RESPONSE OF RED CABBAGE PLANTS TO DIFFERENT RATES OF NITROGEN WITH FOLIAR APPLICATION OF METHIONINE UNDER SOIL ADDITION OF ZEOLITE AMENDMENT

The excessive use of nitrogen fertilizers, as well as their high prices, make us think about reducing their application rates. So, a field trial was performed to determine the effect of zeolite amendment treatments as main plots [without zeolite (control) and zeolite addition at rate of 10.0 ton fed-1) and nitrogen fertilization at different rates [100, 75.0 and 50.0 % of Nitrogen Recommended Dose (NRD) as ammonium nitrate (33.5%N) ] as subplots and external application of methionine as sub-subplots [once in the presence of amino acid (at rate of 2.0 mg L-1) and other in the absence of amino acid] on the performance of red cabbage plant and soil fertility after harvest.

The main results of the current study can be summarized as follows:

The combined treatment of zeolite amendment and 75% of NRD (either in the presence or in absence of methionine) recorded red cabbage performance better than that under treatment of 100% of NRD without both zeolite and methionine.
Also, zeolite amendment possessed a positive effect on some studied soil properties i.e. CEC, porosity and available N at harvest stage.
Generally, it can be concluded that both zeolite and methionine have a vital role in improving red cabbage productivity. Moreover, it can be said that zeolite amendment possess an important role in reducing the application rates of mineral nitrogen fertilizers.