Agronomic and Environmental Performances of On-Farm Compost Production and Application in an Organic Vegetable Rotation

Horticultural crops produce huge amounts of wastes due to the large difference between total and marketable yields, and plant residues. The biological stabilization and sanitization of these organic materials directly on-farm through a simple technique such as composting may be a feasible and sustainable management strategy. The objectives of this research were to (i) estimate the sustainability and the energy impact of the on-farm composting process; (ii) to evaluate the agronomic performance and sustainability of the compost application, compared to a commercial organic fertilizer; and (iii) to identify the management and environmental hotspots. To accomplish these aims, a composting process was set up and monitored using the organic wastes and residues produced in the experimental farm. The compost produced was compared to a commercial organic fertilizer in combination with the use of cover crops in the rotation, in a two-year pepper cultivation. All processes were assessed using an energy analysis and a carbon stocks and emissions evaluation. Our findings point out that the composting process on-farm was environmentally sustainable in terms of energy consumption and carbon emissions and produced a good quality fertilizer. The use of this compost determined the best agronomic performance, especially when it was combined with other agro-ecological techniques. The yield values were slightly higher and statistically comparable with the commercial fertilizer ones. Moreover, the treatments that included the compost were most energy efficient and showed the best compromise between C emissions and C stocks.

Analysis of Nitrate Pollution Pathways on a Vulnerable Agricultural Plain in Slovenia: Taking the Local Approach to Balance Ecosystem Services of Food and Water

Groundwater pollution with nitrate of agricultural origin is a major problem in many countries. A great deal of effort is focused on finding ways to reduce leaching from agricultural land. In this study, different land management scenarios were evaluated with the SWAT model in order to determine which are the most effective in reducing nitrate leaching on specific soil types in the Krška kotlina alluvial plain (Slovenia). The area is very important both for agriculture production and drinking water resources. The model was calibrated for three soil moisture field trial sites, each representing one major soil type of the area. Simulated soil moisture values were in good agreement with the observed values (PBIAS (percent bias) ±25%). Of the nine land management scenarios that were evaluated, vegetable rotation caused the most nitrate leaching on all soil types, but it fared better on Cambisol than on Fluvisol. Orchards on the other hand leached the least amount of nitrate, but also fared better on Cambisol. Presented studies should be considered as a preliminary stage in the study of nitrate pollution in the investigated area. Results show that nitrate leaching varies for different land management scenarios on different soil types. Further work should concentrate on field trials to evaluate the impacts of reduced fertilization on nitrate leaching and both crop yield and quality on different soil types.

SEASONAL DYNAMICS OF NITROGEN IN CULTIVATED SOIL AT GIAO THUY DISTRICT, NAM DINH PROVINCE

This paper focuses on evaluating the nitrogen mineralization and NH4+ and NO3- leaching from the root zone in cultivated soils of Giao Thuy district, Nam Dinh province using Synthetic accumulation (SIA) method. Main findings reveal that total N content in vegetable fields and rice-vegetable-rotational fields ranges from 17.68 – 113.68 kgN ha-1, and from 14.64 – 132.59 kgN ha-1, respectively. Total N is also significantly different between saline paddy-fields and fresh-water fields, varies between 16.33 – 82.12 kgN ha-1 and from 23.89 – 74.04 kgN ha-1, respectively. NO3- accounts for a larger proportion in vegetable fields and accumulated higher during the dry season; NH4+ predominates in paddy fields and accumulated mainly in rainy season. The N leaching losses decreased in the following order: vegetable, rice-vegetable rotation, non-saline and saline soil.