An empirical model for estimating nitrate leaching as affected by crop type and the long-term N fertilizer rate

SUMMARYFew studies have investigated nitrogen (N) fertilizer management in no-tillage (NT) tobacco (Nicotiana tobacumL.) production systems, even though N fertilization is known to influence tobacco cured leaf yield and quality. The present study evaluated how tillage practice and N fertilizer rate affected burley tobacco agronomic performance, plant available nitrogen (PAN) supply, and leaf chemical constituents. In 2012 and 2013, three N fertilizer rates (0, 140 and 280 kg N/ha) were introduced as split-plots within a long-term NT and conventional tillage (CT) (mouldboard plough) comparison study. Results (2007–2013) showed that the effect of tillage on tobacco yield depended on seasonal weather; NT tobacco appeared to have lower yield than CT tobacco in seasons with <450 mm growing season rainfall, but similar yields when rainfall was >500 mm. In 2012 (432 mm rainfall; 84% of the long-term seasonal mean), leaf SPAD reading, leaf nitrate concentration, total nitrogen concentration at the topping day (i.e. removal of flowers/buds at the tops of the plants) and cured leaf nicotine and alkaloid content suggested that N deficiency was more pronounced in NT than CT at the lowest N fertilizer rate. The PAN supply, as measured by a modifiedin situresin core method, was similar in 2012 between NT and CT, suggesting that plant factors may have had a role in N uptake efficiency. This scenario did not repeat in 2013 (706 mm rainfall; 137% of the long-term seasonal mean). Even though N fertilization rates were identical for both tillage practices in 2012 and 2013, PAN was lower, on average, in 2012. Because N uptake is largely the result of mass flow, the impact of reduced root density in NT tobacco would be expected to be more pronounced in a season such as 2012, when water was limited. Banding N close to the tobacco root system and/or side-dressing some portion of N may be recommended strategies to improve N use efficiency in NT burley tobacco production.

Download Full-text

Extreme Weather Events Affect Agronomic Practices and Their Environmental Impact in Maize Cultivation

Applied Sciences ◽

10.3390/app11167352 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (16) ◽

pp. 7352

Author(s):

Monika Marković ◽

Jasna Šoštarić ◽

Marko Josipović ◽

Atilgan Atilgan

Keyword(s):

Grain Yield ◽

Nitrate Leaching ◽

Crop Production ◽

Weather Conditions ◽

N Fertilizer ◽

Soil N ◽

Fertilizer Rate ◽

Agronomic Practices ◽

N Level ◽

N Fertilizer Rate

Sustainable and profitable crop production has become a challenge due to frequent weather extremes, where unstable crop yields are often followed by the negative impacts of agronomic practices on the environment, i.e., nitrate leaching in irrigated and nitrogen (N)-fertilized crop production. To study this issue, a three-year field study was conducted during quite different growing seasons in terms of weather conditions, i.e., extremely wet, extremely dry, and average years. Over three consecutive years, the irrigation and N fertilizers rates were tested for their effect on grain yield and composition, i.e., protein, starch, and oil content of the maize hybrids; soil N level (%); and nitrate leaching. The results showed that the impact of the tested factors and their significance was year- or weather-condition-dependent. The grain yield result stood out during the extremely wet year, where the irrigation rate reduced the grain yield by 7.6% due to the stress caused by the excessive amount of water. In the remainder of the study, the irrigation rate expectedly increased the grain yield by 13.9% (a2) and 20.8% (a3) in the extremely dry year and 22.7% (a2) and 39.5% (a3) during the average year. Regardless of the weather conditions, the N fertilizer rate increased the grain yield and protein content. The soil N level showed a typical pattern, where the maximum levels were at the beginning of the study period and were higher as the N fertilizer rate was increased. Significant variations in the soil N level were found between weather conditions (r = −0.719) and N fertilizer rate (r = 0.401). Nitrate leaching losses were expectedly found for irrigation and N fertilizer treatments with the highest rates (a3b3 = 79.8 mg NO3− L).

Download Full-text

Corralling, planting density, and N fertilizer rate effect on soil properties, weed diversity, and maize yield

Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems ◽

10.1080/21683565.2018.1516264 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 43 (3) ◽

pp. 243-260

Author(s):

Nurudeen Abdul Rahman ◽

Asamoah Larbi ◽

Andrews Opoku ◽

Francis Marthy Tetteh ◽

Irmgard Hoeschle-Zeledon

Keyword(s):

Soil Properties ◽

Maize Yield ◽

Rate Effect ◽

N Fertilizer ◽

Planting Density ◽

Fertilizer Rate ◽

Weed Diversity ◽

N Fertilizer Rate

Download Full-text

An integrative influence of saline water irrigation and fertilization on the structure of soil bacterial communities

The Journal of Agricultural Science ◽

10.1017/s002185962000012x ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 157 (9-10) ◽

pp. 693-700

Author(s):

L. J. Chen ◽

C. S. Li ◽

Q. Feng ◽

Y. P. Wei ◽

Y. Zhao ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Irrigation Water ◽

Saline Water ◽

N Fertilizer ◽

Water Salinity ◽

Fertilizer Rate ◽

Irrigation Amount ◽

Soil Microbial ◽

Irrigation Water Salinity ◽

Soil Bacterial ◽

N Fertilizer Rate

AbstractAlthough numerous studies have investigated the individual effects of salinity, irrigation and fertilization on soil microbial communities, relatively less attention has been paid to their combined influences, especially using molecular techniques. Based on the field of orthogonal designed test and deoxyribonucleic acid sequencing technology, the effects of saline water irrigation amount, salinity level of irrigation water and nitrogen (N) fertilizer rate on soil bacterial community structure were investigated. The results showed that the irrigation amount was the most dominant factor in determining the bacterial richness and diversity, followed by the irrigation water salinity and N fertilizer rate. The values of Chao1 estimator, abundance-based coverage estimator and Shannon indices decreased with an increase in irrigation amount while increased and then decreased with an increase in irrigation water salinity and N fertilizer rate. The highest soil bacterial richness and diversity were obtained under the least irrigation amount (25 mm), medium irrigation water salinity (4.75 dS/m) and medium N fertilizer rate (350 kg/ha). However, different bacterial phyla were found to respond distinctively to these three factors: irrigation amount significantly affected the relative abundances of Proteobacteria and Chloroflexi; irrigation water salinity mostly affected the members of Actinobacteria, Gemmatimonadetes and Acidobacteria; and N fertilizer rate mainly influenced the Bacteroidetes' abundance. The results presented here revealed that the assessment of soil microbial processes under combined irrigation and fertilization treatments needed to be more careful as more variable consequences would be established by comparing with the influences based on an individual factor, such as irrigation amount or N fertilizer rate.

Download Full-text

Long-term straw management and N fertilizer rate effects on quantity and quality of organic C and N and some chemical properties in two contrasting soils in Western Canada

Biology and Fertility of Soils ◽

10.1007/s00374-011-0587-8 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 47 (7) ◽

pp. 785-800 ◽

Cited By ~ 42

Author(s):

Sukhdev S. Malhi ◽

Marvin Nyborg ◽

Elston D. Solberg ◽

Brian McConkey ◽

Miles Dyck ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Chemical Properties ◽

Western Canada ◽

Fertilizer Rate ◽

Organic C ◽

Straw Management ◽

Rate Effects ◽

C And N ◽

N Fertilizer Rate

Download Full-text

Fertilization Rate and Growth of `Hamlin' Orange Trees Related to Preplant Leaf Nitrogen Levels in the Nursery

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.31.4.613e ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 31 (4) ◽

pp. 613e-614

Author(s):

Laura Guazzelli ◽

Frederick S. Davies ◽

James J. Ferguson

Keyword(s):

N Fertilizer ◽

Soil Nitrate ◽

Growth Responses ◽

Fertilizer Rate ◽

Trunk Diameter ◽

Nitrate N ◽

N Concentration ◽

Leaf N Concentration ◽

N Fertilizer Rate ◽

Leaf N

Our objectives were to determine if leaf N concentration in citrus nursery trees affected subsequent growth responses to fertilization for the first 2 years after planting and how N fertilizer rate affected soil nitrate-N concentration. `Hamlin' orange [Citrus sinensis (L.) Osb.] trees on `Swingle' citrumelo rootstock [C. paradisi Macf. × P. trifoliata (L.) Raf.] were purchased from commercial nurseries and grown in the greenhouse at differing N rates. Three to five months later trees were separated into three groups (low, medium, high) based on leaf N concentration and planted in the field in Oct. 1992 (Expt. 1) or Apr. 1993 (Expt. 2). Trees were fertilized with granular material (8N–2.6P–6.6K) with N at 0 to 0.34 kg/tree yearly. Soil nitrate-N levels were also determined in Expt. 2. Preplant leaf N concentration in the nursery varied from 1.4% to 4.1% but had no effect on trunk diameter, height, shoot growth, and number or dry weight in year 1 (Expt. 1) or years 1 and 2 (Expt. 2) in the field. Similarly, N fertilizer rate had no effect on growth during year 1 in the field. However, trunk diameter increased with increasing N rate in year 2 and reached a maximum with N at 0.17 kg/tree yearly. Shoot number during the second growth flush in year 2 was much lower for nonfertilized vs. fertilized trees. Leaf N concentrations increased during the season for trees with initially low levels even for trees receiving low fertilizer rates. Soil nitrate-N levels were highest at the 0.34-kg rate, and lowest at the 0.11-kg rate. Nitrate-N levels decreased rapidly in the root zone within 2 to 3 weeks of fertilizing.

Download Full-text

Evaluation of Poultry Litter and Organic Fertilizer Rate and Source for Production of Organic Short-day Onions

HortTechnology ◽

10.21273/horttech.20.2.304 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 20 (2) ◽

pp. 304-307 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

George E. Boyhan ◽

Ray J. Hicks ◽

Reid L. Torrance ◽

Cliff M. Riner ◽

C. Randell Hill

Keyword(s):

Allium Cepa ◽

Organic Fertilizer ◽

Poultry Litter ◽

N Fertilizer ◽

Fertilizer Rate ◽

Linear Effect ◽

Short Day ◽

Application Rates ◽

N Fertilizer Rate

In a 3-year study of poultry litter applications on short-day onion (Allium cepa) production, where rates ranged from 0 to 10 tons/acre, there was an increasing linear effect on total onion yield. Jumbo (≥3 inches diameter) onion yield did not differ with increasing poultry application rates, while medium (≥2 and <3 inches diameter) yields decreased with increasing applications of poultry litter. In addition, organic-compliant fertilizers, 4N–0.9P–2.5K at 150 to 250 lb/acre nitrogen (N), as well as 13N–0P–0K at 150 lb/acre N and in combination with 9N–0P–7.5K totaling 150 lb/acre N were evaluated. Comparison of these commercial organic-compliant fertilizers indicated that there were no differences in total or jumbo yields, while medium yields generally decreased with increased N fertilizer rate.

Download Full-text