Nitrogen Nutrition Optimization in Organic Greenhouse Tomato Through the Use of Legume Plants as Green Manure or Intercrops

In the present study, in addition to farmyard manure (FYM), cowpea was applied as green manure and faba bean as an intercrop in an organic greenhouse tomato crop, aiming to increase the levels of soil N. Three experiments (E1, E2, E3) were carried out, in which legumes were either noninoculated or inoculated with rhizobia alone or together with plant growth, promoting rhizobacteria. Inoculation of legumes with rhizobia considerably increased N2 fixation in E1 but had no impact on N2 fixation in E2 and E3. In E1, the application of cowpea decreased yield because it imposed a stronger nematode infection as the cowpea plants acted as a good host for Meloidogyne. However, in E2 and E3 the nematode infection was successfully controlled and the legumes significantly increased the tomato yield when inoculated in E2, irrespective of legume inoculation in E3. The total N concentration in the tomato plant tissues was significantly increased by legume application in E2 and E3, but not in E1. These results show that legumes applied as green manure can successfully complement N supply via FYM in organic greenhouse tomato, while legume inoculation with rhizobia can increase the amounts of nitrogen provided to the crop via green manure.

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Effects of Different Organic Soil Amendments on Nitrogen Nutrition and Yield of Organic Greenhouse Tomato Crop

Nitrogen ◽

10.3390/nitrogen2030024 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2 (3) ◽

pp. 347-358

Author(s):

Anastasios Gatsios ◽

Georgia Ntatsi ◽

Dionisios Yfantopoulos ◽

Penelope Baltzoi ◽

Ioannis C. Karapanos ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Green Manure ◽

Crop Residues ◽

Nitrogen Nutrition ◽

Farmyard Manure ◽

N Fertilization ◽

Common Source ◽

Biological Fixation ◽

Tomato Crop ◽

Green Manuring ◽

Greenhouse Tomato

Manure is a common source of nitrogen (N) in organic farming. However, manure is not always easily available, while the maximum N amount added as animal manure in organic agriculture is restricted by EU regulations. The present study was designed to test whether green manuring with a warm-season legume and intercropping with a cold-season legume can substitute farm-yard manure or compost as N sources in organic greenhouse tomato crops. To test this hypothesis, a winter-spring (WS) tomato crop was installed in February following the incorporation of crop residues of an autumn-winter (AW) tomato crop intercropped with faba bean, which had been fertilized with cowpea residues as green manure. This treatment, henceforth termed legume treatment (LT), was compared with the use of compost or manure as an N fertilization source in both tomato crops. In addition, a combination of compost and LT was also used as a fourth treatment. The results showed that green manuring with legumes and particularly cowpea can contribute a significant amount of N to the following organic tomato crop, through the biological fixation process. Nevertheless, legumes as green manure, or compost, or their combination cannot efficiently replace farmyard manure as an N fertilization source. Compost exhibited a slow mineralization course.

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Impact of Legumes as a Pre-Crop on Nitrogen Nutrition and Yield in Organic Greenhouse Tomato

Plants ◽

10.3390/plants10030468 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (3) ◽

pp. 468

Author(s):

Anastasios Gatsios ◽

Georgia Ntatsi ◽

Luisella Celi ◽

Daniel Said-Pullicino ◽

Anastasia Tampakaki ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Tomato Fruit ◽

Soil Mineral N ◽

Soil Mineral ◽

Mineral N ◽

Tomato Crop ◽

Total N ◽

Green Manuring ◽

Preceding Crop ◽

Greenhouse Tomato ◽

Tomato Yield

An organic greenhouse crop of tomato was established in February following cultivation of cowpea (CP) or common bean (CB) for green pod production, or faba bean (FB) for green manuring. The vegetative residues of CP and CB were incorporated to the soil together with farmyard manure (FYM), prior to establishing the tomato crop. The FB plants were incorporated to the soil at anthesis together with either FYM or composted olive-mill waste (CO). Green manuring with FB resulted in higher soil mineral N levels during the subsequent tomato crop and higher tomato fruit yield when combined with FYM, compared to compost. The level of soil mineral N was the main restrictive factor for yield in organic greenhouse tomato. FB for green manuring as preceding crop to tomato increased significantly the level of soil mineral N and tomato yield compared to CB or CP aiming to produce green pods. The lowest tomato yield was obtained when the preceding crop was CB cultivated for green pod production. The soil mineral N was significantly higher when FYM was applied as base dressing compared with CO, despite the higher total N concentration in CO, pointing to slower mineralization rates of CO during tomato cultivation.

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Effects of green-manure and tillage management on soil microbial community composition, nutrients and tree growth in a walnut orchard

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-96472-8 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Ningguang Dong ◽

Guanglong Hu ◽

Yunqi Zhang ◽

Jianxun Qi ◽

Yonghao Chen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Microbial Community ◽

Green Manure ◽

Rhizosphere Soil ◽

Green Manures ◽

Hairy Vetch ◽

Mineral N ◽

Total N ◽

Organic C ◽

Nutrient Contents ◽

Walnut Tree

AbstractThis study characterized the effect of green manures (February orchid, hairy vetch, rattail fescue and a no-green-manure control) and the termination method (flail or disk) on nutrient contents, enzyme activities, microbial biomass, microbial community structure of rhizosphere soil and vegetative growth of walnut tree. All three selected green manures significantly enhanced the water content, organic C, total N and available P. The rattail fescue significantly decreased the mineral N. Total organic C, total N, mineral N and available P were significantly greater under flail than under disk. Hairy vetch and February orchid significantly improved levels of soil β-glucosidase, N-acetyl-glucosaminidase and acid phosphatase activity, whereas rattail fescue improved only β-glucosidase activity. All of the green manures significantly decreased phenoloxidase activity. β-glucosidase, N-acetyl-glucosaminidase and acid phosphatase activities were significantly greater under flail relative to disk. The termination method had no significant effect on phenoloxidase activity. The different types of green manures and termination methods significantly altered the soil microbial biomass and microbial community structure. The green-manure treatments were characterized by a significantly greater abundance of Gram-positive (Gram +) bacteria, total bacteria and saprophytic fungi compared to the control. Hairy vetch significantly decreased the abundance of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) while February orchid and rattail fescue increased their abundance compared to the no-green-manure treatment. The abundance rates of Gram+ bacteria, actinomycetes, saprophytic fungi and AMF were significantly greater in soils under flail than under disk. In terms of vegetative growth of walnut tree, hairy vetch showed the greatest positive effects. The growth of walnut tree was significantly greater under flail relative to disk. Our results indicate that green-manure application benefits the rhizosphere soil micro-ecology, rhizosphere soil nutrient contents and tree growth. Overall, the hairy vetch and flail combined treatment is recommended for walnut orchards in northern China.

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Growth, photosynthesis and productivity of greenhouse tomato cultivated in open or closed rockwool systems

Canadian Journal of Plant Science ◽

10.4141/p01-113 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 82 (4) ◽

pp. 771-780 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

X. Hao ◽

A. P. Papadopoulos

Keyword(s):

Lycopersicon Esculentum ◽

Plant Biomass ◽

Alternative Methods ◽

Marketable Yield ◽

Tomato Production ◽

Greenhouse Tomato ◽

Tomato Yield ◽

Nutrient Film Technique ◽

Closed Systems ◽

Environmentally Sound

Two full spring season tomato crops (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. “Trust”) were grown in an open rockwool system with standard rockwool feeding formulae (O-R; conventional method), and in closed rockwool systems with standard rockwool (C-R) or Nutrient Film Technique (C-NFT) feeding formulae (modified in 1997) in 1996 and 1997 to examine the feasibility of a fully closed rockwool production system with appropriate feeding formulae. The closed rockwool system with optimized feeding formulae achieved high marketable yield, similar to that of the open rockwool system. There were no differences in early plant growth, plant biomass or biomass partitioning, and in total fruit yield, size and grades except for the closed rockwool system with the standard rockwool feeding formulae (C-R), which had lower yield than C-NFT in the last month of harvest in 1996. The photosynthesis of old foliage was higher and the root systems at the end of the experiments were rated healthier in plants grown in the closed (C-R and C-NFT) systems than in plants grown in the open (O-R) system. Over 30% of water and fertilizer was saved with the closed systems in comparison to the conventional open system. These results demonstrated that closed rockwool systems with optimized nutrient feedings are economically and environmentally sound alternative methods for greenhouse tomato production in Ontario. Key words: Lycopersicon esculentum, tomato, yield, recycling, rockwool, greenhouse

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Differential responses of the sunn4 and rdn1-1 super-nodulation mutants of Medicago truncatula to elevated atmospheric CO2

Annals of Botany ◽

10.1093/aob/mcab098 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Yunfa Qiao ◽

Shujie Miao ◽

Jian Jin ◽

Ulrike Mathesius ◽

Caixian Tang

Keyword(s):

Nitrogen Fixation ◽

Elevated Co2 ◽

Medicago Truncatula ◽

N2 Fixation ◽

Sink Strength ◽

Wild Type ◽

Total N ◽

Autoregulation Of Nodulation ◽

Nodulation Mutants ◽

Fixation Capacity

Abstract Background and Aims Nitrogen fixation in legumes requires tight control of carbon and nitrogen balance. Thus, legumes control nodule numbers via an autoregulation mechanism. ‘Autoregulation of nodulation’ mutants super-nodulate and are thought to be carbon-limited due to the high carbon-sink strength of excessive nodules. This study aimed to examine the effect of increasing carbon supply on the performance of super-nodulation mutants. Methods We compared the responses of Medicago truncatula super-nodulation mutants (sunn-4 and rdn1-1) and wild type to five CO2 levels (300-850 μmol mol -1). Nodule formation and N2 fixation were assessed in soil-grown plants at 18 and 42 days after sowing. Key results Shoot and root biomass, nodule number and biomass, nitrogenase activity and fixed-N per plant of all genotypes increased with increasing CO2 concentration and reached the maximum around 700 μmol mol -1. While the sunn-4 mutant showed strong growth-retardation compared to wild-type plants, elevated CO2 increased shoot biomass and total N content of rdn1-1 mutant up to two-fold. This was accompanied by a four-fold increase in nitrogen fixation capacity in the rdn1-1 mutant. Conclusions These results suggest that the super-nodulation phenotype per se did not limit growth. The additional nitrogen fixation capacity of the rdn1-1 mutant may enhance the benefit of elevated CO2 on plant growth and N2 fixation.

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Use of geostatistical and crop growth modelling to assess the variability of greenhouse tomato yield caused by spatial temperature variations

Computers and Electronics in Agriculture ◽

10.1016/j.compag.2008.10.001 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 65 (2) ◽

pp. 219-227 ◽

Cited By ~ 26

Author(s):

Carlos Ricardo Bojacá ◽

Rodrigo Gil ◽

Alexander Cooman

Keyword(s):

Crop Growth ◽

Growth Modelling ◽

Temperature Variations ◽

Greenhouse Tomato ◽

Tomato Yield ◽

Spatial Temperature

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Evaluation of soil solarisation and bio-fumigation for the management of bacterial spot of tomato

African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development ◽

10.18697/ajfand.64.13595 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 14 (64) ◽

pp. 8998-9015

Author(s):

K Misrak ◽

◽

A Amare ◽

N Dechassa N Dechassa

Keyword(s):

Xanthomonas Campestris ◽

Plant Pathogens ◽

Bacterial Spot ◽

Management Options ◽

Tomato Crop ◽

Soil Medium ◽

Ethiopian Mustard ◽

Tomato Yield ◽

Mustard Plant ◽

Dire Dawa

Soil -borne plant pathogens cause heavy losses to all major crops, leading to reductions in both yield and quality. Soil solarisation and bio- fumigation offer disease management options that are safe and reduce the use of pesticides for soil -borne plant pathogens. Mustard plant releases antimicrobial hydrolysis products, notably isothiocyanates when used as a bio- fumigant. Bacterial spot of tomato caused by Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria (Xcv) can survive in soil and plant debris, which serve as a primary inoculum for infecting the next tomato crop. An experiment was carried out with the objective of evaluating effects of soil solarisation and the use of Ethiopian mustard ( Brassica carinata A. Braun) as a bio -fumigant to control bacterial spot disease and on yield of tomato. The tr eatments consisted of six types of potted soil medium (solarised at Haramaya and Dire Dawa, bio -fumigated, biofumigated as well as solarised at Haramaya and Dire Dawa, and untreated control as non- solarised non- biofumigated pots). Treated tomato seeds were planted and fruit yields were compared among treatments. Potted soil was inoculated with the pathogen, Xcv, belonging to T2P2 race group. The total microbial and Xcv counts were done before as well as after setting up the experiment. The results revealed that solarisation reduced the population of Xcv from 10.68 to 8.79 CFU g -1 , total bacterial population from 11.27 to 9.86 CFU g -1 , and total actinomycete counts from 11.69 to 9.44 CFU g -1 while bio -fumigation had a non- significant effect on Xcv and total microbial counts. None of the treatments exhibited a significant effect on fungal counts. The fruit yield of tomato grown on biofumigated as well as solarised soil was the highest (91.18 t ha -1 ) as compared to the other treatments. It can, therefore, be con cluded that solarisation and bio- fumigation cannot be used as a bio- rational option for effective management of Xcv on tomato but the two methods could be used to increase tomato yield in the presence of the pathogen.

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Time of Application of Nitrogen Fertilizer to Maize at Samaru, Nigeria

Experimental Agriculture ◽

10.1017/s0014479700005573 ◽

1973 ◽

Vol 9 (2) ◽

pp. 113-120 ◽

Cited By ~ 26

Author(s):

M. J. Jones

Keyword(s):

Nitrogen Nutrition ◽

N Uptake ◽

Rainfall Distribution ◽

Total N ◽

Plant Nitrogen ◽

Yield Increase ◽

Time Of Application ◽

Nitrate N ◽

One Year

SUMMARYMaize was grown for three years at three levels of nitrogen, 56, 112 and 224 kg. N ha.−1, involving altogether nine different timing and splitting treatments. Measurements were made of grain yield, plant nitrogen status and total-N-uptake, and, in one year, movement of nitrate-N in control plot soils. Where only 56 kg. N ha.−1was applied, its time of application made very little difference to yield; at higher rates of nitrogen an unsplit application as late as seven weeks was very inefficient, but only at the highest rate did a split application give any appreciable yield increase over an unsplit application to the seed bed. Consideration of the soil nitrate-N data and the long-term pattern of rainfall distribution leads to the conclusion that leaching is unlikely to be a serious problem in the nitrogen nutrition of early-planted maize.

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Distribution of nitrogen in wheat plant in its late growth stages with regard to organic fertilisation and mineral nitrogen rate

Plant Soil and Environment ◽

10.17221/3631-pse ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 51 (No. 12) ◽

pp. 553-561 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

B. Čeh-Brežnik ◽

A. Tajnšek

Keyword(s):

Green Manure ◽

Farmyard Manure ◽

Mineral Nitrogen ◽

N Recovery ◽

Growth Stages ◽

Mineral N ◽

N Content ◽

Organic Fertilisation ◽

N Rates ◽

The Impact

In Central Slovenia within a long term static experiment IOSDV we investigated the impact of mineral nitrogen (N) fertilisation (0, 65, 130, 195 kg/ha) on the N content and the N amount in winter wheat (larger roots, stems, spikes and leaves) in EC 81/82 and EC 90/91, employing three systems of management: farmyard manure ploughing in before forecrop maize, straw ploughing in and green manure, no organic fertilisation. At EC 81/82 the N content in larger roots was around twice as high as the N content in stems and around twice as low as the N content in spikes and leaves. There was 80% of the whole N amount in plant located in the spikes and leaves (33–168 kg/ha) in EC 81/82 and 90% in EC 90/91. Calculated N recovery from mineral fertiliser was 68–87%; it increased with the increasing N rates in the system with farmyard manure ploughing in and in the system with no organic fertilisation, but not in the system with straw ploughing in and green manure. Between EC 81/82 and EC 90/91 wheat gained from 4 to 34 kg N/ha, but there were more important translocations of N inside the plants, which were higher at higher mineral N rates. There was a significant impact of management system on the N uptake at the highest mineral N rate.

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