The Effect of Soil-Climate Conditions, Farmyard Manure and Mineral Fertilizers on Potato Yield and Soil Chemical Parameters

Improving Fertilizer Use Efficiency-Methods and Strategies for the Future

This editorial introduces our Special Issue entitled "Improving Fertilizer Use Efficiency-Methods and Strategies for the Future". The fertilizer use efficiency (FUE) is a measure of the potential of an applied fertilizer to increase the productivity and utilization of the nutrients present in the soil/plant system. FUE indices are mainly used to assess the effectiveness of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) fertilization. This is due to the low efficiency of use of NPK fertilizers, their environmental side effects and also, in relation to P, limited natural resources. The FUE is the result of a series of interactions between the plant genotype and the environment, including both abiotic and biotic factors. A full recognition of these factors is the basis for proper fertilization in farming practice, aimed at maximizing the FUE. This Special Issue focuses on some key topics in crop fertilization. Due to specific goals, they can be grouped as follows: removing factors that limit the nutrient uptake of plants; improving and/or maintaining an adequate soil fertility; the precise determination of fertilizer doses and application dates; foliar application; the use of innovative fertilizers; and the adoption of efficient genotypes. The most important nutrient in crop production is N. Hence, most scientific research focuses on improving the nitrogen use efficiency (NUE). Obtaining high NUE values is possible, but only if the plants are well supplied with nitrogen-supporting nutrients. In this Special Issue, particular attention is paid to improving the plant supply with P and K.

Impact of Crop Sequence and Fertilization on Potato Yield in a Long-Term Study

The research was conducted during the years 2007-2013, on the base of a long-term study established in 1958, at the Experimental Station Brody (52°26' N; 16°18' E), belonging to the Poznań University of Life Sciences. Varieties of potatoes resistant to cyst nematodes were grown in a seven-course crop rotation (potato-spring barley-alfalfa-alfalfa-spring oilseed rape-winter wheat-winter rye) and in continuous monoculture. The presented study from the years 2007-2013 covers the next 8th rotation of the 7-field crop rotation (since 1958). With regard to continuous cultivation, this is the period between the 50th and 56th year of the potato monoculture. The experiment included 11 fertilization variants, of which the following 7 were included in the study: 1-control object without fertilization, 2-manure, 3-manure + NPK, 4-NPKCa, 5-NPK, 6-NP, 7-NK and 8-PK. Every year, mineral and organic fertilization was applied in the following doses per 1 ha: N-90 kg, P-26 kg, K-100 kg, manure-30 t and Ca-0.7 t. Potato cultivation in monoculture resulted in a significant reduction in tuber yield compared to crop rotation and a reduction in the number of tubers per plant and the average weight of one tuber. Manure fertilization, especially in combination with NPK mineral fertilizer, had a more favorable effect on the level of potato yielding and the content of N, P, K and Mg in tubers compared to only mineral fertilization, but decreased the content of dry matter, starch and Ca. The results of long-term experiment indicate that the most effective in potato cultivation is the combined application of both manure and full mineral fertilization (NPK) with the proper sequence of plants (crop rotation).