scholarly journals Minimizing Soil Nitrogen Leaching by Changing Furrow Irrigation into Sprinkler Fertigation in Potato Fields in the Northwestern China Plain

Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
pp. 2229
Author(s):  
Wenzhu Yang ◽  
Yan Jiao ◽  
Mingde Yang ◽  
Huiyang Wen ◽  
Peng Gu ◽  
...  

Irrigation water is limiting for crop production in arid areas and application rates of fertilizers often exceed crop requirements, resulting in high accumulation of nitrate nitrogen (NO3−-N) in the soil. Management practices play a significant role in the leaching of NO3−-N. This experiment compares the effects of traditional furrow irrigation and sprinkler fertigation on the soil NO3−-N concentration trend throughout the cropping season in potato fields in China. Two irrigation systems that were fertilized, namely by furrow (NF-FI) and sprinkler fertigation (NF-SI), and two controlling without any fertilizer (C-FI and C-SI) were tested in the same experimental site for three consecutive years. Both the NF-FI soils and NF-SI soils with three replications and fertilizer applications of 273 kg N ha−1 exhibited a different trend of NO3−-N accumulation at different depths of soil profile. However, the magnitude of NO3−-N accumulation was low in the NF-SI soil profile. In NF-SI treatments, higher NO3−-N was observed at 20–40 cm soil layer. In the NF-FI, the concentration of the highest nitrate was observed at the 40–120 cm soil layer. The concentrations of NO3−-N in the fertilized soil were higher than those of the control soil for each irrigation system. Residual levels of NO3−-N in the soil depth of 40–120 cm from NF-FI were 1.54, 3.45 and 5.28 times higher than NF-SI after harvesting potatoes from 2015 to 2017. In NF-FI treatments, apparent nitrogen loss was 234.7, 237.5 and 276.7 kg ha−1 after harvesting potatoes in 2015, 2016 and 2017. Meanwhile, apparent nitrogen loss from NF-SI treatments was only 161.9, 132.1 and 148.9 kg ha−1, which was 31.0%, 44.4% and 46.2% lower than that of NF-FI in 2015, 2016 and 2017, respectively. The risk of NO3−-N leaching below the root zone from NF-FI was higher than that from NF-SI. It has been demonstrated that sprinkler fertigation can also be used as a tool for mitigating NO3−-N accumulation and apparent nitrogen loss.

HortScience ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 498c-498
Author(s):  
A. Fares ◽  
A.K. Alva ◽  
S. Paramasivam

Water and nitrogen (N) are important inputs for most crop production. The main objectives of nitrogen best management practices (NBMP) are to improve N and water management to maximize the uptake efficiency and minimize the leaching losses. This require a complete understanding of fate of N and water mass balance within and below the root zone of the crop in question. The fate of nitrogen applied for citrus production in sandy soils (>95% sand) was simulated using a mathematical model LEACHM (Leaching Estimation And Chemistry Model). Nitrogen removal in harvested fruits and storage in the tree accounted the major portion of the applied N. Nitrogen volatilization mainly as ammonia and N leaching below the root zone were the next two major components of the N mass balance. A proper irrigation scheduling based on continuous monitoring of the soil water content in the rooting was used as a part of the NBMP. More than 50% of the total annual leached water below the root zone was predicted to occur in the the rainy season. Since this would contribute to nitrate leaching, it is recomended to avoid N application during the rainy season.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam Pasik ◽  
Wolfgang Preimesberger ◽  
Bernhard Bauer-Marschallinger ◽  
Wouter Dorigo

<p>Multiple satellite-based global surface soil moisture (SSM) datasets are presently available, these however, address exclusively the top layer of the soil (0-5cm). Meanwhile, root-zone soil moisture cannot be directly quantified with remote sensing but can be estimated from SSM using a land surface model. Alternatively, soil water index (SWI; calculated from SSM as a function of time needed for infiltration) can be used as a simple approximation of root-zone conditions. SWI is a proxy for deeper layers of the soil profile which control evapotranspiration, and is hence especially important for studying hydrological processes over vegetation-covered areas and meteorological modelling.</p><p>Here we introduce the advances in our work on the first operationally capable SWI-based root-zone soil moisture dataset from C3S Soil Moisture v201912 COMBINED product, spanning the period 2002-2020. The uniqueness of this dataset lies in the fact that T-values (temporal lengths ruling the infiltration) characteristic of SWI were translated into particular soil depths making it much more intuitive, user-friendly and easily applicable. Available are volumetric soil moisture values for the top 1 m of the soil profile at 10 cm intervals, where the optimal T-value (T-best) for each soil layer is selected based on a range of correlation metrics with in situ measurements from the International Soil Moisture Network (ISMN) and the relevant soil and climatic parameters.<br>Additionally we present the results of an extensive global validation against in situ measurements (ISMN) as well as the results of investigations into the relationship between a range of soil and climate characteristics and the optimal T-values for particular soil depths.</p>


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manolis G. Grillakis

<p>Remote sensing has proven to be an irreplaceable tool for monitoring soil moisture. The European Space Agency (ESA), through the Climate Change Initiative (CCI), has provided one of the most substantial contributions in the soil water monitoring, with almost 4 decades of global satellite derived and homogenized soil moisture data for the uppermost soil layer. Yet, due to the inherent limitations of many of the remote sensors, only a limited soil depth can be monitored. To enable the assessment of the deeper soil layer moisture from surface remotely sensed products, the Soil Water Index (SWI) has been established as a convolutive transformation of the surface soil moisture estimation, under the assumption of uniform hydraulic conductivity and the absence of transpiration. The SWI uses a single calibration parameter, the T-value, to modify its response over time.</p><p>Here the Soil Water Index (SWI) is calibrated using ESA CCI soil moisture against in situ observations from the International Soil Moisture Network and then use Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) to find the best physical soil, climate, and vegetation descriptors at a global scale to regionalize the calibration of the T-value. The calibration is then used to assess a root zone related soil moisture for the period 2001 – 2018.</p><p>The results are compared against the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, ERA5 Land reanalysis soil moisture dataset, showing a good agreement, mainly over mid-latitudes. The results indicate that there is added value to the results of the machine learning calibration, comparing to the uniform T-value. This work contributes to the exploitation of ESA CCI soil moisture data, while the produced data can support large scale soil moisture related studies.</p>


2019 ◽  
Vol 886 ◽  
pp. 3-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wutthikrai Kulsawat ◽  
Boonsom Porntepkasemsan ◽  
Phatchada Nochit

Paddy residues are the most generous agricultural biomass from the paddy cultivation, Paddy residues practices include crop residue amendment and in-situ burning. It indicated that residue amendment increased the organic carbon and nutrient contents in soil, However, an open residue burning is still a common practice in Thailand despite of strict law enforcements and proper education to farmers about its implications on soil, human and animal health The present study determined how residues management practices: residue amendment and stubble burning, influence the soil organic carbon by determining δ13C in paddy soil profile. The 30 cm depth soil samples from the naturally straw amendment and stubble burning paddy fields were collected in Chiang Khwan district, Roi-et province during 2017. The δ13C values with soil depth showed that residue management practices produce statistical differences in both soils. The δ13C values of soil samples from amendment and burning sites ranged from-23.19‰ to-17.98‰ and-24.79‰ to-19.28‰, respectively. Carbon isotopes differentiate clearly between amendment site (more positive values) and burning site (more negative values). The results from this study were in accordance with literatures which reported that the δ13C distribution in the soil profile can be applied to study in SOC dynamics as a result of different paddy residue management practices (amendment or burning). Further research is needed to confirm the validity of the stable carbon isotope technique in this type of studies.


2018 ◽  
Vol 64 (No. 4) ◽  
pp. 156-163
Author(s):  
Wang Dapeng ◽  
Zheng Liang ◽  
Gu Songdong ◽  
Shi Yuefeng ◽  
Liang Long ◽  
...  

Excessive nitrogen (N) and water input, which are threatening the sustainability of conventional agriculture in the North China Plain (NCP), can lead to serious leaching of nitrate-N (NO<sub>3</sub><sup>–</sup>-N). This study evaluates grain yield, N and water consumption, NO<sub>3</sub><sup>–</sup>-N accumulation and leaching in conventional and two optimized winter wheat-summer maize double-cropping systems and an organic alfalfa-winter wheat cropping system. The results showed that compared to the conventional cropping system, the optimized systems could reduce N, water consumption and NO<sub>3</sub><sup>–</sup>-N leaching by 33, 35 and 67–74%, respectively, while producing nearly identical grain yields. In optimized systems, soil NO<sub>3</sub><sup>–</sup>-N accumulation within the root zone was about 80 kg N/ha most of the time. In the organic system, N input, water consumption and NO<sub>3</sub><sup>–</sup>-N leaching was reduced even more (by 71, 43 and 92%, respectively, compared to the conventional system). However, grain yield also declined by 46%. In the organic system, NO<sub>3</sub><sup>–</sup>-N accumulation within the root zone was generally less than 30 kg N/ha. The optimized systems showed a considerable potential to reduce N and water consumption and NO<sub>3</sub><sup>–</sup>-N leaching while maintaining high grain yields, and thus should be considered for sustainable agricultural development in the NCP.  


2019 ◽  
Vol 99 (1) ◽  
pp. 80-91 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy A. Pawlick ◽  
Claudia Wagner-Riddle ◽  
Gary W. Parkin ◽  
Aaron A. Berg

Agricultural ecosystems are one of the largest global contributors to nitrate (NO3−) contamination of surface- and groundwater through fertilizer application. Improved fertilizer practices are needed to manage crop nutrient supply in corn (Zea mays L.) while minimizing impacts to clean water reserves. The goal of this study was to compare current nitrogen (N) fertilizer practices (urea at planting) with “packages” of improved management practices (a combination of right timing and product) that farmers potentially use. We conducted measurements in a continuous corn system from November 2015 to May 2017 at a large field scale (four 4 ha plots). Nitrate concentration was measured below the root zone and drainage estimated using a soil water budget approach in which evapotranspiration was measured using the eddy covariance method. The objective was to compare NO3−-N leaching from fields receiving urea vs. urea + combination of nitrification and urease inhibitors (NUI) fertilizer applications at planting, urea–ammonium nitrate (UAN) vs. UAN + NUI applied at sidedress, and a combination of these practices: urea + NUI at planting vs. UAN at sidedress. Drainage was only significant in the non-growing season. Neither fertilizer products applied with NUI at planting or sidedress proved to significantly reduce NO3−-N leaching. The combination of delaying fertilization to sidedress and applying UAN significantly reduced the soil water NO3−-N concentration compared with urea + NUI at planting (mean of 5.2 vs. 6.7 mg L−1) but only in 2015–2016. Based on these results, applying UAN at sidedress is recommended, although additional study years are needed to confirm those results.


2013 ◽  
Vol 790 ◽  
pp. 202-205
Author(s):  
Hui Yan Gao ◽  
Lu Hua Yang ◽  
Tian Li ◽  
Zi Peng Guo

Soil moisture and nitrate nitrogen were measured respectively in planting area and non-planting area in RANZHUANG experiment station from 2011 to 2012. The effect of human activity on soil moisture and nitrate nitrogen was analyzed. The results show that soil moisture content varies from 8.61% to 30.09% within 0~250cm depth and is tended to be stable below 250cm deep layer in non-planting area. The distribution of soil nitrate nitrogen is a single peak curve, the peak moves downward at a speed of 0.81cm/d in percolation of rainfall. Soil moisture varies form 21.23% to 41.67% within 0~400cm depth and is tended to be stable below 400cm deep layer in planting area. Nitrate nitrogen is mainly accumulated at 0~100cm deep soil layer in the wheat growth period. In the maize growth period, the distribution of nitrate nitrogen is double peak curve in 0~500cm soil profile. The upper peak occurs at 40~100cm soil layer, the peak of nitrate nitrogen content is between 26.7~54.6mg/kg; the lower emerges at 150~260cm soil profile, the value is between 36.7~106.36mg/kg. Deep percolation of the nitrate nitrogen is obvious due to unreasonable irrigation and fertilization. The nitrate nitrogen content accounts for 52.3% of the total nitrate nitrogen below the root zone soil, which is a potential contamination source of groundwater.


1994 ◽  
Vol 119 (3) ◽  
pp. 427-433 ◽  
Author(s):  
C.A. Sanchez ◽  
R.L. Roth ◽  
B.R. Gardner

Six field studies were conducted from 1980-88 to evaluate the response of cabbage (Brassica oleracea L., Capitata group) to sprinkler irrigation and sprinkler-applied N fertilizer on a coarse-textured soil. The plots were irrigated using a modified self-moving lateral sprinkler irrigation system that applied five levels of water and five levels of N (liquid NH4NO3) in specified combinations of central composite rotatable design. Cabbage yields were significantly increased by water and N applications in all experiments. The N rates predicted for maximum yield exceeded typical cabbage N fertilizer recommendations. However, the above-average plant populations used in these studies resulted in above-average yields and plant N accumulation. Deficit and excess irrigation produced negative results. Generally, cabbage production was optimized and N losses to the environment were minimized when crops were irrigated for evapotranspiration (ET) replacement. However, even when irrigated for ET replacement, these data demonstrate the potential for N leaching at high N rates, presumably as a result of rainfall.


Revista CERES ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 59 (4) ◽  
pp. 466-475 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rafael Pivotto Bortolotto ◽  
Isabeli Pereira Bruno ◽  
Klaus Reichardt ◽  
Luís Carlos Timm ◽  
Telmo Jorge Carneiro Amado ◽  
...  

Nitrogen has a complex dynamics in the soil-plant-atmosphere system. N fertilizers are subject to chemical and microbial transformations in soils that can result in significant losses. Considering the cost of fertilizers, the adoption of good management practices like fertigation could improve the N use efficiency by crops. Water balances (WB) were applied to evaluate fertilizer N leaching using 15N labeled urea in west Bahia, Brazil. Three scenarios (2008/2009) were established: i) rainfall + irrigation the full year, ii) rainfall only; and iii) rainfall + irrigation only in the dry season. The water excess was considered equal to the deep drainage for the very flat area (runoff = 0) with a water table located several meters below soil surface (capillary rise = 0). The control volume for water balance calculations was the 0 - 1 m soil layer, considering that it involves the active root system. The water drained below 1 m was used to estimate fertilizer N leaching losses. WB calculations used the mathematic model of Penman-Monteith for evapotranspiration, considering the crop coefficient equal to unity. The high N application rate associated to the high rainfall plus irrigation was found to be the main cause for leaching, which values were 14.7 and 104.5 kg ha-1 for the rates 400 and 800 kg ha-1 of N, corresponding to 3.7 and 13.1 % of the applied fertilizer, respectively.


HortScience ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 429e-429
Author(s):  
K.M. Batal ◽  
M.R. Hall ◽  
D.M. Granberry ◽  
J.T. Garrett ◽  
D.R. Decoteau ◽  
...  

A vegetable production system using winter cover crops and N rates was evaluated for several years in Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. Snap bean, cucumber, tomato, potato, and sweetpotato crops were tested at different locations. Cover crop plots produced higher yields and better quality in all locations as seasons progressed over 4 years. Soil N levels in fallow, wheat, and clover plots were similar at initiation, but N gradually increased in clover plots in successive years. Yield and quality of root crops improved with Crimson clover without N applications compared to fallow plots with 60 kg N/ha. Effects on yield and tuber size are discussed. Nitrate and NH4-N in the soil profile from 15- to 150-cm depth were monitored at all locations. Nitrogen availability, depletion, and leaching below the root zone were determined. At low N rate, clover plots had slightly higher NO3 in the soil profile; however, at high N rate, N supply by clover was not as critical, and N leaching was detected at much lower depths than at low N rates.


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