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Nitrate Leaching Through Sandy Soil as Affected by Sprinkler Irrigation Management
Author(s) -
Hergert Gary W.
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
journal of environmental quality
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.888
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1537-2537
pISSN - 0047-2425
DOI - 10.2134/jeq1986.00472425001500030013x
Subject(s) - leaching (pedology) , irrigation , lysimeter , environmental science , agronomy , evapotranspiration , soil water , fertilizer , growing season , hydrology (agriculture) , soil science , geology , ecology , geotechnical engineering , biology
Nitrate‐N (NO 3 ) leaching losses were quantified for irrigated corn ( Zea mays L.) grown on a Valentine sand using a ceramic candle extraction system buried at 1.5‐m depth. Irrigation rates were 85% and 130% of evapotranspiration (ET). Total dry matter, grain yield and crop N uptake were not significantly affected by irrigation level. During the two year study average annual flow‐weighted NO 3 ‐N concentrations in extracted soil water ranged from 28.3 to 75.2 mg NO 3 ‐N L −1 for 0.85 and 1.3 ET irrigation levels, respectively. In 1976 the 0.85 ET treatment had 37 ha‐mm of soil water percolation and leaching of 12 kg NO 3 ‐N. The 1.3 ET treatment lost 191 ha‐mm of percolation and 75 kg NO 3 ‐N. In 1977 132 ha‐mm of soil water was lost by percolation and 109 kg NO 3 ‐N ha −1 for 0.85 ET and 182 ha‐mm and 146 kg NO 3 ‐N ha −1 for the 1.3 ET irrigation level. The higher soil water percolation and NO 3 ‐N losses in 1977 resulted from over‐winter precipitation and early spring leaching of the previous year's residual nitrate. In‐season NO 3 ‐N leaching was reduced by matching irrigation to ET. To effectively reduce NO 3 ‐N leaching N fertilizer rates must match crop yield requirements to reduce soil NO 3 ‐N carryover and irrigation scheduling must be used on sands.