Exploring the Impact of Different Fertilization Practices and Regional Climate Variables on Cabbage ( Brassica oleracea L. Var. Capitata) Yield

Ping-Fu Hou () and Yao-Tsung Chang
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Ping-Fu Hou: Kaohsiung District Agricultural Research and Extension Station, Pingtung 90846, Taiwan
Yao-Tsung Chang: Kaohsiung District Agricultural Research and Extension Station, Pingtung 90846, Taiwan

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 13, 1-13

Abstract: Maintaining stable crop yields is crucial for sustainable agriculture. This study investigated the impact of various fertilization regimes, combined with regional climate variables, on the yield stability of cabbage ( Brassica oleracea L. var. capitata) in southern Taiwan. Conducted from 2011 to 2023 on well-maintained soils that were established in 1988, the study examined two crop rotation systems (R1 and R2) and three fertilization treatments: chemical fertilizer, integrated fertilizer, and organic fertilizer. Despite the consistent annual application of fertilizers, the regression analysis revealed a significant decline in cabbage yields across all six treatment combinations, mainly due to reduced weights of single cabbages. To identify contributing factors, the yield data were analyzed alongside weather and soil data, collected over more than a decade. A Pearson correlation analysis showed that increased sunshine duration, solar radiation, and higher relative humidity were significantly negatively correlated with cabbage yields in both the R1 and R2 rotation systems. Additionally, the regression tree analysis indicated that solar radiation exceeding 16.917 MJ m −2 per day was associated with lower yields. A further analysis of the total nitrogen accumulation revealed increasing nitrogen concentrations in the outer leaves of cabbages during this period, potentially contributing to the reduced head yields. These findings highlight that fertilization had a minimal influence on yield, even in well-established soils. Mitigating the effects of weather variables is, therefore, critical to reducing their adverse impact on crop yields.

Keywords: regional climate change; fertilizations; soil properties; cabbage yield (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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