We investigate the non-perturbative effects on the ratio R = sigma(L)/
sigma(T) in lepton-nucleon deep inelastic scattering by taking into ac
count the lowest dimensional condensate contributions som the QCD vacu
um. By combining conventional perturbative QCD corrections and the Geo
rgi-Politzer target-mass effects with the non-perturbative effects fro
m the QCD vacuum, we give a good description of the Q(2) and x depende
nces of R in comparison with the recent experimental data. (C) 1998 El
sevier Science B.V.