Influence of Organic and Conventional Growing Conditions on the Nutrient Contents of White Head Cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata) during Two Successive Seasons

Abstract

Organically and conventionally grown white head cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata) plants were cultivated during two successive seasons (spring and autumn) to evaluate the effects of the applications on the nutrient content of the edible part of cabbage plants. Seventeen different organic applications containing farmyard manure (FM), chicken manure (CM), and blood meal (BM) and 1 chemical fertilizer and 1 control, collectively 19 treatments, were examined under the open-field conditions. Recommendations of the best results obtained should be divided into groups in the following order regarding the mineral contents and also the seasons: 0.6 BM + 7.5 FM in the spring season, and 3.5 CM in the autumn season for N, P, and K content of cabbage. For Ca and Mg, the group division should be 1.7 CM + 0.6 BM in the spring season and 10.0 FM + 1.2 CM in the autumn season. The optimum recommendations for the micronutrients could be 5.0 FM + 1.0 BM in the spring season and 0.9 BM + 0.85 CM in the autumn season for Fe and Cu and 15.0 FM in the spring season, and 10.0 FM + 0.4 BM in the autumn season for Mn and Zn. FM and CM could be used in high rates in producing organic cabbage and could be substituted for chemical fertilizer especially in the spring season.