Author/Editor		Hacin, J
Title		Nitrogen fertilizer efficiency - from trials to strategy. Confessions of ignorance?
Translated title		Učinkovitost dušika iz gnojil - od poskusov do strategije. Izpovedi malomarnosti?
Type		članek
Source		In: Rečnik M, Verbič J, editors. Zbornik posveta kmetijstvo in okolje; 1998 mar 12-13; Bled. Ljubljana: Kmetijski inštitut Slovenije,
Publication year		1998
Volume		str. 277-82
Language		eng
Abstract		Notorious low efficiency of high rates of nitrogen fertilizer in monocropping systems makes this essential plant nutrient an important water and air pollutant. Besides, some edible plants (spinach, cabbage) may accumulate substantial amounts of mineral nitrogen in the form of nitrate, which may represent health hazard when such plants are consumed in large quantities. Accumulation of nitrate in plant tissue is species and organ specific and may or may not be proportional to the concentration of nitrate in soil. Total mineral nitrogen content in the crop, however, accounts at best for less than 14% of added fertilizer nitrogen, suggesting that nitrogen, that is not used in plant biosynthesis nitrogen recovery. Organic farming based on enhanced mineralization of soilorganic nitrogen by the addition of legume residues or manure may offer economically and ecologically viable alternative to excessive use of N fertilizer in field crops, provided that adequate management practices, which prevent post-harvest losses of N mineralized fromlegume residues, are established.
Descriptors		FERTILIZERS NITROGEN CROPS, AGRICULTURAL SOIL