Soil Fertilization with Urea Has Little Effect on Seed Quality but Reduces Soil N 2 O Emissions from a Hemp Cultivation

Anna Tedeschi, Maria Grazia Volpe, Franca Polimeno, Francesco Siano, Giuseppe Maglione, Paul Di Tommasi, Ermanno Vasca, Vincenzo Magliulo and Luca Vitale
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Anna Tedeschi: Research Division Portici, Institute of Biosciences and Bioresources (IBBR), National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Via Università 133, 80055 Portici, Naples, Italy
Maria Grazia Volpe: Institute of Food Sciences (ISA), National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Via Roma 64, 83100 Avellino, Italy
Franca Polimeno: Institute for Animal Production System in Mediterranean Environment (ISPAAM), National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Via Argine 1085, 80147 Naples, Italy
Francesco Siano: Institute of Food Sciences (ISA), National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Via Roma 64, 83100 Avellino, Italy
Giuseppe Maglione: Institute for Animal Production System in Mediterranean Environment (ISPAAM), National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Via Argine 1085, 80147 Naples, Italy
Paul Di Tommasi: Institute for Agricultural and Forestry Systems in the Mediterranean (ISAFoM), National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Via Patacca 85, 80056 Ercolano, Naples, Italy
Ermanno Vasca: Department of Chemistry and Biology “Adolfo Zambelli” (DCB), University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II 132, 84084 Fisciano, Salerno, Italy
Vincenzo Magliulo: Institute for Agricultural and Forestry Systems in the Mediterranean (ISAFoM), National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Via Patacca 85, 80056 Ercolano, Naples, Italy
Luca Vitale: Institute for Agricultural and Forestry Systems in the Mediterranean (ISAFoM), National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Via Patacca 85, 80056 Ercolano, Naples, Italy

Agriculture, 2020, vol. 10, issue 6, 1-14

Abstract: Multipurpose production of hemp has led to renewed interest for this crop cultivation, especially for human nutrition. To date, no information about the influence of nitrogen source on hemp seed quality is available. Hemp is also used for food and beverages due to its nutritional characteristics. This further use of hemp has led to an increase in hemp-grown areas. Therefore, it is important to get more information on the role of nitrogen on the quality production as well as to evaluate the environmental impact of the cultivation technique. In this work, we evaluate the influence of nitrogen source (i.e., NH 4 NO 3 and urea) on the seed fatty acid composition of an edible hemp as well as on the environment in terms of soil N 2 O emission. Nitrogen source modified seed quality very little. Even if characterized by a lower acidic profile, seed from plants grown under urea and NH 4 NO 3 had a ω-3/ω-6 ratio (0.3) within the optimal range from the nutritional standpoint, being considered as the optimal proportion for human metabolism and health. Urea fertilization reduced soil N 2 O emission. Our findings suggest that nitrogen source seems not to influence seed quality and that urea fertilizer might be more climate-friendly than NH 4 NO 3 in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, in an extensive cultivation of hemp for industrial use.

Keywords: soil nitrogen fertilization; fatty acid profile; N 2 O emission; Cannabis sativa L. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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