Effect of organic and inorganic fertilizers applied during successive crop seasons on growth and nitrate accumulation in lettuce

dc.contributor.author	Pavlou, GC	en
dc.contributor.author	Ehaliotis, CD	en
dc.contributor.author	Kavvadias, VA	en
dc.date.accessioned	2014-06-06T06:47:42Z
dc.date.available	2014-06-06T06:47:42Z
dc.date.issued	2007	en
dc.identifier.issn	03044238	en
dc.identifier.uri	http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2006.11.003	en
dc.identifier.uri	http://62.217.125.90/xmlui/handle/123456789/3761
dc.subject	Fertilization	en
dc.subject	Lactuca sativa L.	en
dc.subject	Lettuce	en
dc.subject	Manure	en
dc.subject	Nitrates	en
dc.subject	Organic fertilizers	en
dc.subject.other	biomass	en
dc.subject.other	crop production	en
dc.subject.other	crop yield	en
dc.subject.other	fertilizer application	en
dc.subject.other	growth response	en
dc.subject.other	leafy vegetable	en
dc.subject.other	manure	en
dc.subject.other	nitrate	en
dc.subject.other	nitrogen	en
dc.subject.other	nutrient enrichment	en
dc.subject.other	organic compound	en
dc.subject.other	phosphorus	en
dc.subject.other	potassium	en
dc.subject.other	Eurasia	en
dc.subject.other	Europe	en
dc.subject.other	Greece	en
dc.subject.other	Peloponnese	en
dc.subject.other	Southern Europe	en
dc.subject.other	Lactuca	en
dc.subject.other	Lactuca sativa	en
dc.subject.other	Ovis aries	en
dc.title	Effect of organic and inorganic fertilizers applied during successive crop seasons on growth and nitrate accumulation in lettuce	en
heal.type	journalArticle	en
heal.identifier.primary	10.1016/j.scienta.2006.11.003	en
heal.publicationDate	2007	en
heal.abstract	A romaine-type lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) cv. Corsica was cultivated during three successive crop seasons (late-spring, late-autumn and late-winter) in the same soil of an experimental greenhouse in S.W. Peloponnese, Greece. Seven long-term fertilization treatments were tested for their effect on plant growth and nitrate concentration in the external lettuce leaves. Treatments included: three different doses of organic fertilization (composted sheep manure) applied at the start of each crop season, three different doses of inorganic N fertilization applied via fertigation during each crop season, and a control treatment in which no fertilizer was applied. A drip irrigation system was used to water all plants. The highest nitrate levels were observed in the medium and maximum inorganic fertilization treatments (572-664 mg kg-1) in all crop seasons. They were significantly higher compared to the respective organic fertilization treatments (253-435 mg kg-1) and all other fertilization treatments (148-435 mg kg-1). Crop season affected lettuce growth more than nitrate accumulation in the lettuce leaves: lettuce biomass production was the smallest and most uniform in the late-autumn season and did not respond to the fertilization treatments tested (ranging from 409 to 439 g plant-1), while in the late-spring season biomass production was the highest and most variable (561-841 g plant-1), it correlated with nitrate concentration in the leaves and in the medium and maximum inorganic fertilizer doses it significantly exceeded production from all other fertilization treatments (827-841 g plant-1). Following the three crop seasons the residual availability of N, P and K was clearly enhanced in the soil receiving the organic compared to the inorganic fertilization. Nitrate concentration in lettuce leaves was far below the upper limits set by the European Commission in all fertilization treatments throughout the three crop seasons, a result attributed mainly to the sufficient level of light intensity and duration throughout the year in Southern Greece. © 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.	en
heal.journalName	Scientia Horticulturae	en
dc.identifier.issue	4	en
dc.identifier.volume	111	en
dc.identifier.doi	10.1016/j.scienta.2006.11.003	en
dc.identifier.spage	319	en
dc.identifier.epage	325	en