Research Articles
Vegetable Crops Prefer Different Ratios of Ammonium-N and Nitrate-N in the Growth Media
Authors:
K. K. K. Nawarathna,
University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, LK
About K. K. K.
Postgraduate Institute of Agriculture
Horticultural Crops Research and Development Institute, Gannoruwa, Peradeniya
W. S. Dandeniya ,
University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, LK
About W. S.
Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture
R. S. Dharmakeerthi,
University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, LK
About R. S.
Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture
P. Weerasinghe
Ministry of Agriculture, 288 DPJ Tower, Sir Jayawardanapura Mawatha, Rajagiriya, LK
About P.
Climate Resilience and Irrigated Agriculture Project
Abstract
Understanding the preference of a crop for forms of nitrogen (N) is important to ensure efficient use of N-sources in agriculture. A study was conducted to assess nutrient uptake and dry matter yield of six vegetable crops under different ratios of ammonium- N (NH4+-N) and nitrate-N (NO3–-N) in growth medium. Seedlings of cabbage, carrot, capsicum, knolkhol, lettuce, and tomato, were supplied with five N-treatments (NH4+-N: NO3–-N in the ratios of 0:100, 25:75, 50:50, 75:25 and 100:0) under controlled environment in sand culture. Six weeks after initiating treatments plants were harvested and dry matter recorded. Plants were analysed for total N, P and K contents. Dry-matter yield, N and K concentrations in shoot-tissues in response to Ntreatments were significantly different (p <0.05) among crops. Tomato and knolkhol showed high dry matter yield and N content when supplied with NO3–-N than NH4+-N. The highest dry matter yield for cabbage was obtained with equal supply of NO3–-N and NH4+-N than supplying either form alone. Dry matter yield and N concentration in shoots of lettuce, capsicum and carrot were not significantly affected (p>0.05) by N-treatment. Supplying NH4+-N alone significantly reduced K concentration in shoot tissues in knolkhol, capsicum and tomato. This study revealed that performance of vegetable crops is affected by the NH4+-N: NO3–-N in the growth medium. This knowledge can be utilized to optimize fertilizer-N usage in vegetable cultivation.
How to Cite:
Nawarathna, K.K.K., Dandeniya, W.S., Dharmakeerthi, R.S. and Weerasinghe, P., 2021. Vegetable Crops Prefer Different Ratios of Ammonium-N and Nitrate-N in the Growth Media. Tropical Agricultural Research, 32(1), pp.95–104. DOI: http://doi.org/10.4038/tar.v32i1.8445
Published on
01 Jan 2021.
Peer Reviewed
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