It is the key parameter required for quantifying the amount of N biologically fixed by a plant or crop. It can be determined using a standard method that utilize the 15N isotope as a tracer (either by employing the '15N isotope dilution method' by using 15N enriched N compounds or by '15N natural abundance method'.
Detailed methodology for both options can be found in this book:
Importance of BNF is to quantify the amount of nitrogen fixed by BNF as compared to by other means. Our environment cotains about 78%nitrogen by volume and we must quantify N2 fixed through BNF.