Placement of nitrogen in spinach (Spinacea oleracea L.): a method to increase seed yield?
Titel:
Placement of nitrogen in spinach (Spinacea oleracea L.): a method to increase seed yield?
Auteur:
Deleuran, Lise C. Gislum, Rene Boelt, Birte
Verschenen in:
Acta agriculturae Scandinavica. Section B, Soil and plant science
Paginering:
Jaargang 55 (2005) nr. 1 pagina's 68-75
Jaar:
2005-03
Inhoud:
Seed production of spinach (Spinacea oleracea L.) is positively affected by increasing the amounts of nitrogen (N); however, regulations restrict the application rate of N in Danish agriculture. The aim of our study was to test different N application strategies in spinach seed production and their effects on N concentration, seed yield, seed weight and germination. A total amount of 100-150 kg N ha-1 was broadcast or placed at sowing or applied as a split application at sowing and pre-elongation at the Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences, location Flakkebjerg. Seed yields were positively affected by the high N applications, but no difference was observed between 150 kg N ha-1 broadcast at sowing, and 40 kg N ha-1 broadcast at sowing with an additional late application at a rate based on soil mineral N analysis. No consistent pattern was observed between N management strategy and seed weight or N management strategy and germination. A high N concentration in the plants at the start of growth showed negative effects on final seed yield, whereas later in the season there was a significantly positive correlation between N concentration in the plants and seed yield. A soil mineral analysis can be used as a tool to adjust the N application rate when a split application strategy is chosen.