This study examined the effectiveness of nitrogen fertilization and application of microbiological preparations in potato cultivation. The experiment factors were doses of nitrogen of 0, 60, 120, and 180 kg N ha–1 and microbial preparations of BactoFil B10, Effective Microorganisms EM, and UGmax | Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry Research Article Turk J Agric For (2014) 38: 299-310 © TÜBİTAK doi: Effectiveness of nitrogen fertilization and application of microbial preparations in potato cultivation Marek KOŁODZIEJCZYK* Department of Crop Production, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Krakow, Poland Received: Accepted: Published Online: Printed: Abstract: This study examined the effectiveness of nitrogen fertilization and application of microbiological preparations in potato cultivation. The experiment factors were doses of nitrogen of 0, 60, 120, and 180 kg N ha–1 and microbial preparations of BactoFil B10, Effective Microorganisms EM, and UGmax. The amount of inorganic N in the 0– m soil layer before potato planting fluctuated from to kg N ha–1, while after harvest it ranged from to kg N ha–1. Nitrogen supply from mineralization during potato vegetation ranged from to kg N ha–1. Each of the applied nitrogen doses caused a marked increase in potato-plant productivity in comparison with a smaller dose. Growing nitrogen doses decreased the value of the fertilization effectiveness index. Application of microbial preparations led to an increase in soil nitrogen content after plant harvesting and a lower uptake of N, diminishing the indices of NUE, NUpE, NAE, and NRF. Key words: Microbial preparations, N fertilization, nitrogen use efficiency, potato 1. Introduction Potato plant production systems are generally problematic in regards to nutrients, particularly nitrogen. Therefore, judicious fertilization in potato-plant production with nitrogen ensuring realization of agronomic, economic, and environmental goals poses a challenge to both agricultural science and practice. There have been numerous strategies of improving the effectiveness of nitrogen utilization by crops. In the opinion of Zebarth et al.
