Journal of Crops Improvement

Journal of Crops Improvement

Influence of Nitrogen and Sulfur Application Rates on Photosynthetic Performance and Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Guar (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba L.)

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors
1 Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
2 Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
3 Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran,. Iran.
10.22059/jci.2026.410963.2977
Abstract
Objective: Excessive nitrogen (N) use causes severe economic and environmental problems, making the development of sustainable cropping systems with high nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) essential. This study investigated the effects of nitrogen and sulfur (S) fertilization on the photosynthetic characteristics, physiological responses, and nitrogen use efficiency of guar (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba (L.) Taub.), with the main goal of determining optimal fertilizer rates for sustainable production.
Method: A field experiment was conducted during the 2024 growing season at the Research Farm of Tarbiat Modares University to evaluate the growth performance and nitrogen productivity of guar. A factorial arrangement in a randomized complete block design with three replications was used. The treatments comprised four nitrogen rates (0, 50, 100, and 150 kg N ha-1) and two sulfur rates (0 and 100 kg S ha-1).
Results: Nitrogen application significantly influenced leaf area index (LAI), leaf greenness, photosynthetic rate, cumulative shoot nitrogen, agronomic and physiological nitrogen efficiency, nitrogen recovery and grain yield. Leaf area index and leaf greenness increased in response to nitrogen up to 100 kg ha-1, with no further significant changes at higher rates, whereas leaf photosynthetic rate continued to increase up to 150 kg N ha-1. Compared with the unfertilized control, nitrogen treatments increased cumulative shoot nitrogen by 67.2%, and the highest agronomic, recovery, and physiological nitrogen efficiencies were all recorded at 100 kg N ha-1. Agronomic nitrogen use efficiency at 100 kg N ha-1 did not differ significantly from that at 50 kg N ha-1 but was significantly higher than at 150 kg N ha-1. Grain yield also responded strongly to nitrogen, increasing by 12.8%, 33.8%, and 16.9% at 50, 100, and 150 kg ha-1, respectively. Sulfur application increased the photosynthetic rate by 25.9% during grain filling; however, despite this physiological improvement, it did not significantly affect final grain yield (1203 kg ha-1) compared with the untreated control (1235 kg ha⁻¹). Grain yield was strongly correlated with LAI (r=0.75), shoot nitrogen accumulation (r=0.73), leaf greenness (r=0.62), and photosynthetic rate (r = 0.50).
Conclusions: Under the soil and climatic conditions of the study area, an application rate of 100 kg N ha-1 optimized seed yield while maximizing nitrogen use efficiency, suggesting that this rate represents a sustainable fertilization strategy that can improve fertilizer use patterns and reduce the environmental risks associated with excessive nitrogen application.
Keywords

بلالی، محمدرضا؛ مشیری، فرهاد و موسوی، سیدمجید (1402). مدیریت تلفیقی حاصلخیزی خاک و تغذیه گیاه در ایران. مؤسسه تحقیقات خاک و آب، کرج، ایران.
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نوروزی، سعید؛ اکبری، غلامعلی؛ اله‌دادی، ایرج؛ سلطانی، الیاس و نوروزیان، محمدعلی (1400). اثر کود نیتروژن و سویه‌های مختلف باکتری هم‌زیست بر صفات کمی و کیفی گوار (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba) تحت رژیم‌های مختلف آبیاری. علوم کشاورزی و تولید پایدار، 31، 359-339.
 

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