Effect of nitrogen fertilizer and fulvic acid application on the growth, productivity and nutritional quality of cabbage

Abstract EN

Two field experiments were conducted at the Agricultural Experimental Station, Alexandria University, at Abis during the two growing seasons of 2017-2018 and 2018-2019.

The objective of these experiments was clarifying the response of cabbage plants to nitrogen fertilizer and soil application of fulvic acid as well as exploring its effect on the growth, yield and chemical components.

Four levels of nitrogen fertilizer were tested (control treatment 0, 40, 60 and 80 kg N /fed and three concentrations of fulvic acid (0, 100 and 200 ppm as a soil drench), were studied in a split plots system in a randomized complete blocks design, with three replications, in both seasons.

Results indicated that raising N applied level from 0 up to 80 kg N /fed was associated with progressive increments of the unfolded leaves plant^-1 characters, marketable head characters, inner head stem characters, dry matter content (% ), total yield of cabbage fed.

^-1 and marketable yield.

Soil application of fulvic acid did not significantly reflect any effect on the tested parameters of vegetative growth characters and cabbage yield and quality characters.

The obtained and discussed results of the present study showed that fertilizing cabbage plants with N at a rate of 80 kg N/fed with 100 ppm fulvic acid might be considered as an adequate and effecient treatment combination for the production of high yield of the marketable head with good quality suitable for local consumption, in the two growing seasons.