ISHS Acta Horticulturae 563: International Conference on Environmental Problems Associated with Nitrogen Fertilisation of Field Grown Vegetable Crops
SEASONAL PATTERNS OF N UPTAKE IN EGGPLANT (SOLANUM MELONGENA L.) GROWN WITH DIFFERENT N FERTIGATION LEVELS |
| Authors: | A. Rosati, A. Troisi |
| Keywords: | nitrogen leaching, fertilisation, vegetables |
| Abstract:
Information about crop growth and nitrogen (N) uptake is essential to improve the efficiency of N fertilisation and reduce its impact on the environment. In a two year study, the seasonal patterns of dry matter accumulation and N uptake were investigated in field eggplant grown with different rates of N fertilisation. Plants were fertigated weekly with N to give a total amount of 50, 200 and 355 kg ha-1 in 1997 and 25, 150 and 250 kg ha-1 in 1998. Sample plants were harvested biweekly and separated into leaves, stems, roots and fruits. All parts were dried, weighed and analysed for total N content. Crop growth (dry matter) and N uptake were very low for the first 30 days after transplanting but increased more or less linearly thereafter for all N fertilisation treatments. Plant dry matter and N uptake increased with increasing N fertilisation on any given date. Total N uptake ranged between 120, for the lowest N fertilisation, to 230 kg per ha for the highest N fertilisation treatments. Fruits contained about half of the total N. Weekly rates of N uptake were assessed. Results indicated that fertigation with about 250 kg ha-1 N should be sufficient to ensure maximum fruit yield. At this fertilisation rate, N uptake was about 200 kg ha-1 N. Fertiliser use efficiency was about 39%. This data can be used to match N supply with crop needs, thus reducing N loss into the environment, and provide the basis for crop modelling. | |
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