Table 1 The total nodule number (TNN), effective nodule number (ENN), the ratio of effective nodule number/total nodule number (ENN/TNN) of alfalfa with no barrier (A-T), nylon mesh barrier (NA-T), plastic barrier (PA-T) and sole alfalfa (SA), at branching stage, budding stage, and initial flowering stage of alfalfa under N₂₁₀ and N₂₁.

N₂₁₀

SA

12.33 ± 0.67^b

2.44 ± 0.33^b

0.20 ± 0.01^a

14.00 ± 1.15^b

3.47 ± 0.33^b

0.25 ± 0.01^ab

19.00 ± 1.00^bc

7.80 ± 0.33^c

0.41 ± 0.01^b

A-T

14.67 ± 0.67^a

3.67 ± 0.67^a

0.25 ± 0.03^a

18.00 ± 1.00^a

6.00 ± 0.58^a

0.33 ± 0.02^a

25.00 ± 0.58^a

13.33 ± 0.67^a

0.53 ± 0.02^a

NA-T

14.00 ± 0.58^ab

2.67 ± 0.33^b

0.19 ± 0.02^a

17.00 ± 1.00^ab

4.67 ± 0.33^b

0.27 ± 0.03^ab

22.00 ± 0.58^ab

9.67 ± 0.67^b

0.44 ± 0.03^b

PA-T

12.33 ± 0.33^b

2.33 ± 0.33^b

0.19 ± 0.03^a

14.00 ± 0.58^b

3.33 ± 0.33^b

0.24 ± 0.04^b

18.67 ± 1.45^c

7.33 ± 0.33^c

0.39 ± 0.02^b

N₂₁

SA

14.00 ± 0.58^b

4.43 ± 0.33^b

0.32 ± 0.01^a

16.33 ± 0.88^b

5.44 ± 0.33^c

0.33 ± 0^b

22.67 ± 0.88^ab

10.42 ± 0.33^c

0.46 ± 0.01^b

A-T

17.33 ± 0.88^a

7.00 ± 0.58^a

0.41 ± 0.05^a

22.00 ± 1.15^a

10.67 ± 0.88^a

0.48 ± 0.02^a

25.33 ± 0.88^a

17.33 ± 0.88^a

0.68 ± 0.06^a

NA-T

16.00 ± 1.00^ab

5.67 ± 0.67^ab

0.35 ± 0.03^a

19.00 ± 0.58^ab

8.00 ± 1^b

0.42 ± 0.06^ab

22.33 ± 1.20^ab

14.33 ± 0.33^b

0.64 ± 0.05^a

PA-T

13.67 ± 0.88^b

4.67 ± 0.33^b

0.34 ± 0.01^a

15.67 ± 1.20^b

5.59 ± 0.33^c

0.36 ± 0.04^ab

21.00 ± 1.00^b

10.00 ± 0.58^c

0.48 ± 0.01^b

LSD (0.05)

2.235

1.569

0.095

2.750

2.054

0.117

3.248

1.875

0.082

0.002^**

0.000^**

0.000^**

0.002^**

0.000^**

0.000^**

0.029^**

0.000^**

0.000^**

0.002^**

0.002^**

0.081

0.000^**

0.000^**

0.009^*

0.000^**

0.000^**

0.000^**

N ×  C

0.820

0.495

0.810

0.644

0.134

0.9759

0.287

0.221

0.096