Abstract
The capacity to reduce chemical fertilizer application by adding livestock manure compost and hairy vetch (HV) was examined in squash cropping for 3 years. Livestock manure compost was incorporated and HV seeds were planted in October. The following spring, grown HV in the squash row was incorporated before planting squash, and total nitrogen in HV was 0.93 to 1.04 kg・a-1. Inter-row spaces were covered with HV (living mulch). When HV was incorporated into the squash row, it became possible to reduce application to 0.6 kg-N・a-1 for squash production. Alternative nitrogen fertilizer effects by the application of livestock manure compost were small; however, the compost application had the potential to substitute for other fertilizer components except nitrogen. The substitution of nitrogen by HV incorporation, and substitution of other fertilizer components by the application of livestock manure compost, were considered to be effective to reduce the fertilizer needed.
