Comparison of Organic and Inorganic Fertilization in Fenugreek Cultivation Using Nitrogen Indicators

Abstract

Nitrogen indices could be used to evaluate organic and inorganic fertilization because they provide quantitative measures of nitrogen availability in the soil, allowing for a more accurate assessment of nutrient-management practices and optimization of crop yields. This study investigates the impact of different fertilization types and salinity on various soil parameters in fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) cultivation and nitrogen indices. A field experiment was established at the Agricultural University of Athens during the cropping period of 2018–2019 (CP I), 2019–2020 (CP II), and 2020–2021 (CP III) in a split-plot design with two main salinity treatments (high salinity, HS, and conventional salinity, CS) and five fertilization treatments (biocyclic–vegan humus soil (BHS), manure (FYM), compost (COMP), inorganic fertilization (11–15–15), and the control (C). The Nitrogen Balance Intensity (NBI) was statistically significantly affected by the factors of fertilization (p ≤ 0.01) and salinity (p ≤ 0.001) for CP I. The maximum NUEcrop value was recorded in the FYM treatment (0.83 ± 0.04) and the minimum in the COMP treatment (0.64 ± 0.04). Physiological efficiency (PE) was not significantly affected by any treatment for CP III. The fertilization factor significantly affected the NUEsoil index (p ≤ 0.001) for all three CPs. For CP I, the highest Nitrogen Uptake Efficiency (NUpE) value was recorded in the BHS treatment (27.08 ± 7.31) and the lowest in the C treatment (13.22 ± 7.31). There were no significant differences in CP I and CP II NUEbalance values among the NPK, BHS, and FYM treatments. These findings underscore the potential of organic fertilizers in addressing the global nitrogen challenge and promoting environmentally sustainable farming practices.