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Overcoming the salinity and nitrate leaching paradox in soil-grown pepper in mediterranean greenhouses

Author

Listed:
  • Gallardo, M.
  • Salinas, J.
  • Peña-Fleitas, M.T.
  • López-Martín, M.
  • Padilla, F.M.
  • Thompson, R.B.

Abstract

The salinity-nitrate (NO3-) leaching paradox is an increasingly important issue in soil-grown intensive vegetable production systems in drier regions. Traditional management of either salinity or NO3- leaching promotes the other. This is an issue in the greenhouse vegetable production system of Almeria where legislation requires reduced NO3- leaching and on-going salinisation of aquifer water, used for irrigation, is an increasingly serious problem. In this cropping system, complete nutrient solutions (NS) are applied in every irrigation (every 1–4 days), most N is applied as NO3-. A management strategy, called Leaching Fraction of Water and Reduced N (LF-W&RN) developed to deal with this paradox was examined in two greenhouse-grown sweet pepper crops. After the EC of the soil solution (ECss) had increased to a specified maximum threshold value, a leaching fraction (LF) of water was applied immediately prior to each irrigation with NS. Concurrently, the [NO3-] of the NS was reduced to 50 %. This was restored to 100 % when monitoring of crop N status, using petiole sap [NO3-], indicated imminent N deficiency. This management strategy was compared with: (i) application of a LF of water before every irrigation with NS throughout the crop (CLF-W), (ii) application of a LF of NS with all NS irrigations after the threshold ECss was reached (LF-NS), and (iv) the control where no LF was applied (CT). With LF-W&RN unlike other strategies, ECss was always within or very close to the threshold ECss, and appreciably less N was applied. Additionally, appreciably less N was leached and accumulated in soil as mineral N. Yield and fruit quality were very similar for the four strategies in the two crops. The results with the LF-W&RN strategy incorporating on-going monitoring of soil salinity and crop N status can be regarded as “proof of concept” of an effective general approach for dealing with the salinity-NO3- leaching paradox in intensive vegetable production.

Suggested Citation

  • Gallardo, M. & Salinas, J. & Peña-Fleitas, M.T. & López-Martín, M. & Padilla, F.M. & Thompson, R.B., 2026. "Overcoming the salinity and nitrate leaching paradox in soil-grown pepper in mediterranean greenhouses," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 324(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:agiwat:v:324:y:2026:i:c:s0378377425008261
    DOI: 10.1016/j.agwat.2025.110112
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Padilla, Francisco M. & Farneselli, Michela & Gianquinto, Giorgio & Tei, Francesco & Thompson, Rodney B., 2020. "Monitoring nitrogen status of vegetable crops and soils for optimal nitrogen management," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 241(C).
    2. Libutti, Angela & Monteleone, Massimo, 2017. "Soil vs. groundwater: The quality dilemma. Managing nitrogen leaching and salinity control under irrigated agriculture in Mediterranean conditions," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 186(C), pages 40-50.
    3. Incrocci, Luca & Thompson, Rodney B. & Fernandez-Fernandez, María Dolores & De Pascale, Stefania & Pardossi, Alberto & Stanghellini, Cecilia & Rouphael, Youssef & Gallardo, Marisa, 2020. "Irrigation management of European greenhouse vegetable crops," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 242(C).
    4. Salinas, Jerónimo & Padilla, Francisco M. & Thompson, Rodney B. & Teresa Peña-Fleitas, M. & López-Martín, María & Gallardo, Marisa, 2023. "Responses of yield, fruit quality and water relations of sweet pepper in Mediterranean greenhouses to increasing salinity," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 290(C).
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