Optimizing nitrogen (N) nutrient management is often crucial for achieving optimal yield and quality in organically grown vegetable crops. While numerous organic fertilizer materials exist, their effective and economical application is vital for organic producers. However, limited information is available regarding the optimal form and timing of application for different organic nitrogen fertilizer sources. The cost per unit nitrogen in these materials can vary significantly, ranging from approximately $1 per pound for compost to $5 per pound for certain liquid organic fertilizers. Price differences exceeding 50-fold per unit nitrogen are observed among various organic fertilizer materials from commercial suppliers.

This study aimed to gather essential data on soil nitrogen and vegetable crop response following the application of varying rates and types of commercially available organic fertilizer materials.

The research focused on generating scientific data concerning soil nitrogen dynamics and bell pepper yield in response to different commercially available organic nitrogen fertilizer materials. Trials were conducted on bell peppers, a long-term annual vegetable crop that necessitates repeated fertilizer applications. Various rates of pre-plant incorporated application were compared, combined with varying additional amounts of side-banded, incorporated application. Weekly soil nitrate nitrogen (SNN) levels, plant tissue nitrogen content, and bell pepper fruit yield were measured in relation to the different types of organic fertilizers at various application rates.