https://doi.org/10.4081/ija.2021.1788
Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium mass balances in an irrigated quinoa field
Submitted: 16 December 2020
Accepted: 20 February 2021
Published: 14 April 2021
Accepted: 20 February 2021
Abstract Views: 1597
PDF: 509
HTML: 54
HTML: 54
Publisher's note
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) needs to increase food productivity to alleviate food insecurity exacerbated by climate variability and increasing food demand. Balancing macronutrient inputs is essential for sustaining yields, increasing farmer’s income and minimizing environmental costs deriving from fertilizer misuse. The present study calculates the nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) mass balances and estimates macronutrient inputs and outputs of a quinoa field cultivated under full and deficit irrigation conditions (100 and 50% crop evapotranspiration - ETc), in either the presence or absence of N fertilizer (100 and 0 kg ha–1 of N). The emerging findings show that to produce one ton of quinoa biomass (including seeds, stems and leaves) 12.7, 1.6 and 35.5 kg ha–1 of N, P and K, respectively, need to be added into the soil. While N and K are required at medium to fairly high amounts, P is needed in lower amounts. Hence, fertilizers in the form of potassium nitrate (KNO3) are more suitable than those with higher phosphorus concentrations, for example phosphate (PO43–). Overall, evidences from field experimentations are necessary for integrating farming input recommendations on crop agronomic guidelines, driven by national agricultural research institutions, and for promoting sustainable agriculture in SSA.
Highlights
- 12.7, 1.6 and 35.5 kg ha–1 of N, P and K, respectively, are required to produce 1 ton of quinoa biomass.
- Seed yields of 1380 kg ha–1 can be attainded under full irrigation and 100 kg ha–1 of N.
- MAPE values of –7.5, +4.3 and +3.3 between N, P, K mass balance calculations and observed values in the field.
Adediran JA, BanjokoVA, 1995. Response of maize to nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium fertilizers in the savanna zones of Nigeria. Commun. Soil Sci. Plant Anal. 26:593-606.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00103629509369320
Allen RG, Pereira LS, Raes D, Smith M, 1998. In Crop Evapotranspiration-Guidelines for computing crop water requirements. FAO Irrigation and drainage paper 56, 300(9), D05109. FAO, Rome, Italy.
Alvar-Beltrán J, Dao A, Saturnin C, Dalla Marta A, Sanou J, Orlandini S, 2019. Effect of drought, nitrogen fertilization, temperature, and photoperiodicity on quinoa plant growth and development in the Sahel. Agron. J. 9:607.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy9100607
Alvar-Beltrán J, Fabbri C, Verdi L, Truschi S, Dalla Marta A, Orlandini S, 2020. Testing proximal optical sensors on Quinoa growth and development. Remote Sensing 12:1958.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/rs12121958
Blanco J-A, 2016. Chapter 3.2. Fodder and animal feed. In: D. Bazile, H.D. Bertero, C. Nieto (Eds.), State of the art report on quinoa around the world in 2013. FAO, CIRAD, Santiago de Chile, pp. 250-266.
Cheng H, Deng W, Wang Y, Ren J, Liu Z, Xue Y, 2014. dbPPT: a comprehensive database of protein phosphorylation in plants. Database, 2014. Available from: https://academic.oup.com/database/article/doi/10.1093/database/bau121/2635578?login=true
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/database/bau121
Dao A, Alvar-Beltrán J, Gnanda A, Guira A, Nebie L, Sanou J, 2020. Effect of different planting techniques and sowing density rates on the development of quinoa. Afr. J. Agric. Res. 16:1325-33.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5897/AJAR2020.14904
Delon C, Galy-Lacaux C, Boone A, Liousse C, Serça D, Adon M, Timouk F, 2010. Atmospheric nitrogen budget in Sahelian dry savannas. Atmos. Chem. Physics 10:2691-708.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-10-2691-2010
De Santis G, Maddaluno C, D’Ambrosio T, Rascio A, Rinaldi M, Troisi J, 2016. Characterisation of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) accessions for the saponin content in Mediterranean environment. Ital. J. Agron. 11:277-81.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4081/ija.2016.774
De Santis G, Ronga D, Caradonia F, D’Ambrosio T, Troisi J, Rascio A, Fragasso MG, Pecchioni N, Rinaldi M, 2018. Evaluation of two groups of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) accessions with different seed colours for adaptation to the Mediterranean environment. Crop Pasture Sci. 69:1264-75.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1071/CP18143
Eickhout B, Bouwman AV, Van Zeijts H, 2006. The role of nitrogen in world food production and environmental sustainability. Agric. Ecosyst. Environ. 116:4-14.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2006.03.009
Erisman JW, Sutton MA, Galloway J, Klimont Z, Winiwarter W, 2008. How a century of ammonia synthesis changed the world. Nature Geosci. 1:636.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo325
FAO (Food and Agricultural Organization), 2011. Grow: a policymakers’ guide to the sustainable intensification of smallholder crop production. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, Italy.
Fuentes F, Paredes-González, 2015. In state of the art report of quinoa in the world in 2013. Chapter 3.5: Nutraceutical perspectives of quinoa: biological properties and functional applications. FAO and CIRAD, Rome, Italy, pp. 286-299.
Gebrelibanos G, Dereje A, 2015. Nitrogen fertilization effect on grain sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) yield, yield components and witchweed (Striga hermonthica (Del.) Benth) infestation in Northern Ethiopia. Int. J. Agric. Res. 10:14-23.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3923/ijar.2015.14.23
Gómez-RamÃrez A, López-Santos C, Cantos M, GarcÃa JL, Molina R, Cotrino J, González-Elipe AR, 2017. Surface chemistry and germination improvement of Quinoa seeds subjected to plasma activation. Sci. Rep. 7:1-12.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-06164-5
González JA, Eisa S, Hussin SAES, Prado FE, 2015. Quinoa: an Incan crop to face global changes in agriculture. Quinoa Improv. Sustain. Prod. 1-18.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118628041.ch1
Hargreaves GH, Samani ZA, 1985. Reference crop evapotranspiration from temperature. Appl. Engine. Agric. 1:96-9.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.13031/2013.26773
IPNI (International Plant Nutrition Institute), 2019. Nitrogen notes: managing urea, number 2. [Online-Report] [accessed on 13 December 2019]. Available from: http://www.ipni.net/NitrogenNotes
Jacobsen SE, Jørgensen I, Stølen O, 1994. Cultivation of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) under temperate climatic conditions in Denmark. J. Agric. Sci. 122:47-52.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0021859600065783
Kakabouki IP, Hela D, Roussis I, Papastylianou P, Sestras AF, Bilalis DJ, 2018. Influence of fertilization and soil tillage on nitrogen uptake and utilization efficiency of quinoa crop (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.). J. Soil Sci. Plant Nutr. 18:220-35.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4067/S0718-95162018005000901
Kaul HP, Kruse M, Aufhammer W, 2005. Yield and nitrogen utilization efficiency of the pseudocereals amaranth, quinoa, and buckwheat under differing nitrogen fertilization. Eur. J. Agron. 22:95-100.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eja.2003.11.002
Luo F, Deng X, Liu Y, Yan Y, 2018. Identification of phosphorylation proteins in response to water deficit during wheat flag leaf and grain development. Botan. Studies 59:28.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40529-018-0245-7
Moreale A, 1993. In The quinoa project: Wageningen University. Available from: http://edepot.wur.nl/354101 Accessed: 03/12/2019.
Mujica A, 2015. In state of the art report of quinoa in the world in 2013. Chapter 5.2: Peru. FAO and CIRAD, Rome, Italy, pp. 378-387.
Parvej M, Slaton NA, Purcell LC, Roberts TL, 2015. Potassium fertility effects yield components and seed potassium concentration of determinate and indeterminate soybean. Agron. J. 107:943-50.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2134/agronj14.0464
Pulvento C, Riccardi M, Lavini A, d’Andria R, Iafelice G, Marconi E, 2010. Field trial evaluation of two chenopodium quinoa genotypes grown under rainâ€fed conditions in a typical Mediterranean environment in South Italy. J. Agron. Crop Sci. 196:407-11.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-037X.2010.00431.x
Robertson GP, Vitousek PM, 2009. Nitrogen in agriculture: balancing the cost of an essential resource. Annu. Rev. Environ. Resour. 34:97-125.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.environ.032108.105046
Sheaffer CC, Moncada KM, 2012. Introduction to agronomy: food, crops, and environment. Cengage Learning, Boston, MA, USA.
Spehar CR, da Silva Rocha JE, 2010. Exploiting genotypic variability from low-altitude Brazilian Savannah-adapted Chenopodium quinoa. Euphytica 175:13-21.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10681-010-0154-7
Spehar C, Silva-Rocha J, Ribeiro W, de Barros Santos R, Ascheri J, Jesus Souza F, 2015. Chapter 6.4.2. Advances and challenges for quinoa production and utilization in Brazil. In: D. Bazile, H.D. Bertero, C. Nieto (Eds.), State of the art report on quinoa around the world in 2013. FAO, CIRAD, Santiago de Chile, pp. 562-583.
Troisi J, Di Fiore R, Pulvento C, D’Andria R, Vega-Gálvez A, Miranda M, MartÃnez E, Lavini A. 2015. Chapter 3.3: Saponins. In: D. Bazile, H.D. Bertero, C. Nieto (Eds.), State of the art report on quinoa around the world in 2013. FAO, CIRAD, Santiago de Chile, pp. 267-277.
USDA (United States Department of Agriculture), 2013. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 26. Nutrient Data Laboratory Home. [Online-Report]. Available from: https://www.ars.usda.gov/ Accessed:11 November 2019.
USEPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency), 2004. National emission inventory - Ammonia emissions from animal husbandry operations. USEPA, Washington, DC, USA.
Vanlauwe B, Wendt J, Giller KE, Corbeels M, Gerard B, Nolte C, 2014. A fourth principle is required to define conservation agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa: the appropriate use of fertilizer to enhance crop productivity. Field Crop. Res. 155:10-3.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2013.10.002
Zingore S, Njoroge S, Chikowo R, Kihara J, Nziguheba G, Nyamangara J, 2014. Plant nutrient management in African agriculture: an extension handbook for fertilizer management in smallholder farming systems. [Online-Report]. Available from: http://ssa.ipni.net/ipniweb/region/africa.nsf Accessed: 25 November 2019.
Zurita-Silva A, 2015. Chapter 2.4: Quinoa drought responses and adaptation. In: D. Bazile, H.D. Bertero, C. Nieto (Eds.), State of the art report on quinoa around the world in 2013. FAO, CIRAD, Santiago de Chile, pp. 157-171.
How to Cite
Alvar-Beltrán, J., Napoli, M., Dao, A. ., Ouattara, A., Verdi, L. ., Orlandini, S., & Dalla Marta, A. (2021). Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium mass balances in an irrigated quinoa field. Italian Journal of Agronomy, 16(3). https://doi.org/10.4081/ija.2021.1788
Copyright (c) 2021 The Author(s)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
PAGEPress has chosen to apply the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0) to all manuscripts to be published.
