the chemical composition of plant residues and level of inorganic fertilizer N applied increased the rate of plant residue decomposition. The mean (kN) ranged from 0.151 to 0.114wk-1, decreasing in the order L. leucocephala,&gt;S. siamea&gt; F.macrophylla. There were however , no significant species on N level effects on kN. Generally, net N release was obtained in the first 2-3 weeks followed by immobilization thereafter in all species. Positive partial correlations(P&lt;-0.05)were recorded with initial N- content ( P&lt;-0.05) suggested that it affects decomposition rates. Negative partial correlations were recorded between initial lignin and polyphenol contents and kN. Lignin and polyphenols are thought to have caused N immobilization through the formation of resistant complexes. There was no significant species effect on maize yields . A significant N fertilizer effect on yield was obtained at 68 kg N ha-1. This result probably indicates the need for moderate fertilizer N addition to incorporated residues in alley cropping.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Makaza, Kasirayi"],"institution":null,"degree_name":null,"degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2011,"date_issued":"2011-01-27","date_published":"2011-01-27","updated_at":"2026-07-27T22:06:47Z","subjects":["Nitrogen Decomposition from Leucaena leuocephala","Nitrogen Decomposition from Senna siamea","Nitrogen Decomposition from Flemingia macrophylla"],"languages":["en"],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://dspace.unza.zm/handle/123456789/156","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Makaza, Kasirayi"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2011-01-27T13:08:24Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2011-01-27T13:08:24Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2011-01-27"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Nitrogen Decomposition from Leucaena leuocephala","Nitrogen Decomposition from Senna siamea","Nitrogen Decomposition from Flemingia macrophylla"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language.iso","label":"Language (ISO)","values":["en"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["http://dspace.unza.zm/handle/123456789/156"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The effects of litter quality and inorganic nitrogen (N) on rate of decomposition and N release pattern by three leguminous woody species were investigated under field conditions by the litterbag technique. The species studied in 1994/1995 were Leucaena leucocephala, Senna siamea and Flemingia macrophylla. This study was superimposed on an existing alley cropping trial. In the on-going experiment , maize (variety MM 603,3-way cross), was the companion crop and the leguminous species comprised the alley hedgerows. Nylon litterbags with 4 mm mesh size were each filled with 20 g of dry leaf prunings of each species. Five litterbags of each pruning type were randomly buried in a subplot of each treatment. At each sampling time, one bag representing each pruning type was removed from each subplot. The samples were cleaned , dried , weighed and analysed for N, polyphenol and lignin contents. Decomposition rate constants (kD) and N release rate constants (kN) were calculated from exponential decomposition equations. The mean(kD) of the plant litter ranged from 0.30 to 0.12wk-1, decreasing in the order , L. leucocephala,>S. siamea> F. macrophylla. Analysis of variance of the mean kD values showed that L. leucocephala, and S. siamea decomposed significantly (P<_0.01) faster than F. macrophylla. It was also observed that the level of inorganic N had a significant effect on decomposition rate. Residues in plots which received 68 and 112 kg N ha-1 had similar decomposition rate which were faster((P<-0.05) than those for 0 and 34 kg N ha-1. Negative partial correlations were recorded between kDs, on one hand and lignin and polyphenol contents(P<-0.01), C:N ratio (P<-0.01) and lignin + polyphenol:N ratio (P<-0.01) and inorganic N level (P<-0.01). These results show that both the chemical composition of plant residues and level of inorganic fertilizer N applied increased the rate of plant residue decomposition. The mean (kN) ranged from 0.151 to 0.114wk-1, decreasing in the order L. leucocephala,>S. siamea> F.macrophylla. There were however , no significant species on N level effects on kN. Generally, net N release was obtained in the first 2-3 weeks followed by immobilization thereafter in all species. Positive partial correlations(P<-0.05)were recorded with initial N- content ( P<-0.05) suggested that it affects decomposition rates. Negative partial correlations were recorded between initial lignin and polyphenol contents and kN. Lignin and polyphenols are thought to have caused N immobilization through the formation of resistant complexes. There was no significant species effect on maize yields . A significant N fertilizer effect on yield was obtained at 68 kg N ha-1. This result probably indicates the need for moderate fertilizer N addition to incorporated residues in alley cropping."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Decomposition and Nitrogen Release From Leucaena leucocephala,senna siamea, and Flemingia macrophylla Litter in managed alleys for maize in Zambia:Infuence of inorganic-N and litter Quality"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Makaza, Kasirayi"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2011-01-27T13:08:24Z"],"dc:date.available":["2011-01-27T13:08:24Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2011-01-27"],"dc:description.abstract":["The effects of litter quality and inorganic nitrogen (N) on rate of decomposition and N release pattern by three leguminous woody species were investigated under field conditions by the litterbag technique. The species studied in 1994/1995 were Leucaena leucocephala, Senna siamea and Flemingia macrophylla. This study was superimposed on an existing alley cropping trial. In the on-going experiment , maize (variety MM 603,3-way cross), was the companion crop and the leguminous species comprised the alley hedgerows. Nylon litterbags with 4 mm mesh size were each filled with 20 g of dry leaf prunings of each species. Five litterbags of each pruning type were randomly buried in a subplot of each treatment. At each sampling time, one bag representing each pruning type was removed from each subplot. The samples were cleaned , dried , weighed and analysed for N, polyphenol and lignin contents. Decomposition rate constants (kD) and N release rate constants (kN) were calculated from exponential decomposition equations. The mean(kD) of the plant litter ranged from 0.30 to 0.12wk-1, decreasing in the order , L. leucocephala,>S. siamea> F. macrophylla. Analysis of variance of the mean kD values showed that L. leucocephala, and S. siamea decomposed significantly (P<_0.01) faster than F. macrophylla. It was also observed that the level of inorganic N had a significant effect on decomposition rate. Residues in plots which received 68 and 112 kg N ha-1 had similar decomposition rate which were faster((P<-0.05) than those for 0 and 34 kg N ha-1. Negative partial correlations were recorded between kDs, on one hand and lignin and polyphenol contents(P<-0.01), C:N ratio (P<-0.01) and lignin + polyphenol:N ratio (P<-0.01) and inorganic N level (P<-0.01). These results show that both the chemical composition of plant residues and level of inorganic fertilizer N applied increased the rate of plant residue decomposition. The mean (kN) ranged from 0.151 to 0.114wk-1, decreasing in the order L. leucocephala,>S. siamea> F.macrophylla. There were however , no significant species on N level effects on kN. Generally, net N release was obtained in the first 2-3 weeks followed by immobilization thereafter in all species. Positive partial correlations(P<-0.05)were recorded with initial N- content ( P<-0.05) suggested that it affects decomposition rates. Negative partial correlations were recorded between initial lignin and polyphenol contents and kN. Lignin and polyphenols are thought to have caused N immobilization through the formation of resistant complexes. There was no significant species effect on maize yields . A significant N fertilizer effect on yield was obtained at 68 kg N ha-1. This result probably indicates the need for moderate fertilizer N addition to incorporated residues in alley cropping."],"dc:identifier.uri":["http://dspace.unza.zm/handle/123456789/156"],"dc:language.iso":["en"],"dc:subject":["Nitrogen Decomposition from Leucaena leuocephala","Nitrogen Decomposition from Senna siamea","Nitrogen Decomposition from Flemingia macrophylla"],"dc:title":["Decomposition and Nitrogen Release From Leucaena leucocephala,senna siamea, and Flemingia macrophylla Litter in managed alleys for maize in Zambia:Infuence of inorganic-N and litter Quality"],"dc:type":["Thesis"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-27T22:06:47Z"}