A COMPARISON OF THREE NITROGEN RESPONSE MODELS FOR CAULIFLOWER

A quadratic, a linear exponential and a linear plateau response model were compared in an analysis of the reaction of cauliflower yield to field applied nitrogen.
For the pooled experiments the degree of fit with all three models considerably improved when the amount of mineral nitrogen in the soil layer 0–30 cm or 0–60 cm at planting was taken into account.
This indicates that the crop can utilize the mineral nitrogen in the soil layer 0–60 cm at planting.

With the linear exponential model, too high optima were estimated for the pooled experiments and no optima could be estimated in five out of the seven individual experiments.
Application of the quadratic response model resulted in unrealistically high optimum fertilizer rates for both the pooled experiments and individual experiments.

Optimum fertilizer rates in the individual experiments were best estimated using the linear plateau model.
Excluding one experiment, a significant linear relationship was found between optimum fertilizer application and the amount of mineral nitrogen in the soil layer 0–60 cm at planting.

Ecological aspects of Vegetable Fertigation in Integrated crop Production in the Field

A.P. Everaarts, W. van den Berg

cauliflower, Brassica oleracea var. botrytis, soil mineral nitrogen, nitrogen application rate, response models, yield

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1996.428.18