Influence of Soil and Nutrient Management Practices on Crop Productivity and Quality in High Tunnel Organic Leafy Green Production
Despite the growing interest in high tunnel organic vegetable production, limited information is available regarding optimizing nutrient management for organic leafy greens. This 3-year study examined the impacts of cowpea cover crop as well as different organic fertilizers and composts on yield, le...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS)
2023-11-01
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| Series: | HortScience |
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| Online Access: | https://journals.ashs.org/hortsci/view/journals/hortsci/58/12/article-p1610.xml |
| _version_ | 1797316160668041216 |
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| author | Shufang Tian Jeffrey K. Brecht Bala Rathinasabapathi Xin Zhao |
| author_facet | Shufang Tian Jeffrey K. Brecht Bala Rathinasabapathi Xin Zhao |
| author_sort | Shufang Tian |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Despite the growing interest in high tunnel organic vegetable production, limited information is available regarding optimizing nutrient management for organic leafy greens. This 3-year study examined the impacts of cowpea cover crop as well as different organic fertilizers and composts on yield, leaf mineral nutrient content, and phytochemical properties of organic leafy greens produced in high tunnels under Florida sandy soil conditions. The experiment was arranged in a split-split-plot design with three replications. The whole plots consisted of a cowpea (Vigna unguiculata ‘Iron & Clay’) cover crop and a weedy fallow control, with fertilization treatments in the subplots, including preplant application of granular fertilizer vs. weekly injection of liquid fish fertilizer at the same seasonal rates of nitrogen (112 kg/ha), phosphorus (9.8 kg/ha), and potassium (74.4 kg/ha). The sub-subplots included yard waste-based compost (22.4 Mt/ha), cow manure-based compost (22.4 Mt/ha), vermicompost (5.6 Mt/ha), and no compost control. Cowpea was broadcasted (112 kg/ha) in early July or mid-August and terminated 51 to 53 days after seeding. Pac choi (Brassica rapa var. chinensis ‘Mei Qing Choi’) was transplanted in mid-Sep. or mid-Oct. and harvested after 33 to 36 days. Baby spinach (Spinacia oleracea ‘Corvair’) or baby leaf lettuce (Lactuca sativa ‘Outredgeous’) was direct seeded subsequently as a catch crop. Each experimental unit remained in the same location across the 3 years of the study. Cover cropping had little influence on yields, leaf mineral nutrients, ascorbic acid content, total phenolics, and total antioxidant capacity of pac choi and baby spinach/lettuce. Compared with preplant application of the granular organic fertilizer, weekly liquid organic fertigation improved pac choi marketable yield and dry weight by 16.8% and 5.4% on average, respectively, and enhanced leaf nitrogen and phosphorus contents on a dry weight basis. Relative to the no compost control, yard waste compost consistently improved marketable yields of pac choi by 11.6% on average and led to higher yields of the baby spinach/lettuce catch crop in years 1 and 3, suggesting that compost applications may enhance seasonal nutrient availability to better meet crop demand. However, compost application exhibited inconsistent effects on crop mineral nutrient and phytochemical contents across the years, which could be attributed to the different nutrient compositions of the composts applied in each season, as well as the legacy effects from the previous season. Furthermore, the compost benefits may be influenced by the fertilization program as indicated by their interaction effects observed in this study. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T03:15:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-eff8fcaeba2948a39677f1465c36fae7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2327-9834 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T03:15:13Z |
| publishDate | 2023-11-01 |
| publisher | American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | HortScience |
| spelling | doaj.art-eff8fcaeba2948a39677f1465c36fae72024-02-12T17:26:50ZengAmerican Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS)HortScience2327-98342023-11-015812https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI17327-23Influence of Soil and Nutrient Management Practices on Crop Productivity and Quality in High Tunnel Organic Leafy Green ProductionShufang Tian0Jeffrey K. Brecht1Bala Rathinasabapathi2Xin Zhao3Horticultural Sciences Department, University of FloridaHorticultural Sciences Department, University of FloridaHorticultural Sciences Department, University of FloridaHorticultural Sciences Department, University of FloridaDespite the growing interest in high tunnel organic vegetable production, limited information is available regarding optimizing nutrient management for organic leafy greens. This 3-year study examined the impacts of cowpea cover crop as well as different organic fertilizers and composts on yield, leaf mineral nutrient content, and phytochemical properties of organic leafy greens produced in high tunnels under Florida sandy soil conditions. The experiment was arranged in a split-split-plot design with three replications. The whole plots consisted of a cowpea (Vigna unguiculata ‘Iron & Clay’) cover crop and a weedy fallow control, with fertilization treatments in the subplots, including preplant application of granular fertilizer vs. weekly injection of liquid fish fertilizer at the same seasonal rates of nitrogen (112 kg/ha), phosphorus (9.8 kg/ha), and potassium (74.4 kg/ha). The sub-subplots included yard waste-based compost (22.4 Mt/ha), cow manure-based compost (22.4 Mt/ha), vermicompost (5.6 Mt/ha), and no compost control. Cowpea was broadcasted (112 kg/ha) in early July or mid-August and terminated 51 to 53 days after seeding. Pac choi (Brassica rapa var. chinensis ‘Mei Qing Choi’) was transplanted in mid-Sep. or mid-Oct. and harvested after 33 to 36 days. Baby spinach (Spinacia oleracea ‘Corvair’) or baby leaf lettuce (Lactuca sativa ‘Outredgeous’) was direct seeded subsequently as a catch crop. Each experimental unit remained in the same location across the 3 years of the study. Cover cropping had little influence on yields, leaf mineral nutrients, ascorbic acid content, total phenolics, and total antioxidant capacity of pac choi and baby spinach/lettuce. Compared with preplant application of the granular organic fertilizer, weekly liquid organic fertigation improved pac choi marketable yield and dry weight by 16.8% and 5.4% on average, respectively, and enhanced leaf nitrogen and phosphorus contents on a dry weight basis. Relative to the no compost control, yard waste compost consistently improved marketable yields of pac choi by 11.6% on average and led to higher yields of the baby spinach/lettuce catch crop in years 1 and 3, suggesting that compost applications may enhance seasonal nutrient availability to better meet crop demand. However, compost application exhibited inconsistent effects on crop mineral nutrient and phytochemical contents across the years, which could be attributed to the different nutrient compositions of the composts applied in each season, as well as the legacy effects from the previous season. Furthermore, the compost benefits may be influenced by the fertilization program as indicated by their interaction effects observed in this study.https://journals.ashs.org/hortsci/view/journals/hortsci/58/12/article-p1610.xmlascorbic acidcompostcover croplettucemarketable yieldmineral nutrientsorganic fertilizerpac choispinachtotal antioxidant capacitytotal phenolics |
| spellingShingle | Shufang Tian Jeffrey K. Brecht Bala Rathinasabapathi Xin Zhao Influence of Soil and Nutrient Management Practices on Crop Productivity and Quality in High Tunnel Organic Leafy Green Production HortScience ascorbic acid compost cover crop lettuce marketable yield mineral nutrients organic fertilizer pac choi spinach total antioxidant capacity total phenolics |
| title | Influence of Soil and Nutrient Management Practices on Crop Productivity and Quality in High Tunnel Organic Leafy Green Production |
| title_full | Influence of Soil and Nutrient Management Practices on Crop Productivity and Quality in High Tunnel Organic Leafy Green Production |
| title_fullStr | Influence of Soil and Nutrient Management Practices on Crop Productivity and Quality in High Tunnel Organic Leafy Green Production |
| title_full_unstemmed | Influence of Soil and Nutrient Management Practices on Crop Productivity and Quality in High Tunnel Organic Leafy Green Production |
| title_short | Influence of Soil and Nutrient Management Practices on Crop Productivity and Quality in High Tunnel Organic Leafy Green Production |
| title_sort | influence of soil and nutrient management practices on crop productivity and quality in high tunnel organic leafy green production |
| topic | ascorbic acid compost cover crop lettuce marketable yield mineral nutrients organic fertilizer pac choi spinach total antioxidant capacity total phenolics |
| url | https://journals.ashs.org/hortsci/view/journals/hortsci/58/12/article-p1610.xml |
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