Identifying sustainable nitrogen management practices for tea plantations

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dc.contributor.authorRebello, Rhys
dc.contributor.authorBurgess, Paul J.
dc.contributor.authorGirkin, Nicholas T.
dc.date.accessioned2022-01-24T14:40:58Z
dc.date.available2022-01-24T14:40:58Z
dc.date.issued2022-01-14
dc.description.abstractTea (Camellia sinensis L.) is the most widely consumed beverage in the world. It is mostly grown in the tropics with a heavy dependence on mineral nitrogen (N) fertilisers to maintain high yields while minimising the areas under cultivation. However, N is often applied in excess of crop requirements, resulting in substantial adverse environmental impacts. We conducted a systematic literature review, synthesising the findings from 48 studies to assess the impacts of excessive N application on soil health, and identify sustainable, alternative forms of N management. High N applications lead to soil acidification, N leaching to surface and groundwater, and the emission of greenhouse gases including nitrous oxide (N2O). We identified a range of alternative N management practices, the use of organic fertilisers, a mixture of organic and inorganic fertilisers, controlled release fertilisers, nitrification inhibitors and soil amendments including biochar. While many practices result in reduced N loading or mitigate some adverse impacts, major trade-offs include lower yields, and in some instances increased N2O emissions. Practices are also frequently trialled in isolation, meaning there may be a missed opportunity from assessing synergistic effects. Moreover, adoption rates of alternatives are low due to a lack of knowledge amongst farmers, and/or financial barriers. The use of site-specific management practices which incorporate local factors (for example climate, tea variety, irrigation requirements, site slope, and fertiliser type) are therefore recommended to improve sustainable N management practices in the long term.en_UK
dc.description.sponsorshipInnovate UK (Grant number 47864) and HEIF.en_UK
dc.identifier.citationRebello R, Burgess PJ, Girkin NT. (2022) Identifying sustainable nitrogen management practices for tea plantations, Nitrogen, Volume 3, Issue 1, January 2022, pp. 43-57en_UK
dc.identifier.issn2504-3129
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.3390/nitrogen3010003
dc.identifier.urihttp://dspace.lib.cranfield.ac.uk/handle/1826/17486
dc.language.isoenen_UK
dc.publisherMDPIen_UK
dc.rightsAttribution 4.0 International*
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/*
dc.subjectteaen_UK
dc.subjectfertiliseren_UK
dc.subjectsoil amendmentsen_UK
dc.subjectbiocharen_UK
dc.subjectnitrification inhibitoren_UK
dc.subjectapplication rateen_UK
dc.subjecteutrophicationen_UK
dc.subjectyielden_UK
dc.subjectqualityen_UK
dc.subjectnitrous oxideen_UK
dc.titleIdentifying sustainable nitrogen management practices for tea plantationsen_UK
dc.typeArticleen_UK

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