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Soil Nitrate Concentrations under Corn as Affected by Tillage, Manure, and Fertilizer Applications
Author(s) -
Angle J. S.,
Gross C. M.,
Hill R. L.,
McIntosh M. S.
Publication year - 1993
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/jeq1993.00472425002200010018x
Subject(s) - tillage , leaching (pedology) , agronomy , fertilizer , nitrate , ammonium nitrate , manure , environmental science , conventional tillage , chemistry , soil water , soil science , biology , organic chemistry
A 3‐yr study was conducted to examine combination effects of tillage (no‐till, conventional‐till), manure, and inorganic fertilizer (ammonium nitrate) on leaching of nitrates from the root zone of corn ( Zea mays L.). Soil cores were collected every spring to a depth of 210 cm and analyzed for NO 3 ‐N. Leaching of NO 3 ‐N significantly increased as fertilizer N rates increased, especially when rates exceeded the crop's potential to assimilate N. The concentration of soil nitrate (averaged over depth and tillage) in Year 3 of the study under the unfertilized control plots was 2.5 mg NO 3 ‐N kg −1 , whereas the concentration under plots fertilized with 260 kg N ha −1 was 8.7 mg NO 3 ‐N kg −1 . Soil nitrate concentrations were consistently lower under no‐tillage when compared with conventional‐tillage. Tillage differences were greatest when high rates of N were added to soil. These results indicate that the use of no‐tillage cultivation may reduce the leaching of nitrates beyond the crop root zone.