Abstract:
Objectives The effect of nitrogen application (N) combined with biochar or organic fertilizer on the growth and nutrient accumulation of Chinese flowering cabbage was investigated, to provide a scientific basis for optimizing the nutrient management strategy and promoting quality and efficiency improvement in cabbage.
Methods A field experiment was conducted in 2022 and 2023 at the Key Experimental Base for Vegetable New Technology Research in Guangdong Province, using a split-plot experimental design with the primary factors of N fertilizer: without (−N) and optimized N fertilizer (N 135 kg/hm2, +N), and the secondary factors of organic fertilizer (+M) and biochar (+C). The biomass and nutrient content of cabbages were measured, and the nutrient accumulation was calculated during the harvesting period. The dynamic changes in leaf area, biomass, and the nutrient accumulation of the cabbage in 2023 were measured.
Results N supply affected the biomass promotion effect of organic fertilizer and biochar. In 2022 and 2023, the biomass increment of +C and +M treatments were averaged 18.6% and 84.5% under −N condition and compared to −N control, and 10.1% and 48.3% under +N condition compared to the +N treatment. Organic fertilizer was recorded superior effect to biochar in enhancing cabbage biomass, the biomass of −N+M treatment was 19.2% and 88.9% higher than that of −N+C treatment in 2022 and 2023, and the biomass of +N+M treatment was 27.0% and 41.1% higher than that of +N+C treatment, respectively. All the nitrogen, biochar, and organic fertilizer application increased the cabbage N content at harvest. Nitrogen accumulation in 2022 and 2023 in −N+C, −N+M treatment increased by 38.6%, 94.4%, and 51.3%, 226.2%, respectively, compared with the −N treatment, and +N+C and +N+M treatment increased the N accumulation by 5.0% and 42.1% in 2022, and by 31.7% and 132.1% in 2023, compared to +N treatment. There was no significant difference between the −N+C and −N treatment in P, K, Mg, and B accumulation during the harvest period of Chinese flowering cabbage in the two years, whereas P, K, Ca, and Mg accumulation in −N+M treatment were significantly higher than in −N treatment. The promotion of biomass and leaf area of Chinese flowering cabbage at different fertility levels by organic fertilizers with and without N application was superior to that of biochar.
Conclusions The promotion effect of biochar and organic fertilizer application is affected by the supply of N fertilizer, and organic fertilizer shows better effect than biochar. Therefore, in vegetable production, organic fertilizer should be considered to maximize the role of nitrogen fertilizer in Chinese flowering cabbage production.