Nitrogen Requirements of Prosopis Velutina during Early Seedling Growth

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine the optimum rate of N to maximize growth of Prosopis velutina seedlings and minimize N leaching when seedlings were grown in different substrates. Mesquite seedlings were grown in sand or soilless media and were fertigated with a solution of67 % NH₄⁺: 33 % NO₃⁻ at a rate of 25, 50, 100, or 200 mg N/L. After 60 days, plants in media produced 41 % more leaves and total biomass compared to those in sand. Leaf number was greatest for plants grown at 200 mg N/L in both substrates. Root biomass of plants in media showed no response to increasing N concentrations while root biomass of seedlings in sand were similar for the three lower N concentrations and nearly doubled for the highest one. Shoot biomass of seedlings receiving 25, 50, or 100 mg N/L was similar, but more than doubled for plants fertigated with 200 mg N/L. N leachate losses were highest from seedlings growing in sand and receiving the two higher N fertigations, those in media had greatest N leachate loss when fertigated at 200 mg N/L.