ISHS Acta Horticulturae 567: IV International Strawberry Symposium
THE INFLUENCE OF DIFFERENT NITROGEN (N) STRATEGIES ON THE YIELD AND LEACHING IN OPEN FIELD STRAWBERRY PRODUCTION |
| Authors: | G. Latet, P. Meesters, J. Bries |
| Keywords: | fertilization, nitrate pollution, N-uptake, polytene mulch |
| DOI: | 10.17660/ActaHortic.2002.567.95 |
| Abstract:
The Flemish environmental legislation and the EU nitrate directive enforce a more restrictive nitrogen (N) policy to avoid nitrate pollution of the groundwater. Since 1996, the Experimental Station for Small Fruits in Tongeren in co-operation with the Soil Service of Belgium is studying different nitrogen fertiliser strategies in order to obtain high yields and an optimum quality of the fruit taking into account the environmental constraints. To achieve this goal, several field trails on ‘Elsanta’ grown in the open field were set up. In these trials, different N strategies (N-dose, split application, N-fertigation) were studied on plots with or without soil cover (black polyethylene film). The effects of these treatments on the yield and quality of the fruit were studied. During the growing season, N status of the soil, plants and fruits were measured at regular intervals. The N-uptake of strawberry plants ‘Elsanta’ before the winter was rather low, maximum 10 - 15 kg N/ha. After harvest, total N-export by the fruits varied between 15 and 83 kg N/ha depending on the N-supply. At the same time, N uptake by the plants ranged between 39 and 117 kg N/ha. On loamy soils with a rather high organic matter status, the yield response to N-fertilisation in autumn was only significant on soils with a low mineral nitrogen content. Nitrogen availability was higher under black polyethylene film, indicating that the N-strategy should be different in this situation. The variation in fruit yield seemed to be explained by the type of soil cover rather than by the total nitrogen dose. Fertigation appeared to be the most efficient method for N application. | |
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