Fertilization strategies for lowering nitrate content in leafy vegetables: chicory and rocket salad cases

Abstract

Studies have been carried out to evaluate whether chicory (Cichorium intybus L.) and rocket salad [Eruca vesicaria (L.) Cav. subsp. sativa (Mill)] nitrate (NO₃) content can be reduced by decreasing nitrate‐nitrogen (NO₃‐N) in the nutrient solution or by partially replacing it with ammonium‐nitrogen (NH₄‐N) (chicory only) few days before harvest. Soilless culture method was used applying two levels of NO₃ for chicory (2 and 4 mM NO₃) and only one for rocket (2 mM NO₃). Five (rocket) and six (chicory) days before harvesting, half of the plants were grown always in the same solutions, while the others were grown in a solution with 0.25 mM N (rocket and chicory transferred from 2 mM N) or in a solution where 3/4 of NO₃‐N were replaced with NH₄‐N (chicory transferred from 4 mM N). Two cultivars of chicory were used. ‘Clio’ hybrid had larger leaf area, but lower dry mass and NO₃ concentration than ‘Frastagliata’ chicory. For rocket and chicory alike, the change of nutrient solution five or six days before harvesting did not affect relative growth rate and water‐use efficiency, even if plants transferred in the solution with 0.25 mM NO₃ absorbed all the available N, whereas plants kept in the initial solution with 2 mM NO₃ only took 62% (chicory) or 32% of N (rocket). Chicory plants transferred from 4 mM NO₃‐N to 1 mM NO₃N plus 3 mM NH₄‐N absorbed 60% of available N, thanks to the uptake of 15.7 mg NH₄‐N per plant day, while those grown always with 4 mM NO₃ absorbed 52% of the available N. Nitrate content, expressed on fresh matter (f.m.) basis, resulted to be remarkably high in both species when nutrient solution was kept unchanged, but it was more than halved when available NO₃ was cut by 3/4 in the nutrient solution five or six days before harvesting. In chicory, it decreased by 36% when NO₃‐N:NH₄‐N ratio passed from 4:0 to 1:3.