THE EFFECT OF NITROGEN ON PHOSPHORUS AND POTASSIUM REMOVAL BY CAULIFLOWER

The effect of the amount of nitrogen applied and of the method of appl ication on the amounts of phosphorus and potassium removed from the fi eld with the product in cauliflower cultivation was studied in three f ield experiments. Band placement or split application of nitrogen did not influence phosphorus or potassium uptake. At optimum nitrogen appl ication, an average of 17 kg of phosphorus (P) and 129 kg of potassium (K) per hectare was removed from the field with the product at harves t. Calculation of nutrient removal by cauliflower based on nutrient co ntent and fresh yield weight is not possible, because fresh yield weig ht of cauliflower is not normally determined. Variation in amounts of phosphorus and potassium removed from the field appears limited. There fore fixed amounts of 20 kg of phosphorus and 130 kg of potassium per hectare are proposed for the amounts of phosphorus and potassium remov ed from the field with the product in cauliflower cultivation.