Fertilization with Manures and Legume Intercrops and their Influence on Brassica and Tomato Growth, and on Tissue and Soil Copper, Manganese and Zinc

Field experiments were conducted for up to three years on two different Nova Scotia soils. Tomatoes and cabbage or cauliflower were grown in rotation on the same plots. Crops were amended with either inorganic fertilizer or two sources of three different types of animal manures. Red clover, sweet clover or common vetch were seeded as intercrops with the vegetables. Tomato and brassica yields and plant tissue were analysed for Cu, Mn and Zn; DTPA extractable soil Cu, Mn, and Zn were assessed concurrently. Legume intercrops were analyzed for yield and nutrient content. The three intercrops had a variable effect on crop yield, depending on the seeding rate, type of legume and vegetable crop, and soil fertility. All intercrops grew well, absorbing significant quantities of nutrients for subsequent mineralization. The three manures contributed to micronutrient levels in soils and crops; the pig manure significantly affected Zn and Mn. Chicken and dairy manure increased soil pH, thus reducing availability of Mn, while pig manure and fertilizer had the opposite influence.