|
Nitrogen
Production
Four
years
of
on-farm
studies
in
southern
Saskatchewan
(with
only
5-6
inches
rainfall)
produced
on
average
80-100
lbs.
N/acre,
with
over
200
lbs.
produced
in a
research
test
plot.
The
N2
from
the
air
is
fixed
by
Rhizobium
bacteria
inside
root
nodules
in
the
top
foot
of
soil
beginning
about
two
weeks
after
emergence
and
reaching
maximum
activity
between
early
and
full
bloom.
About
80%
of
the
N is
contained
in
aboveground
growth,
with
the
remaining
20%
found
below
ground.
During
optimum
growing
conditions,
as
much
as
5
lbs
of N
can
be
fixed
per
day.
Plant
growth
usually
ranges
from
18-36
inches
high
with
plants
in
full
bloom
by
about
60
days.
Dry
matter
production
between
2000-4000
lbs/acre
is
common
with
fields
exceeding
6300
lbs/acre
in a
wet
year
in
Canada.
Approximately
85%
of
this
nitrogen
is
available
to
the
following
crop.
AC
Greenfix
has
an
indeterminate
growth
pattern
and
will
continue
to
flower
and
grow
as
long
as
there
is
adequate
moisture
and
temperature.
For
maximum
nitrogen
production,
the
plants
should
be
soil
incorporated
or
chemically
desiccated
before
seedpods
are
filling
and
root
nodule
activity
is
greatly
reduced.
Rule
of
Thumb
for
Estimating
Nitrogen
Production:
For
every
1000
pounds
of
AC
Greenfix
top
growth,
about
40
pounds
of
nitrogen
are
gained
by
the
soil
when
it
is
disced
in
or
desiccated.
(8-12
inches
of
top
growth
usually
equals
1000
lbs.)
How
to
Check
for
Nitrogen
Fixation:
Dig
(don’t
pull)
the
roots
of
several
plants
at
different
spots
in
the
field
and
examine
for
clusters
of
nodules.
Slice
open
several
nodules.
If
they
are
pink
or
red
inside,
they
are
effective
N2
fixing
nodules.
Small
white
nodules
and
those
that
are
gray
or
green
inside
are
ineffective |
Uses
less water since it absorbs moisture
from the air and fewer plants per sqaure
meter produce more Nitrogen per acre.
