Abstract

A 2-yr field study was conducted to evaluate the effects of calcium cyanamide as an alternative nitrogen (N) fertilizer source on N use efficiency (NUE), yield, and quality of two types of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.), romaine (var. longifolia, cv. Manavert) and red oak-leaf (var. crispa, cv. Aruba), grown on clay soil under a Mediterranean environment. Pretransplanting application of 120 kg ha-1 of N as calcium cyanamide (120CC) was compared with a traditional split application of 120 kg ha-1 of soluble N (120SN) consisting of 50% ammonium sulfate applied before transplanting and 50% as ammonium nitrate applied after transplanting. An unfertilized control (0-N) was included to calculate NUE indices. At harvest leaf area index, dry weight, fresh yield, dry matter concentration, and NUE indices were not affected by the N source. Leaf nitrate (NO3-) content was on average 55 and 41% higher in Aruba than in Manavert in the first (Exp-1) and second (Exp-2) season, respectively. Plants fertilized with 120CC had lower leaf NO3- content (41 and 18% in Aruba and 70 and 21% in Manavert in Exp-1 and Exp-2, respectively) compared with those fertilized with 120SN. These results suggest calcium cyanamide may be used as an effective tool to reduce leaf NO3- accumulation and to produce high-quality lettuce in compliance with European Regulation No. 1258/2011 while assuring competitive yields.

Autore Pugliese

• Gonnella Maria

Tutti gli autori

• Di Gioia F.; Gonnella M.; Buono V.; Ayala O.; Cacchiarelli J.; Santamaria P.

Titolo volume/Rivista

Agronomy journal

Anno di pubblicazione

2016

ISSN

0002-1962

ISBN

Non Disponibile

Numero di citazioni Wos

Nessuna citazione

Ultimo Aggiornamento Citazioni

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Numero di citazioni Scopus

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Ultimo Aggiornamento Citazioni

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Settori ERC

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Codici ASJC

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