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The Riego-Asesor project is funded by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiviness (MINECO) with FEDER co-financing through the project Retos Colaboracion RTC-2015-3453-2: "Asesor virtual para la ayuda a la toma de decisiones sobre estrategias de riego sostenibles".

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Irrigation and nitrogen source management for improving NUE in intensive Mediterranean horticulture

Publicated to:Acta Horticulturae. 1253 335-342 - 2019-01-01 1253(), DOI: 10.17660/ActaHortic.2019.1253.44

Authors: Rubio-Asensio, J S; Ramirez-Cuesta, J M; Miras-Avalos, J M; Maestre-Valero, J F; Buesa, I; Intrigliolo, D S

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Abstract

This study evaluates two strategies aimed to increase NUE in intensive Mediterranean horticulture: i) the precise adjustment of crop irrigation requirements to cover the losses by transpiration and evaporation from the soil, and ii) replacement of N source, from the highly leachable nitrate to ammonium, which is also directly used by the plant, and retained in the clay-humus complex. Two field experiments, with endive and muskmelon, were carried out in order to compare three treatments; i) irrigation and N management according to the farmer's criterion (F), ii) precision irrigation management with N according to the farmer's criterion (RA), and iii) precision irrigation management switching nitrate (N-NO3-), which is the fertiliser the farmer uses preferably, for ammonium (N-NH4+) [RA (Am)]. Plant water and nitrogen consumption, biomass production and yield, mineral tissue concentration, and nitrate and ammonium concentrations at 25-30 cm depth of soil were measured. The results indicate that precision irrigation alone or in combination with nitrogen source management can be used as a strategy to increase NUE, as long as the crop tolerance to ammonium is taken into account.

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