The companion crops of leguminous and their mixtres with grass a source of biological nitrogen for edible potato

The monograph presents the advantages of cultivating edible potato after companion crop of Fabaceae and their mixtures with grasses. They are a source of biological nitrogen for potatoes. In modernly developing integrated and ecological agriculture, these forms of fertilization are preferred in the cultivation of edible potatoes. The applied fertilization of potatoes with sown Fabaceae and their mixtures with grasses prevents leaching of mineral nitrogen deep into the soil profile in the autumn-winter-spring period, which is important in protecting the soil environment. The companion crop of catch crops in the form of mulch are particularly valuable here. The monograph presents the historical outline and significance of catch crops in modern plant production systems, selection of species for cultivation, amount of dry matter and nitrogen introduced into the soil with biomass of catch crops, mineral nitrogen content in soil determined in autumn and spring, potato tuber yield, specific protein content, nitrates (V) and nitrogen in potato tubers. It was a long-term study conducted in the Department of Detailed Plant Cultivation at the Siedlce University of Natural Sciences and Humanities. The superiority of the integrated potato production system over organic has been demonstrated. The companion crop of Fabaceae and their mixtures fully replace manure in potato fertilization. In addition, they prevent the leaching of mineral nitrogen deep into the soil profile in the autumn-winter-spring period, which protects the
soil environment. Potato tubers after planting of Fabaceae and their mixtures with fertilizers are characterized by a higher content of specific protein and a lower concentration of harmful nitrates (V), which is very important from the point of view of the consumer. Also in the organic potato production system, the use of green manure with manure brings measurable benefits.