Nitrogen Article Fate of Nitrogen from Artichoke (Cynara cardunculus L. var. scolymus (L.)) Crop Residues: A Review and Lysimeter Study Nouraya Akkal-Corfini 1,* , Paul Robin 1 , Safya Menasseri-Aubry 1, Michael S. Corson 1 , Jean Paul Sévère 2, Jean Michel Collet 3 and Thierry Morvan 1 1 SAS, INRAE, Agrocampus Ouest, F-35000 Rennes, France;
[email protected] (P.R.);
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[email protected] (T.M.) 2 Comité d’Action Technique et Économique, Station Expérimentale Légumière et Horticole de Vézendoquet, F-29250 Saint-Pol-de-Léon, France;
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[email protected] Abstract: The goal of the European Nitrate Directive 91/676/CEE is to mitigate or prevent water pollution associated with the nitrogen (N) cascade. Vegetable crops have a high risk of nitrate leaching during autumn and winter. Information about the fate of N from artichoke (Cynara cardunculus L. var. scolymus (L.)) residues is reviewed and then supplemented with a three-year study with 15N- labelled residues in an artichoke-cauliflower (Brassica oleracea L. cv. botrytis) rotation in six lysimeters. After three years, 6% of N in artichoke residues was leached, 8% was exported by crops, while 86% remained in the lysimeter. Summed over the rotation, 16% of artichoke-residue N was absorbed by artichoke and 14% by cauliflower. Total aboveground N uptake by all crops during the entire rotation ranged from 370 to 534 kg N ha−1, of which 207–311 kg N ha−1 returned to the soil as Citation: Akkal-Corfini, N.; Robin, P.; residues.