Foliar Urea with N-(n-butyl) Thiophosphoric Triamide for Sustainable Yield and Quality of Pineapple in a Controlled Environment

Mohammad Amdadul Haque, Siti Zaharah Sakimin, Phebe Ding, Noraini Md. Jaafar, Mohd Khanif Yusop and Babul Chandra Sarker
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Mohammad Amdadul Haque: Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Selangor, Malaysia
Siti Zaharah Sakimin: Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Selangor, Malaysia
Phebe Ding: Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Selangor, Malaysia
Noraini Md. Jaafar: Department of Land Management, Faculty of Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Selangor, Malaysia
Mohd Khanif Yusop: Department of Land Management, Faculty of Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Selangor, Malaysia
Babul Chandra Sarker: Horticulture Research Centre, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, Gazipur 1701, Bangladesh

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 12, 1-17

Abstract: In agricultural production, nitrogen loss leads to economic loss and is a high environmental risk affecting plant growth, yield, and quality. Use of the N fertilizer with a urease inhibitor is thus necessary to minimize N losses and increase the efficiency of N. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of N-(n-butyl) Thiophosphoric Triamide (NBPT) on the growth, yield, and quality of pineapple. The experiment involved two foliar fertilizer treatments: 1% ( w / v ) urea solution with NBPT (2.25 mL kg −1 urea) was treated as NLU (NBPT Liquid Urea), and the same concentration of urea without NBPT served as the control. Both were applied 12 times, starting 1 month after planting (MAP) and continuing once a month for 12 months. The application of urea with NBPT notably increased the above-ground dry biomass per plant (20% and 10% at 8 and 12 MAP, respectively), leaf area per plant (23% and 15% at 8 and 12 MAP, respectively), N accumulation per plant (10%), PFP N (Partial Factor Productivity) (13%), and average fruit weight (15%) compared to the treatment with urea alone (control). The analysis of quality parameters indicated that urea with NBPT improves TSS (Total Soluble Solids) (19%), ascorbic acid (10%), and sucrose (14%) but reduces the total organic acid content (21%) in pineapple. When using urea with a urease inhibitor (NBPT), there was a significant improvement in growth, yield, quality, and nitrogen use efficiency, with the additional benefit of reduced nitrogen losses, in combination with easy handling. Hence, urea with a urease inhibitor can be used as a viable alternative for increasing pineapple yield by boosting growth with better fruit quality.

Keywords: pineapple; N-(n-butyl) thiophosphoric triamide; growth; yield; quality; nitrogen use efficiency (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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