title: Quality of white cabbage yield and potential risk of ground water nitrogen pollution, as affected by nitrogen fertilisation and irrigation practices.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The effect of different fertilisation (broadcast solid NPK application and fertigation with water-soluble fertiliser) and irrigation practices (sprinkler and drip irrigation) on yield, the nitrate content in cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata L.) and the cabbage N uptake was detected, in order to assess the potential risk for N losses, by cultivation on sandy-loam soil. The N rate applied on the plots was 200 kg N ha(-1).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The highest yield (93 t ha(-1)) and nitrate content (1256 mg kg(-1) DW) were found with treatments using broadcast fertilisation and sprinkler irrigation. On those plots the negative N balance (-30 kg N ha(-1)) was recorded, which comes mainly from the highest crop N uptake (234 kg N ha(-1)) indicating the lowest potential for N losses.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In terms of yield quality and the potential risk for N losses, broadcast fertilisation combined with sprinkler irrigation proved to be the most effective combination among the tested practices under the given experimental conditions. The importance of adequate irrigation is also evident, namely in plots on which 50% drip irrigation was applied, the lowest yield was detected and according to the positive N balance, a higher potential for N losses is expected.
authors.affiliation: Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, SI-Ljubljana, Slovenia. nina.kacjan.marsic@bf.uni-lj.si
authors.forename: Nina Kacjan
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Maršić
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sturm
authors.forename: Vesna
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Zupanc
authors.forename: Sonja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lojen
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pintar
mesh_terms: D057914:Agricultural Irrigation / Q000379:methods*; D000383:Agriculture / Q000379:methods; D001692:Biological Transport; D018533:Biomass; D001937:Brassica / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D005308:Fertilizers; D060587:Groundwater / Q000737:chemistry*; D009566:Nitrates / Q000378:metabolism*; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D012987:Soil; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000378:metabolism*; D014876:Water Pollution / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D005308:Fertilizers; D009566:Nitrates; D012987:Soil; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D009584:Nitrogen