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Nitrogen mineralization from an organically managed soil and nitrogen accumulation in lettuce
Author(s) -
Ribeiro Henrique M.,
Fangueiro David,
Alves Fátima,
Ventura Rita,
Coelho Dulce,
Vasconcelos Ernesto,
CunhaQueda Cristina,
Coutinho João,
Cabral Fernanda
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
journal of plant nutrition and soil science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.644
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1522-2624
pISSN - 1436-8730
DOI - 10.1002/jpln.200900082
Subject(s) - compost , mineralization (soil science) , manure , nitrogen , chemistry , incubation , fertilizer , agronomy , organic fertilizer , organic matter , nitrogen cycle , zoology , green manure , biology , organic chemistry , biochemistry
The potential of an organically managed Cambic Arenosol to supply nitrogen (N) from either an applied commercial organic fertilizer (granulated hen manure), a compost produced on‐farm, or four different mixtures of both fertilizers was studied in a laboratory incubation and a pot experiment with lettuce. In the incubation experiment, a significant higher apparent N mineralization occurred after hen‐manure application (53.4% of the organic N applied) compared to compost (4.5%) or mixed‐fertilizer application (8.7% to 16.7%). The apparent N mineralization in a mixed treatment consisting of compost and half rate of hen manure (15.4% of the organic N applied) was significantly higher than that estimated based on the N mineralization for compost and hen‐manure treatments (7.6%), proving that a combined application of both fertilizers enhanced organic‐N mineralization when compared to separate fertilizer supply. In the pot experiment, a higher lettuce fresh‐matter yield was obtained with hen manure (1.9 kg m –2 ) than with compost (1.7 kg m –2 ) or unfertilized control treatment (1.3 kg m –2 ). Combined application of compost with only a half rate of hen manure led to yields (2.0 kg m –2 ) equal to those obtained with only hen manure. A good correlation was observed between the N‐mineralization incubation data and the N accumulated by lettuce plants in the pot experiment ( r = 0.983). Hence, in the organic production of baby‐leaf lettuce, a mixture of compost and hen manure appears to be a good fertilization alternative, since it allows a reduction by half of the typical amount of commercial fertilizer usually applied (granulated hen manure), cutting fertilization costs, and providing an amount of available N that allows maintaining lettuce yields.