Influence of Nitrogen Rate, Fertilizer Type, and Application Method on Cabbage Yield and Nutrient Concentrations

Abstract

Georgia is a leading fresh market cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata) producer. Current recommendations for bare-ground cabbage grown in the Coastal Plain of Georgia indicate 175 to 225 lb/acre nitrogen (N). Approximately one-third of N fertilizer is recommended at planting, with two or three additional side-dress applications during the season. Growers have begun banding liquid fertilizer between four and six times during the season to reduce N leaching and enhance productivity. To determine the validity of current recommendations as well as the efficacy of applying periodic liquid fertilizer throughout the growing season, field experiments were conducted in Tifton, GA in Fall 2016 and 2017 with the cabbage cultivar Cheers. Fertilizer N rates were 175, 200, 225, and 250 lb/acre N applied using equivalent preplant fertilizer (50 lb/acre N) with two posttransplant applications of a granular fertilizer (27–0P–0K–5Ca) or six applications of a liquid fertilizer (9N–0P–0K–11Ca). A factorial, randomized, complete block design was used. There were no interactions among fertilizer program, N rate, or year for cabbage yield or nutrient concentrations. Total yield was unaffected by the N rate. However, plants fertilized with the lowest N rate (175 lb/acre N) had the lowest yields from the first two harvests compared with the other N rates. Nutrient concentrations were affected by year, with 2017 having greater concentrations of most macronutrients compared with 2016. In conclusion, the application of 175 lb/acre N led to a potential delay in harvest, but all other N rates were equal. The application method did not impact yield or earliness, suggesting that current recommendations for fertilizer applications after planting cabbage in Georgia are adequate.

Fertilizer Nitrogen Application for Short-Day Onion Production: From Field to Table

“…Soil mineral N responses to fertilizer N rate application in the present study were similar to those previously reported in cabbage [21,22], potato [23], bell pepper [24], and even onion [8,25] grown in coarse textured soils during the spring season of southeastern U.S. Results from the present study indicate that the fertilizer N rate of 117 kg of N ha −1 was adequate to sustain soil N availability.…”

Effect of Varied Nitrogen Sources and Type of Cultivation on the Yield and Physicochemical Parameters of Flowering Chinese Cabbage (Brassica campestris L. ssp. chinensis var. utilis Tsen et Lee)

“…It was previously reported that the increase in the intensity of N nutrition significantly affected the yield of broccoli [26]. Although others have indicated that the N rate does not significantly improve the cabbage yield, it was observed that cabbage fertilised with the lowest N rate (196 kg•ha −1 ) had the lowest yield value [27]. The correlation analysis of our results indicated that the yield of flowering Chinese cabbage was significantly correlated with the N content in the plants from pots (r = 0.87, p < 0.05).…”

Effect of Mineral Fertilization and Microbial Inoculation on Cabbage Yield and Nutrition: A Field Experiment

“…Mineral fertilization and biofertilization are crucial factors shaping the productivity of cabbage. The application of appropriate dosages of fertilizers, considering the specific nutritional requirement of cabbage plants, directly impacts their growth, development, and final quality [28]. Similarly, plant growth-promoting bacteria can influence plant growth and development, thereby impacting overall crop performance.…”