Assessing the influence of summer organic fertilization combined with nitrogen inhibitor on a short rotation woody crop in Mediterranean environment

The European Union Directive 91/676/EEC, known as Nitrates Directive, has dictated basic agronomic principles regarding the use of animal manure source as well as livestock and waste waters from small food companies. The use of nitrification inhibitors togetherwithanimaleffluentsasorganicfertilizerscouldbebeneficialfornutrientrecycling,plantproductivity,andgreenhousegas emission and could offer economic advantages as alternative to conventional fertilizers especially in the Mediterranean region. The aim of the present study was to investigate differences in plant productivity between bovine effluent treatments with (or without) additionofanitrificationinhibitor(3,4DMPP)inashortrotationwoodycropsystem.Resultsofthefieldexperimentcarriedoutin a Mediterranean dry environment indicated that the proposed strategy could improve tree growth with indirect, beneficial effects for agroforestry systems