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Combined application of soluble organic and chemical fertilizers in drip fertigation improves nitrogen use efficiency and enhances tomato yield and quality
Author(s) -
Wu You,
Yan Shicheng,
Fan Junliang,
Zhang Fucang,
Zheng Jing,
Guo Jinjin,
Xiang Youzhen
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of the science of food and agriculture
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 142
eISSN - 1097-0010
pISSN - 0022-5142
DOI - 10.1002/jsfa.10593
Subject(s) - fertilizer , fertigation , agronomy , leaching (pedology) , nutrient , nitrogen , greenhouse , chemistry , organic matter , nitrate , environmental science , soil water , biology , organic chemistry , soil science
BACKGROUND Sustainable greenhouse tomato production requires optimal fertilizer management to achieve the double‐win strategy of producing high yields and maximizing profits with less environmental pollution. The objective of this study was to seek an optimal fertilization strategy maintaining high productivity of greenhouse tomato, improving nitrogen use efficiency and reducing nitrate leaching risk. RESULTS The combined application of soluble organic and chemical fertilizers for topdressing (SOSC) not only produced more fruit yield (75.18 Mg ha −1 ) and plant dry matter (10 449.12 kg ha −1 ), but also enhanced plant nutrients uptake, nitrogen recovery efficiency (39.22%), nitrogen agronomic efficiency (176.78 kg kg −1 ), soluble solids, vitamin C and lycopene content in tomato fruits compared with the other treatments, that is chicken manures for basal application and chemical fertilizer for topdressing (CC), soluble organic fertilizer for topdressing (SO) and soluble chemical fertilizer for topdressing (SC). In terms of soil nutrients residue, SOSC had no obvious NO 3 − ‐N accumulation area in the 0–60 cm soil layer, unlike large accumulation in the soil layer below 30 cm in SO and SC. CONCLUSION The combined application of soluble organic and chemical fertilizers is highly recommended to sustain fruit yield, improve nitrogen use efficiency and reduce soil degradation risks in commercial greenhouse tomato production.