APLICACIÓN FRACCIONADA DE FERTILIZANTES VÍA FERTIRRIEGO Y LA EFICIENCIA DEL NITRÓGENO, FÓSFORO Y POTASIO EN CALABACITA: Aplicación fraccionada en calabacita

Fertigation allows fertilizers to be supplemented at the required time and place, increasing their use efficiency. The present study determined whether the amount of mineral fertilizers applied to squash can be reduced, compared to the recommended dose, by fractioning their application through a fertigation system. Three treatments were designed: 100% of the recommended dose (120-33.6-174.3 kg ha-1 N-P-K) applied in solid form at sowing, and 62.5% and 50% of the control treatment, but with a split application through the growing season. Neither the fruit yield nor the concentration of N, P, Ca, and Mg in the shoot were affected when the dose was reduced to 62.5% or 50%; however, the plants showed greater efficiency in the recovery of N and P and greater agronomicefficiency per unit of N, P and K applied. In conclusion, fractionated fertilization appliedthrough fertilgation reduces the fertilization dose without affecting the squash yield or growthdue to an increase in both the recovery and agronomic efficiencies of the applied nutrients.