Organic and Inorganic Fertilization Responses of Common Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) CV. Capitano

Background: Common bean is of the most widely cultivated crops in the world, but climate change and soil fertility depletion are leading to reduced yields, particularly noticeable in recent years. Among the challenges of modern agriculture are, on one hand, increasing the quantity and quality of production and on the other, maintaining a positive balance of macronutrients in the soil. The application of high rates of mineral fertilizers can deteriorate soil properties, while entirely organic fertilization is often insufficient to meet the plants’ requirements. This necessitates the use of an integrated approach when selecting fertilizers. Methods: An experiment was conducted with common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris ‘Capitano’), grown as a late-season crop in 2023. A randomized block design was utilized with four replications and three fertilization treatments (organic, mineral and combined fertilization). Observations on growth parameters and yield attributes were recorded and analysed using analysis of variance technique. Result: Common beans exhibit adaptive responses to different fertilization treatments, which influence their development and productivity. The 100% mineral fertilization treatment (266 kg/ha N15P15K15) resulted in the highest values for several key vegetative indicators and a high yield of 10.79 t/ha, as well as maximum nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium content in the plants during the early development stages. In the treatments with entirely organic fertilization (1 t/ha Fertisol), the highest number of nodules in the root system was observed during the Fruiting Stage. However, the slow mineralization of organic fertilizers limited the initial development stages of the beans, reflecting on the final yield. The combined fertilization treatment (500 kg/ha Fertisol + 133 kg N15P15K15) leverages the advantages of both approaches. This treatment showed the highest number of nodules in the root system during the flowering phase, the highest values of plastid pigment content, number of inflorescences, number of leaves, leaf area and plant mass during the second measurement and achieved the highest total yield of 11.18 t/ha. Thus, an integrated fertilization approach is effective for the sustainable management of agroecosystems.