Fertigation Strategies to Alleviate Fertilizer Contamination Generated by Tomato Crops under Plastic Greenhouses
The rapid development of greenhouse horticulture has brought about a dramatic increase in the nitrate pollution of aquifers. The optimization of nitrogen application is an important tool to minimize nitrogen losses. The objective of this research was to assess the effect of different fertigation str...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-02-01
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| Series: | Agronomy |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/11/3/444 |
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| author | Blanca María Plaza María Teresa Lao Silvia Jiménez-Becker |
| author_facet | Blanca María Plaza María Teresa Lao Silvia Jiménez-Becker |
| author_sort | Blanca María Plaza |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The rapid development of greenhouse horticulture has brought about a dramatic increase in the nitrate pollution of aquifers. The optimization of nitrogen application is an important tool to minimize nitrogen losses. The objective of this research was to assess the effect of different fertigation strategies, based on the reduction of the nitrogen applied and the use of a percentage of NH<sub>4</sub><sup>+</sup> as a nitrogen source, on the decrease in the environmental impact caused by the traditional system, as well as to evaluate if this is compatible with a high fruit yield (considering quantity and quality). <i>Lycopersicum esculentum</i> Mill cv. Forteza plants were grown in a polyethylene greenhouse. Tomato yield and quality were evaluated, along with leachates, which were collected by means of rigid plastic lysimeters. The proposed strategies did not reduce fruit yield. However, the reduction in the nitrate applied caused firmness and °Brix decrease, together with a diminution in titratable acidity until 124 days after transplanting. Nevertheless, these effects were not observed with the replacement of some of the NO<sub>3</sub><sup>−</sup> by NH<sub>4</sub><sup>+</sup>. The reduction in fertilizer inputs significantly improved water and nutrient (N, P and K) use efficiency. The treatment with NH<sub>4</sub><sup>+</sup> improved K use efficiency, compared to the conventional treatment, but P decreased. The highest NO<sub>3</sub><sup>−</sup> and K leaching was detected in the traditional treatment. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T06:16:20Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-171f2fa962d440deb144c5bfae6e5ed3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4395 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T06:16:20Z |
| publishDate | 2021-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Agronomy |
| spelling | doaj.art-171f2fa962d440deb144c5bfae6e5ed32023-12-03T11:52:03ZengMDPI AGAgronomy2073-43952021-02-0111344410.3390/agronomy11030444Fertigation Strategies to Alleviate Fertilizer Contamination Generated by Tomato Crops under Plastic GreenhousesBlanca María Plaza0María Teresa Lao1Silvia Jiménez-Becker2Department of Agronomy, School of Engineering, University of Almería, CIAIMBITAL, Agrifood Campus of International Excellence ceiA3, Ctra. Sacramento s/n, La Cañada de San Urbano, 04120 Almería, SpainDepartment of Agronomy, School of Engineering, University of Almería, CIAIMBITAL, Agrifood Campus of International Excellence ceiA3, Ctra. Sacramento s/n, La Cañada de San Urbano, 04120 Almería, SpainDepartment of Agronomy, School of Engineering, University of Almería, CIAIMBITAL, Agrifood Campus of International Excellence ceiA3, Ctra. Sacramento s/n, La Cañada de San Urbano, 04120 Almería, SpainThe rapid development of greenhouse horticulture has brought about a dramatic increase in the nitrate pollution of aquifers. The optimization of nitrogen application is an important tool to minimize nitrogen losses. The objective of this research was to assess the effect of different fertigation strategies, based on the reduction of the nitrogen applied and the use of a percentage of NH<sub>4</sub><sup>+</sup> as a nitrogen source, on the decrease in the environmental impact caused by the traditional system, as well as to evaluate if this is compatible with a high fruit yield (considering quantity and quality). <i>Lycopersicum esculentum</i> Mill cv. Forteza plants were grown in a polyethylene greenhouse. Tomato yield and quality were evaluated, along with leachates, which were collected by means of rigid plastic lysimeters. The proposed strategies did not reduce fruit yield. However, the reduction in the nitrate applied caused firmness and °Brix decrease, together with a diminution in titratable acidity until 124 days after transplanting. Nevertheless, these effects were not observed with the replacement of some of the NO<sub>3</sub><sup>−</sup> by NH<sub>4</sub><sup>+</sup>. The reduction in fertilizer inputs significantly improved water and nutrient (N, P and K) use efficiency. The treatment with NH<sub>4</sub><sup>+</sup> improved K use efficiency, compared to the conventional treatment, but P decreased. The highest NO<sub>3</sub><sup>−</sup> and K leaching was detected in the traditional treatment.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/11/3/444nutrient use efficiencyammoniumnitrogen leachingyield quantityquality |
| spellingShingle | Blanca María Plaza María Teresa Lao Silvia Jiménez-Becker Fertigation Strategies to Alleviate Fertilizer Contamination Generated by Tomato Crops under Plastic Greenhouses Agronomy nutrient use efficiency ammonium nitrogen leaching yield quantity quality |
| title | Fertigation Strategies to Alleviate Fertilizer Contamination Generated by Tomato Crops under Plastic Greenhouses |
| title_full | Fertigation Strategies to Alleviate Fertilizer Contamination Generated by Tomato Crops under Plastic Greenhouses |
| title_fullStr | Fertigation Strategies to Alleviate Fertilizer Contamination Generated by Tomato Crops under Plastic Greenhouses |
| title_full_unstemmed | Fertigation Strategies to Alleviate Fertilizer Contamination Generated by Tomato Crops under Plastic Greenhouses |
| title_short | Fertigation Strategies to Alleviate Fertilizer Contamination Generated by Tomato Crops under Plastic Greenhouses |
| title_sort | fertigation strategies to alleviate fertilizer contamination generated by tomato crops under plastic greenhouses |
| topic | nutrient use efficiency ammonium nitrogen leaching yield quantity quality |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/11/3/444 |
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