1
Akdeniz University, Manavgat Vocational School, Department of Food Processing, Antalya
Abstract
Green manuring with legumes is widely used to enhance nutrient recycling in Mediterranean agroecosystems, especially under calcareous soil conditions where nutrient availability is commonly constrained. This study examined growth performance and organ level macro and micronutrient distribution in four legume species chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.), faba bean (Vicia faba L.), forage pea (Pisum sativum L.), and vetch (Vicia sativa L.) grown as sole green manure crops under field conditions in in a calcareous Mediterranean field soil. Growth parameters, nodulation traits, and nutrient concentrations were quantified in roots, stems, leaves, flowers, and nodules. Plant organ had a highly significant effect on all macro- and micronutrients analyzed, whereas species effects were limited and significant only for N, Fe, and B. Significant species × organ interactions were observed for Ca, Mg, Fe, Cu, Mn, and B, indicating context-dependent nutrient allocation among organs. Nitrogen was preferentially concentrated in nodules (measurable in chickpea and faba bean, but weak in forage pea and vetch) and flowers, consistent with symbiotic N fixation in nodules and high metabolic demand in reproductive tissues. In contrast, Fe and Mn were enriched primarily in roots and nodules and, for Mn, also in photosynthetically active leaves, whereas B was predominantly enriched in leaves and, in some species, roots under calcareous, alkaline soil conditions. Overall, the results indicate that organ-level nutrient partitioning is the primary determinant of nutrient distribution in legumes grown under calcareous Mediterranean conditions (soil pH=7.49), whereas species-specific effects are secondary and element-dependent. These findings show that organ composition and biomass distribution, together with soil constraints, should be considered when evaluating legume species for green manure use.
BALCI, M. (2026). Organ-Level Nutrient Partitioning in Legume Green Manures Grown under Calcareous Mediterranean Field. ISPEC Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 10(1), 208–222. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18502528
📄Alejandro, S., Höller, S., Meier, B., Peiter, E., 2020. Manganese in plants: from acquisition to subcellular allocation. Frontiers in Plant Science, 11: 300.
📄Allito, B.B., Ewusi-Mensah, N., Logah, V., Hunegnaw, D.K., 2021. Legume–rhizobium specificity effect on nodulation, biomass production and partitioning of faba bean (Vicia faba L.). Scientific Reports, 11(1): 3678.
📄Anonymous, 2024. Official climate statistics: General statistical data for Antalya province. Turkish State Meteorological Service, Ankara. https://www.mgm.gov.tr /veridegerlendirme/il-ve-ilceler-istatistik. aspx?k=Aandm=ANTALYA (Accessed: 26.09.2025)
📄Attia, A., Marohn, C., Shawon, A.R., de Kock, A., Strassemeyer, J., Feike, T., 2024. Do rotations with cover crops increase yield and soil organic carbon? A modeling study in southwest Germany. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, 375: 109167.
📄Aydi Ben Abdallah, R., Chaieb, N., Abdelkrim, S., Jabnoun-Khiareddine, H., Daami-Remadi, M., 2024. A three-year field experiment of faba bean var. minor effects on soil health and production of pepper grown under conventional farming system. Soil Use and Management, 40(4): e13157.
📄Bhat, M.A., Mishra, A.K., Shah, S.N., Jan, S., Rahman, S., Jan, A.T., 2024. Soil and mineral nutrients in plant health: a prospective study of iron and phosphorus in the growth and development of plants. Current Issues in Molecular Biology, 46(6): 5194–5222.
📄Bolan, N., Srivastava, P., Rao, C.S., Satyanaraya, P.V., Anderson, G.C., Bolan, S., Kirkham, M.B., 2023. Distribution, characteristics and management of calcareous soils. Advances in Agronomy, 182: 81–130.
📄Bouyoucos, G.J., 1962. Hydrometer method improved for making particle size analyses of soils. Agronomy Journal, 54(5): 464–465.
📄Bremner, J.M., 1965. Nitrogen—total. In: Black, C.A. (Ed.), Methods of Soil Analysis. Part II. Chemical and Microbiological Properties, Vol. 9. American Society of Agronomy, Madison, pp. 595–624.
📄Cai, M., Chen, H., Tan, H., Chen, J., He, S., Long, M., 2025. Temporal dynamics of nutrient release from mulching of legume roots and shoots litter driven by microbial community during decomposition in organic orchards. BMC Plant Biology, 25(1): 374.
📄de Bang, T.C., Husted, S., Laursen, K.H., Persson, D.P., Schjoerring, J.K., 2021. The molecular–physiological functions of mineral macronutrients and their consequences for deficiency symptoms in plants. New Phytologist, 229(5): 2446–2469.
📄de Deus, T.R.V., Giongo, V., Salviano, A.M., da Silva Santana, M., da Silva, V.C., dos Santos, T.C., 2022. Selection of green manures to provide ecosystem services in a semi-arid environment. Revista Brasileira de Ciência do Solo, 46: e0210105.
📄de Freitas, I.C., Ferreira, E.A., Alves, M.A., de Oliveira, J.C., Frazão, L.A., 2023. Growth, nodulation, production, and physiology of leguminous plants in integrated production systems. Agrosystems, Geosciences and Environment, 6(1): e20343.
📄Dovrat, G., Bakhshian, H., Masci, T., Sheffer, E., 2020. The nitrogen economic spectrum of legume stoichiometry and fixation strategy. New Phytologist, 227(2): 365–375.
📄Durán, G.A., Sacristán, D., Farrús, E., Vadell, J., 2024. Towards defining soil quality of Mediterranean calcareous agricultural soils: reference values and potential core indicator set. International Soil and Water Conservation Research, 12(1): 145–155.
📄Dutta, A., Trivedi, A., Nath, C.P., Gupta, D.S., Hazra, K.K., 2022. A comprehensive review on grain legumes as climate-smart crops: challenges and prospects. Environmental Challenges, 7: 100479.
📄Fatnassi, S., Candel, A., Pedreño, J.N., Lucas, I.G., Hachicha, M., 2022. Boron adsorption in semiarid Mediterranean soils under the influence of background electrolytes. Global Journal of Environmental Science and Management, 8(4): 519–532.
📄Gao, X., He, Y., Chen, Y., Wang, M., 2024. Leguminous green manure amendments improve maize yield by increasing N and P fertilizer use efficiency in yellow soil of the Yunnan–Guizhou Plateau. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 8: 1369571.
📄Hansen, V., Eriksen, J., Jensen, L.S., Thorup-Kristensen, K., Magid, J., 2021. Towards integrated cover crop management: N, P and S release from aboveground and belowground residues. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, 313: 107392.
📄Iqbal, N., Sadras, V.O., Denison, R.F., Zhou, Y., Denton, M.D., 2022. Clade-dependent effects of drought on nitrogen fixation and its components: number, size and activity of nodules in legumes. Field Crops Research, 284: 108586.
📄Ishfaq, M., Wang, Y., Yan, M., Wang, Z., Wu, L., Li, C., Li, X., 2022. Physiological essence of magnesium in plants and its widespread deficiency in the farming system of China. Frontiers in Plant Science, 13: 802274.
📄Jackson, M.L., 2005. Soil chemical analysis: advanced course. A manual of methods useful for instruction and research in soil chemistry, physical chemistry of soils, soil fertility, and soil genesis. UW-Madison Libraries Parallel Press, Madison, WI.
📄Jamal, A., Saeed, M.F., Mihoub, A., Hopkins, B.G., Ahmad, I., Naeem, A., 2023. Integrated use of phosphorus fertilizer and farmyard manure improves wheat productivity by improving soil quality and P availability in calcareous soil under subhumid conditions. Frontiers in Plant Science, 14: 1034421.
📄Ji, D., Ding, F., Dijkstra, F.A., Jia, Z., Li, S., Wang, J., 2022. Crop residue decomposition and nutrient release are independently affected by nitrogen fertilization, plastic film mulching, and residue type. European Journal of Agronomy, 138: 126535.
📄Koutroubas, S.D., Damalas, C.A., Fotiadis, S., Markopoulos, T., 2023. Species, cultivar and seasonal effects on nodulation and nitrogen utilization of spring Mediterranean grain legumes. Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, 23(3): 4463–4473.
📄Lambers, H., 2022. Phosphorus acquisition and utilization in plants. Annual Review of Plant Biology, 73(1): 17–42.
📄Li, L., Liu, K.H., Sheen, J., 2021. Dynamic nutrient signaling networks in plants. Annual Review of Cell and Developmental Biology, 37(1): 341–367.
📄Li, X., Li, M., Xu, L., Liu, C., Zhao, W., Cheng, C., He, N., 2022. Allometry and distribution of nitrogen in natural plant communities of the Tibetan Plateau. Frontiers in Plant Science, 13: 845813.
📄Lindsay, W.L., Norvell, W.A., 1978. Development of a DTPA soil test for zinc, iron, manganese, and copper. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 42(3): 421–428.
📄Liu, J.Y., Zhang, X.L., Jin, X.Y., Wang, M.T., Zhang, Y.Y., Wang, X.Y., 2024a. Nutrient allocation patterns in different aboveground organs at different reproductive stages of four introduced Calligonum species in a common garden in northwestern China. Frontiers in Plant Science, 15: 1504216.
📄Liu, M., Hu, Z., Fan, Y., Hua, B., Yang, W., Pang, S., Zhang, X., 2024b. Effects of leguminous green manure–crop rotation on soil enzyme activity and stoichiometry. Journal of Plant Ecology, 17(6): rtae065.
📄Martínez-Ríos, O., Bravo-Vinaja, Á., San-Martín-Hernández, C., Hidalgo-Moreno, C.I., Sánchez-de-Jesús, M.A., Llampallas-Díaz, J.D., García-Preciado, J.C., 2024. Zinc deficiency in calcareous soils: a bibliometric analysis from 1989 to 2024. Agriculture, 14(12): 2285.
📄Melino, V.J., Tester, M.A., Okamoto, M., 2022. Strategies for engineering improved nitrogen use efficiency in crop plants via redistribution and recycling of organic nitrogen. Current Opinion in Biotechnology, 73: 263–269.
📄Murphy, J., Riley, J.P., 1962. A modified single solution method for the determination of phosphate in natural waters. Analytica Chimica Acta, 27: 31–36.
📄Miwa, K., Fujiwara, T., 2010. Boron transport in plants: co-ordinated regulation of transporters. Annals of Botany, 105(7): 1103–1108.
📄Ning, X., Lin, M., Huang, G., Mao, J., Gao, Z., Wang, X., 2023. Research progress on iron absorption, transport, and molecular regulation strategy in plants. Frontiers in Plant Science, 14: 1190768.
📄Olsen, S.R., 1954. Estimation of available phosphorus in soils by extraction with sodium bicarbonate (No. 939). US Department of Agriculture.
📄Rasheed, N., Maqsood, M.A., Aziz, T., Ashraf, M.I., Saleem, I., Ehsan, S., Xu, M., 2024. Zinc partitioning and allocation patterns among various tissues confer variations in Zn use efficiency and bioavailability in lentil genotypes. Frontiers in Plant Science, 14: 1325370.
📄Saleem, A., Zulfiqar, A., Saleem, M.Z., Ali, B., Saleem, M.H., Ali, S., Mostafa, R.M., 2023. Alkaline and acidic soil constraints on iron accumulation by rice cultivars in relation to several physio-biochemical parameters. BMC Plant Biology, 23(1): 397.
📄Senilă, M., 2024. Recent advances in the determination of major and trace elements in plants using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. Molecules, 29: 3169.
📄Stein, S., Hartung, J., Perkons, U., Möller, K., Zikeli, S., 2023. Plant and soil N of different winter cover crops as green manure for subsequent organic white cabbage. Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems, 127(2): 285–298.
📄Sulieman, S., Tran, L.S.P., 2014. Symbiotic nitrogen fixation in legume nodules: metabolism and regulatory mechanisms. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 15(11): 19389–19393.
📄Tang, J., Li, W., Wei, T., Huang, R., Zeng, Z., 2024. Patterns and mechanisms of legume responses to nitrogen enrichment: a global meta-analysis. Plants, 13(22): 3244.
📄Tang, X., Zhang, Y., Li, C., Zhi, X., Wang, C., 2025. Concentration-dependent NP interactions cause organ-specific responses and nutrient allocation in poplar seedlings. Plants, 14(19): 3037.
📄Thomas, G.W., 1982. Exchangeable cations. In: Methods of soil analysis: Part 2 chemical and microbiological properties, 9: 159–165.
📄Tou, C., Liu, X., Gan, J., Wanek, W., Jones, D.L., Wu, L., Ma, Q., 2025. Plant residue quality regulates its incorporation into soil aggregates and organic carbon stabilisation. Geoderma, 460: 117407.
📄Tripolskaja, L., Kazlauskaite-Jadzevice, A., Razukas, A., 2023. Organic carbon, nitrogen accumulation and nitrogen leaching as affected by legume crop residues on sandy loam in the eastern Baltic region. Plants, 12(13): 2478.
📄Vera-Maldonado, P., Aquea, F., Reyes-Díaz, M., Cárcamo-Fincheira, P., Soto-Cerda, B., Nunes-Nesi, A., Inostroza-Blancheteau, C., 2024. Role of boron and its interaction with other elements in plants. Frontiers in Plant Science, 15: 1332459.
📄Vélez-Bermúdez, I.C., Schmidt, W., 2023. Plant strategies to mine iron from alkaline substrates. Plant and Soil, 483(1): 1–25.
📄Wairich, A., De Conti, L., Lamb, T.I., Keil, R., Neves, L.O., Brunetto, G., Ricachenevsky, F.K., 2022. Throwing copper around: how plants control uptake, distribution, and accumulation of copper. Agronomy, 12(5): 994.
📄Walkley, A., Black, I.A., 1934. An examination of the Degtjareff method for determining soil organic matter, and a proposed modification of the chromic acid titration method. Soil Science, 37: 29–38.
📄Wang, Z., Gong, H., Sardans, J., Zhou, Q., Deng, J., Niklas, K.J., Peñuelas, J., 2022. Divergent nitrogen and phosphorus allocation strategies in terrestrial plant leaves and fine roots: a global meta-analysis. Journal of Ecology, 110(11): 2745–2758.
📄Wegner, L.H., Pottosin, I., Dreyer, I., Shabala, S., 2025. Potassium homeostasis and signalling: from the whole plant to the subcellular level. Quantitative Plant Biology, 6: e13.
📄Wdowiak, A., Podgórska, A., Szal, B., 2024. Calcium in plants: an important element of cell physiology and structure, signaling, and stress responses. Acta Physiologiae Plantarum, 46(12): 108.
📄Yeremko, L., Czopek, K., Staniak, M., Marenych, M., Hanhur, V., 2025. Role of environmental factors in legume–rhizobium symbiosis: a review. Biomolecules, 15(1): 118.
📄Zhang, J., He, W., Wei, Z., Chen, Y., Gao, W., 2025. Integrating green manure and fertilizer reduction strategies to enhance soil carbon sequestration and crop yield: evidence from a two-season pot experiment. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 8: 1514409.
📄Zhang, Z., Wang, J., Huang, W., Han, Y., Wang, G., Feng, L., Wang, Z., 2024. Respective advantages of growing different green manure with nitrogen fertilization in cotton-based cropping systems: insights from a three-year field study. Food and Energy Security, 13(6): e70015.
📄Zhao, N., Yu, G., Wang, Q., Wang, R., Zhang, J., Liu, C., He, N., 2020. Conservative allocation strategy of multiple nutrients among major plant organs: from species to community. Journal of Ecology, 108(1): 267–278.