The objectives of the study were to determine whether intercropped alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) or rye grass (Lolium multiflorum Lmk.) could simultaneously contribute to the nitrogen regime of grain-corn (ie: increased yield), improve edaphic quality, and decrease the level of inorganic nitrogen present in the soil after corn harvest. To achieve these objectives the seeding of the intercrops was delayed, the corn population was increased, and the red clover was spring-ploughed. / Fall-ploughed red clover maintained the mean weight diameter (MWD) of aggregates on the Ste-Rosalie clay. Spring-ploughed red clover on the other hand caused a decrease in bulk density in the top 10 cm of the Chicot loam. / The nitrogen-response of corn indicated that the intercrops did not contribute to the nitrogen regime of grain-corn. There were also indications that intercrops competed with corn for available inorganic nitrogen and water. The intercrops, however, did reduce the levels of soil inorganic nitrogen in the fall allowing for a possible decrease in the nitrogen load of soil percolates. / Despite the beneficial effect of nitrogen fertilisation on the organic nitrogen content of the soil, the presence of leguminous intercrops did not prevent the increase of the soil CN ratio.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:QMM.74544 |
| Date | January 1990 |
| Creators | Claude, Pierre-Phillippe |
| Publisher | McGill University |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Coverage | Doctor of Philosophy (Department of Renewable Resources.) |
| Rights | All items in eScholarship@McGill are protected by copyright with all rights reserved unless otherwise indicated. |
| Relation | alephsysno: 001116370, proquestno: AAINN66409, Theses scanned by UMI/ProQuest. |
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