Legume Research

  • Chief EditorJ. S. Sandhu

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Legume Research, volume 43 issue 4 (august 2020) : 524-529

Variation in Leaf Nitrogen and Phosphorus Stoichiometry in Different Functional Groups of Legumes

Z.Y. Shi, S.X. Xu, S.C. Lu, M. Yang, M.G. Zhang, Y.J. Li, X.G. Wang, X.N. Chen
1College of Agricultural, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471003, China.
  • Submitted28-05-2019|

  • Accepted08-01-2020|

  • First Online 15-05-2020|

  • doi 10.18805/LR-502

Cite article:- Shi Z.Y., Xu S.X., Lu S.C., Yang M., Zhang M.G., Li Y.J., Wang X.G., Chen X.N. (2020). Variation in Leaf Nitrogen and Phosphorus Stoichiometry in Different Functional Groups of Legumes. Legume Research. 43(4): 524-529. doi: 10.18805/LR-502.
The legume is notable owing to their symbiotic nitrogen (N) fixing ability. Usually, higher leaf N concentration and N to phosphorus (P) ratio (N:P) in legumes than non-legumes. However, the variations of leaf N, P and N:P and their relationship had been hardly studied based on functional groups. In this study, we studied the leaf N, P and N:P and their relationship among different functional groups. The results showed that the average values of leaf N, P and N:P ratios for all legumes were 27.33 mg g-1, 1.27 mg g-1 and 21.94, respectively. Leaf N (36.96 mg g-1) and P (2.15 mg g-1) of herbaceous legumes are significantly higher than N (24.97 mg g-1) and P (1.18 mg g-1) in woody plants, respectively. Moreover, leaf N, P and N:P of shrub markedly higher than them in tree. Leaf N and P are always higher in deciduous than evergreen legumes. A negative correlation was found between leaf N:P and P in overall and different functional groups of legumes.
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