Directory UMM :Data Elmu:jurnal:S:Scientia Horticulturae:Vol83.Issue3-4.March2000:

Scientia Horticulturae 83 (2000) 173±186

Nitrogen balance during growth of cauli¯ower
A.P. Everaarts*
Applied Research for Arable Farming and Field Production of Vegetables (PAV),
P.O. Box 430, 8200 AK Lelystad, Netherlands
Accepted 1 July 1999

Abstract
The potential for loss of nitrogen to the environment during growth of cauli¯ower was
investigated. A comparison was made between cauli¯ower growth and nitrogen uptake without, and
with, nitrogen application of the recommended amount (ˆ225 kg haÿ1 minus mineral nitrogen in
the soil layer 0±60 cm, applied at planting) on sandy clay soils under natural rainfall conditions. In
two experiments, with low mineral nitrogen availability at planting, the quality and yield were
reduced when no nitrogen was applied. The rate of nitrogen uptake by the crop rapidly increased
from about four weeks after planting. Concurrently the amount of mineral nitrogen in the soil
started to decrease. Most of the nitrogen was taken up from the 0±30 cm soil layer. The amount of
nitrogen in the crop at harvest with the recommended amount of nitrogen applied ranged from 170
to 250 kg haÿ1, while 7±100 kg haÿ1 mineral nitrogen remained in the soil (0±60 cm layer). Crop
residues contained about 95±140 kg haÿ1 nitrogen. No evidence was found for leaching of fertilizer
nitrogen during crop growth. With the recommended amount of nitrogen applied, during crop

growth the measured amount of nitrogen in the crop and soil (0±60 cm), generally, was lower than
the amount of available nitrogen (calculated as the amount of nitrogen in the crop and soil without
nitrogen application plus the amount of fertilizer nitrogen applied). No period could be indicated in
which there was a particularly great difference between the measured and calculated amount of
nitrogen in the crop ‡ soil system. It is concluded that the potential for loss of nitrogen to the
environment is greater after crop harvest, when nitrogen may be lost from crop residues and soil,
than during growth. Perspectives to reduce nitrogen fertilizer input by split application are
discussed. # 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Cauli¯ower, Brassica oleracea var. botrytis; Nitrogen uptake; Soil mineral nitrogen;
Nitrogen fertilizer recommendation; Quality; Yield

*
Fax: ‡31-320-230479.
E-mail address: a.p.everaarts@pav.agro.nl (A.P. Everaarts).

0304-4238/00/$ ± see front matter # 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
PII: S 0 3 0 4 - 4 2 3 8 ( 9 9 ) 0 0 0 8 7 - 4

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A.P. Everaarts / Scientia Horticulturae 83 (2000) 173±186

1. Introduction
The nitrogen fertilizer recommendation for cauli¯ower in the Netherlands
is 225 kg nitrogen at planting, minus the amount of mineral nitrogen present
in the soil layer 0±60 cm (Anonymous, 1995). This recommendation is based
on the results of a series of experiments in which the effect of the amount of
nitrogen and the method of application on the quality and yield of cauli¯ower
was evaluated (Everaarts and De Moel, 1995; Everaarts and Van Den Berg,
1996). In the same experiments, the effect of applied nitrogen on nitrogen in
the crop and in the soil at harvest and on removal of phosphorus and potassium
was studied (Everaarts et al., 1996; Everaarts and De Moel, 1997). No study
was made, however, of the uptake pattern of nitrogen by cauli¯ower during
crop growth and the potential for loss of nitrogen from the crop ‡ soil system
during that period. Such observations for cauli¯ower are rare. Kaufmann (1967)
and Welch et al. (1987) provided data on nutrient uptake of cauli¯ower during
growth in the ®eld and in the greenhouse or under plastic ®lm cover, respectively.
No data were found, however, quantifying both, the nitrogen uptake and
concurrent soil nitrogen depletion. The present paper reports the results of
®eld experiments in which the nitrogen uptake and soil nitrogen depletion by

cauli¯ower during crop growth were measured. With these data, an evaluation
of the potential for loss of nitrogen from the crop ‡ soil system during crop
growth was made.

2. Materials and methods
2.1. General
The experiments were carried out from 1995 to 1997 in farmers ®elds
(Lutjebroek) and at the research stations at Lelystad and Zwaagdijk (Table 1).
The cultivar Fremont was used. Soil properties of the experimental ®elds are

Table 1
Location and cultivation period of the experiments
Experiment

Location

Planting date

First harvest
(days after planting)


Last harvest

1
2
3
4
5

Zwaagdijk
Lelystad
Lutjebroek
Lelystad
Lutjebroek

19
06
13
13
15


72
73
76
67
77

98
94
99
81
81

June
June
June
June
May

1995

1995
1996
1996
1997

175

A.P. Everaarts / Scientia Horticulturae 83 (2000) 173±186

Table 2
Soil properties (0±30 cm)
Experiment

pH±KCl

Organic
matter
(%)

Clay

(