Abstract
ABSTRACT The sustainable production of leafy crops is particularly important in Mediterranean regions, where water scarcity and the nutrient unbalance in soil–plant systems are common. Intensive crop production under these edaphoclimatic conditions is typically basedon conventional agriculturewith high inputs and limited incorporation of organic matter, and has a significant impact on natural resources and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This study evaluated various fertilisation strategies in a Calcaric Fluvisol under warm semi‐arid conditions in south‐east Spain. The experiment followed a completely randomised design with three replicates and five fertilisation treatments: (i) organic treatments (cattle manure [CM] and two agri‐food waste derived composts [X1B and X2C]); (ii) inorganic treatments (mineral fertiliser NPK [IN] and NPK fertiliser with a nitrification inhibitor [LI2]), all of which were applied at a rate of 150 kg N ha −1 during the lettuce crop cycle and soil plots without treatment were used as control treatment (B). GHG emissions and UAV‐based multispectral vegetation indexes were measured after fertiliser applications and at the harvest, while soil properties and lettuce yield were determined at the end of the experiment. Mineral fertilisers produced the highest lettuce yields (73.8 and 82.4 Mg ha −1 for IN and LI2, respectively), while X1B compost achieved a similar yield to IN. The organic fertilisation (X1B and X2C) significantly increased soil organic carbon (C), with X1B showing a 14% increase from initial values. They also resulted in the lowest total GHG emissions (19–26 kg ha −1 CO 2 eq), compared to the inorganic treatments (68–67 kg ha −1 CO 2 eq). UAV‐derived vegetation indices distinguished between fertilisation strategies and correlated strongly with yield. Using compost‐based organic fertilisation can sustain competitive lettuce yields while improving soil health, balancing nutrients and reducing GHG emissions. In water‐limited Mediterranean systems, this approach provides a practical way to make agriculture more resilient and climate‐smart, while ensuring productivity is aligned with environmental sustainability.
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Claims 9
Claim · model-written summary
IN mineral fertiliser yielded 73.8 Mg ha −1 lettuce.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Mineral fertilisers produced the highest lettuce yields (73.8 and 82.4 Mg ha −1 for IN and LI2, respectively)”
t0“Lettuce”
Claim · model-written summary
LI2 mineral fertiliser yielded 82.4 Mg ha −1 lettuce.
- Taxon
- Lettuce
Lactuca sativat0 - Treatment
- LI2e0
- Outcome
- lettuce yieldse0
- Direction
- higheste0
- Value
- 82.4 Mg ha −1e0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Mineral fertilisers produced the highest lettuce yields (73.8 and 82.4 Mg ha −1 for IN and LI2, respectively)”
t0“Lettuce”
Claim · model-written summary
X1B compost gave a lettuce yield similar to IN.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“X1B compost achieved a similar yield to IN”
t0“Lettuce”
Claim · model-written summary
X1B compost significantly increased soil organic carbon by 14% from initial values.
- Taxon
- LettuceLactuca sativat0
- Treatment
- X1Be0
- Outcome
- soil organic carbon (C)e0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Value
- 14%e0
- Comparator
- initial valuese0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The organic fertilisation (X1B and X2C) significantly increased soil organic carbon (C), with X1B showing a 14% increase from initial values.”
t0“Lettuce”
Claim · model-written summary
X2C organic fertilisation significantly increased soil organic carbon.
- Taxon
- LettuceLactuca sativat0
- Treatment
- X2Ce0
- Outcome
- soil organic carbon (C)e0
- Direction
- increasede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The organic fertilisation (X1B and X2C) significantly increased soil organic carbon (C)”
t0“Lettuce”
Claim · model-written summary
Organic fertilisation produced the lowest total GHG emissions, 19–26 kg ha −1 CO 2 eq, versus 68–67 kg ha −1 CO 2 eq under inorganic fertilisers.
- Taxon
- LettuceLactuca sativat0
- Treatment
- organic fertilisatione1
- Outcome
- total GHG emissionse0
- Direction
- loweste0
- Value
- 19–26 kg ha −1 CO 2 eqe0
- Qualifier
- 68–67 kg ha −1 CO 2 eqe0
- Comparator
- inorganic treatmentse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“They also resulted in the lowest total GHG emissions (19–26 kg ha −1 CO 2 eq), compared to the inorganic treatments (68–67 kg ha −1 CO 2 eq).”
t0“Lettuce”
e1“The organic fertilisation (X1B and X2C) significantly increased soil organic carbon (C)”
Claim · model-written summary
UAV vegetation indices distinguished fertilisation strategies.
- Taxon
- LettuceLactuca sativat0
- Outcome
- distinguished between fertilisation strategiese0
- Comparator
- fertilisation strategiese0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“UAV‐derived vegetation indices distinguished between fertilisation strategies”
t0“Lettuce”
Claim · model-written summary
UAV vegetation indices correlated strongly with yield.
- Taxon
- LettuceLactuca sativat0
- Treatment
- UAV‐derived vegetation indicese0
- Outcome
- yielde0
- Qualifier
- correlated stronglye0
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“UAV‐derived vegetation indices distinguished between fertilisation strategies and correlated strongly with yield.”
t0“Lettuce”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors concluded compost fertilisation can sustain competitive yields and improve soil health, nutrient balance, and GHG emissions.
- Taxon
- lettuceLactuca sativae0
- Treatment
- compost‐based organic fertilisatione0
- Outcome
- competitive lettuce yields while improving soil health, balancing nutrients and reducing GHG emissionse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Using compost‐based organic fertilisation can sustain competitive lettuce yields while improving soil health, balancing nutrients and reducing GHG emissions.”
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