Plant Gene and Trait 2025, Vol.16, No.4, 173-181 http://genbreedpublisher.com/index.php/pgt 178 7 Case Study: Field Comparison of Organic and Conventional Fertilization in Cabbage 7.1 Experimental site, soil type, climatic conditions, and cabbage cultivar Field trials were mainly conducted in China, Nepal and Europe, covering newly reclaimed plots, loam areas and conventional farmlands. Most of these regions belong to temperate or subtropical zones, where the climate is suitable for the growth of cabbage, and the conditions of rainfall and temperature are relatively ideal. The commonly used cabbage varieties in the experiment include high-yield hybrids such as ‘Green Coronet’. Some studies also used Chinese cabbage and non-heading cabbage (Adhikari et al., 2023; Wang et al., 2024). 7.2 Treatment setup and monitoring methodology Experiments generally adopt a randomized block design and set up different fertilization methods, such as using only organic fertilizers, using only chemical fertilizers, or replacing chemical fertilizers with organic fertilizers by 15%, 30%, 45%, etc. A control group will also be set up, such as no nitrogen fertilizer application or only one type of fertilizer. Some experiments also incorporated technologies such as bio-organic fertilizer, biochar or drip irrigation. The observed contents included plant height, stem diameter, leaf area, yield, quality (such as vitamin C, sugar, nitrate) of cabbage, as well as soil organic matter, total nitrogen, available phosphorus and potassium, enzyme activity and microbial conditions (Saha et al., 2021; Wang et al., 2024). 7.3 Trait performance results: growth, yield, soil response, nutrient balance Research has found that the use of organic fertilizer or a combination of organic and chemical fertilizers can make cabbages grow better, with higher yields and better quality. Some treatments increased the output by 10% to 35%, vitamin C and sugar by 11% to 19% respectively, and nitrate by 19% to 48% (Wang et al., 2024). Organic fertilizers (such as vermicompost, livestock and poultry manure, humus) can increase the organic matter in the soil, regulate the carbon-nitrogen ratio, enhance enzyme activity and microbial species, and make the soil healthier (Kim et al., 2022; Adhikari et al., 2023). If some chemical fertilizers are reduced and bio-organic fertilizers or biochar are added, the yield will not be reduced and the utilization efficiency of fertilizers can be improved (Zhao et al., 2022). Although long-term sole use of chemical fertilizers can accumulate a large amount of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, it will deteriorate the soil structure and is also prone to cause environmental problems (Rempelos et al., 2023; Yfantopoulos et al., 2024). 7.4 Economic and sustainability implications from farmer’s perspective Especially organic fertilizers such as vermicompost and humus can reduce the reliance on chemical fertilizers and pesticides, lower the planting cost, and at the same time improve the quality and market competitiveness of cabbage (Adhikari et al., 2023). Although the yield per unit area is not necessarily higher than that of chemical fertilizers, the overall quality is better, it sells better, and the income is not necessarily lower than that of chemical fertilizers; sometimes it is even higher (Cui et al., 2022). If modern technologies such as drip irrigation and precision fertilization are added, the utilization efficiency of water and fertilizer can be further improved, resulting in better economic benefits (Saha et al., 2021). Moreover, organic fertilizers can also reduce heavy metal and greenhouse gas emissions in the soil, which is more in line with the goals of green agriculture and sustainable development (Sikora et al., 2020; Li et al., 2021). 8 Concluding Remarks Both organic and chemical fertilizers can have a significant impact on the growth, yield and quality of cabbage. Organic fertilizer can make cabbages grow larger and better, such as increasing fresh weight, the number of leaves, leaf length and transverse diameter. The output of goods can be increased by 10% to 35%, the content of vitamin C, sugar and protein will also rise, and at the same time, the accumulation of nitrates and nitrites can be reduced. Fertilizers are more effective in providing nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, especially when the previous crop of cabbage is a leguminous crop, which can further enhance soil fertility and yield. The combined use of organic and chemical fertilizers or the application of integrated nutrient management (INM) methods can not only increase yield and head weight, but also improve quality and enhance soil organic matter, which is more beneficial for long-term development. The use of biochar-based fertilizers and controlled-release fertilizers can not only increase yield and nitrogen utilization rate, but also reduce environmental impact.
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