Long-term effect of balanced mineral fertilizer application on potato, winter rye, and oat yields; nutrient use efficiency; and soil fertility

• Published in: Archiv für Acker- und Pflanzenbau und Bodenkunde Vol. 56; no. 4; pp. 421 - 432
• Main Author: Jate, Melkamu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Taylor & Francis 01.08.2010; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: agronomy; balanced mineral fertilizer application; crop yield; Fertility; Fertilizer application; Minerals; nutrient use efficiency; Soil; soil fertility; Solanum tuberosum; winter
• ISSN: 0365-0340; 1476-3567
• DOI: 10.1080/03650340903512579

The Hanninghof long-term trial was established in 1958. Potato, rye, and oat were grown in a rotation for 50 years from 1958-2008 to evaluate the impact of balanced mineral fertilizer application on crop production. The trial is located on sandy soil at Hanninghof Research Centre, near Duelmen, in Western Germany. In the trial, different combinations of mineral N, P, K, and Mg fertilizers and a control plot receiving no mineral fertilizer were compared. A treatment receiving all the nutrients (N + P + K + Mg) represents balanced plant nutrition. Omission of Mg, P + Mg, K + Mg, P + K + Mg, and N + Mg fertilizers reduced crop yields in a range of 5-12%, 8-9%, 18-35%, 28-41%, and 57-67%, respectively. Unbalanced mineral fertilizer application also reduced fertilizer use efficiency by 9-36% for N, 13-86% for P, and 11-85% for K. It increased nutrient surpluses by 16-81% for N; 6-40% for P; and 23-181% for K in comparison to N + P + K + Mg treatment. However, balanced mineral fertilizer application (N + P + K + Mg treatment) combined maximum crop yield with highest nutrient use efficiency. Thereby, it balances economic, social, and environmental conditions for sustainability of crop production.