Search Results (5)

Adequate mineral fertilization helps to ensure optimal tree growth, fruit development, and predictable yield of apple trees. This 7-year study (2016–2022) aims to investigate the effect of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), and magnesium (Mg) fertilizer combinations (NP, NPK, NPKMg, and control) on eight parameters (trunk cross-sectional area—TCSA; fruit yield—FY; number of fruit per tree—FNT; crop load—CL; fruit diameter—FD; fruit weight—FW; fruit scab incidence—FSI; and powdery mildew incidence on shoot—PMIS) on the cultivars (cvs) ‘Golden Reinders’ (disease susceptible) and ‘Pinova’ (scab and mildew tolerant). In the 7-year period, TCSA values continuously increased for both cultivars over the years. Fertilizer treatments showed significant differences on TCSA but the effect varied greatly annually among fertilizer treatments. Fertilizer treatments had increasing effects on FY and FNT in 2018 and 2022, on CL in 2018, on FD in 2018 and 2019, and on FW in 2016 and 2018 in both cultivars compared to the control treatment. FSI values were the lowest in the NPKMg treatment for cv. ‘Golden Reinders’ in 2016, 2017, and 2022; for cv. ‘Pinova’ in 2016; PMIS values for cv. ‘Golden Reinders’ in 2017, 2018, 2021, and 2022; and for cv. ‘Pinova’ in 2018. Correlation and regression analyses revealed strong and significant (p = 0.05) relationships between FNT versus (vs.) TCSA, FNT vs. FY, FW vs. TCSA, CL vs. FY, FW vs. FD, and FSI vs. FW. In conclusion, our study showed that multiyear application of fertilizer combinations can successfully increase TCSA and yield parameters as well as reduce fungal disease incidences, especially on the disease-susceptible cultivar in sandy soil with moderate fertility, under Central-European continental climate conditions. Full article

This article focuses on the agronomic evaluation of the supplementation of mineral NPKMg fertilizers with elemental sulfur, magnesium, potassium, or ammonium sulfates in pot experiments with ryegrass growing in a sandy Arenosol with very low sulfur content. A benefit evaluation was carried out on the basis of biomass production, crop nutritional status, and changes in the content of soil organic matter fractions. Furthermore, the total number of bacteria, nitrogen-fixing bacteria, and fungi was estimated using the qPCR technique in soil samples after 60 days of ryegrass growth. The combined application of NPKMg and sulfur or sulfate fertilizers significantly increased the summary yield of three cuttings of fresh ryegrass biomass in the range of 32.3% to 82.7%. The application, especially in the form of sulfates, significantly decreased the content of free phenolic acids. Furthermore, compared to the control, i.e., soil with NPKMg applied alone, an increase in the content of glomalin-related proteins and a decrease in the amount of water-soluble organic carbon compounds were observed. Neither the number of DNA marker copy numbers of the total bacterial community nor the nitrogen-fixing bacteria were noticeably different. In turn, the total number of genetic markers for fungi was significantly higher in soils with potassium or ammonium sulfates compared to the control soil. The general results suggest that the application of sulfur fertilizers with NPKMg mineral fertilizer can benefit crops and support soil fertility due to the stabilization of aggregates and the decrease in water-soluble organic compounds. Full article

Intensified cultivation of rice has accelerated weathering of most tropical acid soils leading to significant loss of base cations. In most developing countries, rice yield is low and this results in its production being costly because productivity versus labor is low. The objectives of this study were to (i) enhance soil chemical properties, nutrient uptake, and grain yield of rice grown on a mineral tropical acid soil using agro-wastes; (ii) determine the agro-waste (chicken manure, cow dung, forest litter, and Leucaena) that has the potential to significantly increase rice yield; and (iii) determine the residual effects of the organic soil amendments produced from the agro-wastes on soil and rice productivity. The treatments used in this three-cycle field study were (i) soil without amendments (S0); (ii) prevailing recommended rates for fertilizers (NPK-Mg); (iii) biochar–forest litter compost (OSA1); (iv) biochar–chicken litter compost (OSA2); (v) biochar–cow dung compost (OSA3); (vi) biochar–Leucaena compost (OSA4); and (vii) biochar–Leucaena–chicken litter compost (OSA5). Standard procedures were used to determine the plants’ rice growth, grain yield, plant nutrient concentrations and uptake, and selected soil chemical properties. The use of organic soil amendments (OSA1 to OSA5) significantly improved the soil chemical properties, rice plant growth, nutrient uptake, and grain yield compared with the prevailing method of cultivating rice (NPK-Mg). The application of organic soil amendments reduced the use of inorganic N, P, K, MgO, and trace elements fertilizers up to 25%, 100%, 64%, 100%, and 100%, respectively. The organic soil amendments with Leucaena significantly increased rice grain yield of OSA5 at 11.17, 13.11, and 10.06 t ha⁻¹ in the first, second, and third cropping cycles, respectively. The residual effect of the organic soil amendments also improved rice plant growth, nutrient uptake, and rice grain yield although these were slightly reduced as compared to those of the two previous cropping cycles, the afore-stated treatments were superior to the prevailing method of cultivating rice (NPK-Mg). Transforming agro-wastes into organic soil amendments can improve tropical mineral acid soils and rice productivity. Full article

This paper examines the effect of mineral fertilizers and waste lignite, the latter applied to the preceding crop, on the enzymatic activity of soil. The research was conducted between 2014 and 2016 at the Agricultural Experimental Station of the Siedlce University of Natural Sciences and Humanities in Zawady (Poland). The following treatment combinations were involved: 1—control; 2—NPKMgS; 3—NPKMgS + 20 N; 4—NPKMgS + 40 N; 5—NPKMgS + 60 N. Three varieties of maize grown for silage constituted the second research factor. Mineral fertilizers were applied at the following doses (pre-sowing): N-100, P-35, K-125, Mg-12 and S-14 kg ha⁻¹. Nitrogen was additionally applied as top dressing with 3, 4, and 5 treatment combinations at 20, 40, and 60 kg ha⁻¹. Waste lignite was applied to the preceding crop on two plots (3 and 4), in 1 and 5 t ha⁻¹ doses. In the subsequent years, the significantly highest content of soil organic carbon was recorded on the NPKMgS + 60 N plot (1.12%; 0.98% and 1.16%). With 49.25 and 51.95 mg NH₄-N h^–1 kg^–1 DM, urease activity in the soil treated with NPKMgS + 20 N and NPKMgS + 40 N was 56.95% and 65.55% higher than in the control plot soil. Throughout the experimental years, acid phosphatase activity did not vary much and amounted to 3.51–3.53 mmol PNP h^–1 kg^–1 DM. Mineral fertilizers significantly increased the activity of alkaline phosphatase and dehydrogenases in relation to the control. To ensure the high enzymatic activity of the soil and a high biochemical index of soil fertility, pre-sowing fertilizers at the level of 100 kg N, 35 kg P, 125 kg K, 12 kg Mg, and 14 kg S per hectare and top dressing of 20 kg N or 40 kg N per hectare are recommended. At the same time, it is advisable to use 1 t ha^–1 or 5 t ha^–1 of waste lignite of low energy value on the preceding crop. Full article

The field experiment was conducted in the central-eastern Poland. The aim of the research was to determine the effect of low-energy lignite organic matter applied to the preceding crop in the form of an organomineral fertilizer on the treatment optimization of Zea mays L. maize grown for silage. Two factors were taken into account in the research: factor I—five fertilization plots control plot—without fertilization (1), NPKMgS (2), NPKMgS + N1(3), NPKMgS + N2 (4), NPKMgS + N3 (5); factor II—three varieties of Zea mays L. Nitrogen was applied as fertilizers 3, 4 and 5 at doses of N1-20, N2-40 and N3-60 kg per hectare. In the spring each year, selected plots were pre-sown with mineral fertilizers at doses of 100 kg·N, 35 kg·P, 125 kg·K, 12 kg·Mg and 14 kg·S per hectare. Organomineral fertilizer based on low-energy lignite was applied to the preceding crop (maize grown for silage) on two plots, in 1 and 5 t·ha⁻¹ doses. Mineral fertilizers used in research significantly reduced the content of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and sulphur in the dry matter of plants. The uptake of the nutrients reached the highest values for maize treated with NPKMgS + N1, NPKMgS + N2 and NPKMgS + N3. The agronomic efficiency (AE) of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and sulphur, all of which were applied in the form of the polyfoska^® fertilizer, M-MAKS (NPKMgS), potassium salt and urea, reached the highest values for plots treated with NPKMgS + N1 and NPKMgS + N2. In turn, the treatment of NPKMgS and NPKMgS + N3 with nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and sulphur resulted in the highest values of physiological efficiency (PE). Based on the three-year research carried out with the use of polyfoska^® M-MAKS (NPKMgS), potassium salt and urea in the fertilization of maize grown for silage, it is possible to recommend the optimal dose of NPKMgS + N1 mineral fertilizers (100-35-125-12-14 pre-sowing, 20 kg top dressing N) and NPKMgS + N2 (pre-sowing 100-35-125-12-14, top dressing 40 kg·N). The low-energy lignite applied to the preceding crop in doses of 1 t and 5 t at the NPKMgS + N1 and NPKMgS + N2 plots contributed to the achievement of the analyzed parameters (uptake, AE and AE) at a high level. Full article