Effect of mulching on nutrient uptake and efficiency of fertilizers in mid-early cabbage production

Abstract

A three-year field trial was conducted to determine the effects of mulching with black polyethylene film and fertilizing with organic and mineral fertilizers in mid-early cabbage production. The two-factor trial was set up as a split-plot design. The main plots included unmulched and mulched treatments. The sub-plots consisted of unfertilized control and five fertilized treatments. In the first and third trial years, total cabbage yield, total head yield, and average head weight were significantly higher on black polyethylene film plots than on unmulched plots. However, in the second year, the mean air temperature during cabbage growing exceeded the long-term average, and values of the examined parameters did not differ significantly between the mulched and unmulched treatments. In all three years, amounts of removed nutrients were significantly higher in treatment with composted pig manure + mineral fertilizer. Mulching significantly increased fertilizer use efficiency in the first and third years, while the second year saw better results on unmulched plots.