title: Sustainable nitrogen fertilisation in sweet pepper: assessing growth and fruit quality and the potential nitrate pollution from different organic manures.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The use of organic cultivation with manures does not avoid the risk of high nitrate concentrations if nutrient management is inefficient. So we studied the influence of three organic manures combined or not with additional chemical fertilisers on growth and yield of sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.), and on the soil and plant N concentrations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After 3 years of organic cultivation, poultry manure caused the highest soil pollution. The evolution of nitrate and organic matter in soil showed a pattern close to that of plant growth. The addition of mineral fertiliser increased vegetative growth and yield, and a cumulative season effect was observed. In treatments with no additional mineral fertiliser N translocation from leaves to fruits happened. A cumulative effect of seasons on fruit quality and a reduction near to 30% was observed in the first fruit quality category after 3 years. The fruit vitamin C content was reduced by increasing N fertilisation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The effects of organic fertiliser on soil and plant growth and yield depended on the type of manure used, its rate, and consecutive crop seasons. Horse manure gave the best combination of agricultural and environmental characteristics and could be used without additional fertigation.
authors.affiliation: Dpto. de Ingeniería de Alimentos y del Equipamiento Agrícola, ETSIA-Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena, Paseo Alfonso XIII, 48, 30203 Cartagena, Spain.
authors.forename: María D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Gómez-López
authors.forename: Francisco M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: del Amor
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D002212:Capsicum / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D004787:Environmental Pollution / Q000517:prevention & control; D005308:Fertilizers / Q000009:adverse effects*; D063427:Food Quality; D005638:Fruit / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D006736:Horses; D006812:Humic Substances / Q000032:analysis; D008372:Manure / Q000032:analysis*; D009566:Nitrates / Q000032:analysis*; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D058871:Organic Agriculture / Q000379:methods; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D011200:Poultry; D034561:Sheep, Domestic; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D013030:Spain; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D005308:Fertilizers; D006812:Humic Substances; D008372:Manure; D009566:Nitrates; D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D009584:Nitrogen; D001205:Ascorbic Acid