【Focus】Exploration and Application of Fertilization Techniques for Radishes - The Application of Yishizhuang Series Fertilizers in Radish Cultivation

Exploration and Application of Fertilization Techniques for Radishes
       Liu Chunhua 1, Qin Zhoumin 1, Dong Hancheng 1 (443500)
       Cultivated Land Quality and Fertilizer Management Station of Changyang County
       Liu Zufeng 2, Deng Tianming 2, Liao Tingting 2 (443113)
       Hubei Yishizhuang Agricultural Technology Co., Ltd.
     Radish is one of the major vegetable varieties. Due to its wide adaptability, it has now become the main crop planted in the degraded soil of vegetable-growing areas. How to fertilize reasonably to ensure the yield? What kind of fertilizer ratio should be used to maintain the balance of soil nutrients or improve it? The Cultivated Land and Fertilizer Station of Changyang County and Hubei Yishizhuang Agricultural Technology Co., Ltd. have carried out in-depth discussions.

1. Overview and Design of the Experiment
   1.1 Soil Conditions
   The radish fertilization experiment was set in the responsibility field of Zhang Zongmiao in Liushakou Village, Huoshaoping Township, Changyang County, which is known as the first county of high-mountain vegetables in the country. The soil is mountain brown soil, and the nutrient indicators are as follows: alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen 145mg/kg, available phosphorus 33.8mg/kg, available potassium 160mg/kg, organic matter 36.5g/kg, and pH value 4.5.

     1.2 Experimental Design
A comparative experiment was carried out with five types of formulas under the condition of equal nutrient amounts. Five treatments were set up, with three replicates randomly arranged. The plot area was 44.5 square meters. The radish variety was South Korean Baiyuchun F1 supplied by Shouguang Huihe Seed Industry Co., Ltd. The experiment was carried out under the same conditions of seeds, film mulching, pest control, and cultivation management measures. It was sown on May 12, 2017, and harvested on July 17, 2017, with a total growth period of 66 days.
      1.3 Experimental Fertilizers
The 15% full-element bio-organic fertilizer (9-2-4; 25), 6% organic fertilizer (3-1-2; 45), 30% special organic vegetable fertilizer (15-6-9; 15), 30% special inorganic vegetable fertilizer (15-6-9) produced by Hubei Yishizhuang Agricultural Technology Co., Ltd., and 45% Ezhong compound fertilizer (15-15-15) was used as the control. Before sowing, the fertilizers were applied in ditches in each plot at one time, ridges were raised, and the film was mulched. The nutrient ratios of different types of formulas are shown in Table 1.

2.Analysis of Yield and Benefits

The commercial radishes in each plot were weighed according to the quantity for sale, and the economic benefits were calculated based on the real-time sales price of 0.60 yuan per kilogram. The comprehensive yields of the three repetitions are shown in Table 2.
    2.1 Significant Increase in Yield and Income
The combination of full-element bio-organic fertilizer and organic-inorganic fertilizer had the highest yield, increasing the income per mu by 470.9 yuan and 19.5% compared with the control. The combination of organic fertilizer and organic-inorganic fertilizer ranked second, increasing the income per mu by 264.3 yuan and 10.9% compared with the control. The organic-inorganic fertilizer increased the income per mu by 203.1 yuan and 8.4% compared with the control. The inorganic vegetable fertilizer increased the income per mu by 152.6 yuan and 6.3% compared with the control.
    2.2 Optimization of Agronomic Traits
The assessment of 50 plants in each plot is shown in Table 3. The treatment using organic fertilizer had larger and more uniform radishes compared with the control. The weight of a single plant increased by 0.05 - 0.11 kg, the leaves were dark green, the resistance was enhanced, and there were no diseased plants. The commercial rate increased by 5 - 7%.
    2.3 Increasing the Application of Organic Matter Can Promote Yield Increase
The application of soil organic matter significantly increased the yield and income of vegetables, and it increased positively with the increase in the amount of organic matter. The organic-inorganic vegetable fertilizer and the inorganic vegetable fertilizer had the same NPK ratio (the amount of NPK applied in all plots was basically the same). Only by applying an additional 12.5 kg of organic matter, the yield increase rate rose by 2.1%. In the plot using organic fertilizer, 33 kg of organic matter was applied per mu, which increased the yield by 2.5% compared with the organic-inorganic fertilizer and by 4.6% compared with the inorganic vegetable fertilizer. 21 kg of organic matter was applied per mu of the full-element bio-organic fertilizer. Under the combined action of organic matter and beneficial bacteria, the yield increased by 13.2% compared with the inorganic vegetable fertilizer (the probability of the action needs further study).

3.Conclusions and Discussions

3.1 The combination of full-element bio-organic fertilizer and organic-inorganic fertilizer supplements the medium and trace elements that radishes are sensitive to during growth. Soil organic matter and beneficial bacteria improve the physical and chemical properties of the soil, increase the utilization rate of fertilizers and the decomposition and utilization of residual soil nutrients, and promote the balance of soil nutrients. The radishes grow vigorously throughout the growth period, showing extremely significant effects of increasing yield and income.
    3.2 The combination of organic fertilizer and organic-inorganic fertilizer is an important measure for reducing the use of chemical fertilizers and repairing soil acidification. It can not only effectively improve the utilization rate of fertilizers but also gradually improve the quality of cultivated land. In various vegetable experiments and demonstrations, it can significantly increase yield and income.
    3.3 Organic-inorganic fertilizers are obviously superior to inorganic fertilizers. Supplementing the trace elements that vegetables are sensitive to in the formula undoubtedly leads to a significant increase in yield compared with inorganic fertilizers of the same content and the conventional fertilization methods of farmers. Moreover, organic-inorganic fertilizers can save labor and materials, and the investment in fertilizers is relatively lower than that of bio-organic fertilizers and organic fertilizers. The amount of organic matter applied per mu is small, and its effect on soil repair and quality improvement is not obvious, but it is still the preferred solution for the gradual change of farmers' fertilization concepts at present.
    3.4 The special inorganic vegetable fertilizer is superior to the fertilizers with equal nutrients and general formulas. Any crop has its unique law of fertilizer requirements. Leaf vegetables require a relatively high amount of nitrogen, root vegetables are sensitive to phosphorus and potassium, and fruit vegetables require more potassium. Different vegetables also have different requirements for medium and trace elements. The special fertilizer formulates the formula according to different types of vegetables, achieving relative rationality, economic efficiency, reducing resource waste, and enabling farmers to save costs and increase income.
    3.5 Suggested Fertilization Scheme for Radishes. According to the nutrient requirements of radishes, referring to the results of many years of experiments and demonstrations and the fertilization data based on farmers' experience, for the fields with a radish yield of more than 10,000 jin per mu, the following fertilization suggestions are provided for the use of the "Yishizhuang" series of fertilizers, and farmers can choose one of them to guide production. (Nitrogen application amount: 16 - 18 kg/mu, total nutrient NPK 28 - 32 kg/mu)
    ① 50 kg of 15% bio-organic fertilizer + 70 - 80 kg of 35% special vegetable fertilizer (18-5-12);

② 50 kg of 6% organic fertilizer + 80 - 90 kg of 35% special vegetable fertilizer;

③ 100 - 115 kg of 30% organic-inorganic special vegetable fertilizer;
       ④ 85 - 100 kg of 35% special vegetable fertilizer;

 In the vegetable-growing areas, the amount (of fertilizers, etc.) should be increased or decreased as appropriate according to the fertility level of the garden land.