We use cookies on our website. Some are necessary for the operation of the website. You can also allow cookies for statistical purposes. You can adjust the data protection settings or agree to all cookies directly.
Data Protection Declaration
Imprint
Data based N-balancing in field vegetable farming
Project
Project code: 2811HS014
Contract period: 15.08.2011
- 30.11.2013
Budget: 111,681 Euro
Purpose of research: Applied research
Vegetable production is afflicted with high N-surpluses since the crops are harvested in the vegetative growing stage. In order to minimize the environmental impact of these N-surpluses (nitrate leaching and gaseous N losses), it is one aim of the proposed study to increase the N use efficiency in vegetable production. Therefore, several management options (N-fertilization strategies, nitrification inhibitor application, straw incorporation or the removal of N-rich crop residues after harvest and cultivation of an intermediate catch crop in winter) are tested on a field experiment in Hohenheim according to their impact on crop yield, N2O emission and on nitrate leaching. Selected measures are also investigated on-farm under real practical conditions.
Currently, only few studies focused on the effect of different management strategies to reduce N-surpluses in vegetable fields on the release of the climate relevant trace gas N2O. Using the “closed chamber”-method we quantify the annual N2O emission from plots with the upper mentioned management practices. Further it is planned to compare the N2O fluxes from two sites in South Germany with very contrasting soil texture. Representative for the vegetable production region “Filderebene”, the emissions from a silty site in Hohenheim is compared with the fluxes from a sandy soil near Speyer in the region “Vorderpfalz”.
After calibration and validation of the environmental model “Expert-N”, promising measures to reduce trace gas emissions and nitrate leaching derived from model simulations will be tested in the field.
For the sandy sites we further aim to establish the acetylene inhibition method to estimate the N2 losses during denitrification in order to close gaps in the N balances. After method establishment, annual N2 emissions will be measured on-farm.
Section overview
Subjects
- Plant Nutrition
- Vegetable Gardening
- Climate Change
