The effect of cutting, mulching and applications of farmyard manure on nitrogen fixation in a red clover/grass sward.

In organic farming, maximising the amount of nitrogen (N) which is fixed and retained within the soil is of paramount importance for the yield of the following crop. The aim of this study was to establish the extent to which increased soil fertility, farmyard manure (FYM) applications and/or mulching, could adversely affect fixation. At two sites, situated in the South West (SW) and North East (NE) of England, N(2) fixation was estimated in 'organically' managed red clover/grass plots, both with and without green manure (i.