Improved production and quality of Vicia sativa in response to nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers

Spring common vetch (Vicia sativa) is a forage legume and green manure crop with high yield and quality. Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium fertilizers have important effects on its yield and quality. Therefore, understanding the relationship between fertilization and the growth and development of common vetch is critical for the establishment and sustainable development of alpine meadow in this region. This paper summarizes the responses of spring common vetch to nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium fertilizers over the past 30 years worldwide. According to the analyses, application of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium fertilizer separately or in combination reduced respiration by 24.5%～69.5%, increased the content of N, P, and K in plants by 1.7%～69.7%, promoted nodule growth, and increased biological nitrogen fixation. Therefore, the yield of the product increased by 4.7%～110.3% and the content of crude protein, crude fat, and soluble sugar increased by 0.9%～51.5%. Fertilization plays an important role in improving the performance and quality of spring common vetch. Future research should focus on clarifying the physiological and biochemical mechanisms of various fertilizer elements and optimizing management of different fertilizers to improve the yield and quality of spring common vetch.