Growing Season Nitrous Oxide Emissions from a Gray Luvisol as a Function of Long-term Fertilization History and Crop Rotation

Drury, C. F., Reynolds, W. D., Tan, C. S., McLaughlin, N. B., Yang, X. M., Calder, W., Oloya, T. O. and Yang, J. Y. 2014. Impacts of 49–51 years of years of fertilization and crop rotation on growing season nitrous oxide emissions, nitrogen uptake and corn yields. Can. J. Soil Sci. 94: 421–433. A field study was established in 1959 to evaluate the effects of fertilization and crop rotation on crop yields, soil and environmental quality on a Brookston clay loam. There were two fertilizer treatments (fertilized and not-fertilized) and six cropping treatments including continuous corn (CC), continuous Kentucky bluegrass sod and a 4-yr rotation of corn–oat–alfalfa–alfalfa with each phase present each year. We measured N2O emissions, inorganic N and plant N uptake over three growing seasons (2007–2009) in the corn phase. Nitrous oxide emissions varied over the 3 yr as a result of the seasonal variation in precipitation quantity, intensity and timing and differences in crop growth and N uptake. Fertilized CC lost, on average, 7.36 kg N ha−1 by N2O emissions, whereas the not-fertilized CC lost only 0.51 kg N ha−1. Fertilized rotation corn (RC) lost 6.46 kg N ha−1, which was 12% lower than fertilized CC. The not-fertilized RC, on the other hand, emitted about half as much N2O (2.95 kg N ha−1) as the fertilized RC. Fertilized RC had corn grain yields that averaged 10.0 t ha−1 over the 3 yr followed by fertilized CC at 5.48 t ha−1. Not-fertilized RC corn had yields that were 61% lower (3.93 t ha−1) than fertilized RC, whereas the not-fertilized CC had yields that were 75% lower (1.39 t ha−1) than fertilized CC. Nitrous oxide emissions were found to be dramatically affected by long-term management practices and crop rotation had lower emissions in the corn phase of the rotation even though the N input from fertilizer addition and legume N fixation was greater. These N2O emission and yield results were due to both factors that are traditionally used to describe these processes as well as long-term soil quality factors, which were created by the long-term management (i.e., soil organic carbon, soil physical parameters such as bulk density, and porosity, soil fauna and micro-flora) and that influenced crop growth, N uptake and soil water contents.

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Short-term effects of tillage of long-term no-till on nitrous oxide emissions from two contrasting Canadian prairie soils

Canadian Journal of Soil Science ◽

10.1139/cjss-2020-0033 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 100 (4) ◽

pp. 453-462

Author(s):

B.M.R. Shahidi ◽

M. Dyck ◽

S.S. Malhi ◽

D. Puurveen

Keyword(s):

Nitrous Oxide ◽

Growing Season ◽

N Fertilizer ◽

Nitrous Oxide Emissions ◽

Soil N ◽

Canadian Prairie ◽

Prairie Soils ◽

No Till ◽

Gray Luvisol

The reduction in net CO2 emissions from increased carbon sequestration in soil and slower decomposition of soil organic matter under most long-term no-till (NT) situations can potentially be offset by a concomitant increase in nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions after tillage reversal on long-term NT soils. The objective of this work was to quantify N2O emissions after tillage reversal on two contrasting western Canadian Prairie soils managed under long-term (∼30 yr) NT. We measured one growing season (2010) of soil N2O emissions on a Black Chernozem and Gray Luvisol at Ellerslie and Breton, AB, respectively, following 30 yr of NT and N fertilizer application at two rates (0 and 100 kg N ha−1) subjected to tillage reversal and no disturbance (i.e., continuing NT). Tillage reversal after long-term NT was associated with higher N2O emissions in both soils but was significant only in the Gray Luvisol with 0 kg N ha−1. Long-term N fertilizer applications of 100 kg N ha−1 were associated with higher growing season soil N2O emissions and higher levels of soil N (i.e., a positive, long-term soil N balance) at both sites. Regardless of tillage, the difference in growing season nitrous oxide emissions from the 0 and 100 kg N ha−1 plots on the Gray Luvisol were much greater than the Black Chernozem. A modest increase in N2O emissions upon tillage reversal on a long-term NT soils could translate to a significant increase to agricultural greenhouse gas inventories in the event of large-scale tillage reversal on agricultural land in western Canada.

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Contribution of crop residue, soil, and fertilizer nitrogen to nitrous oxide emissions varies with long-term crop rotation and tillage

The Science of The Total Environment ◽

10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145107 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 767 ◽

pp. 145107

Author(s):

Pedro Vitor Ferrari Machado ◽

Richard E. Farrell ◽

William Deen ◽

R. Paul Voroney ◽

Katelyn A. Congreves ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Nitrous Oxide ◽

Crop Rotation ◽

Crop Residue ◽

Nitrous Oxide Emissions ◽

Fertilizer Nitrogen

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Soil nitrous oxide emissions as affected by long-term tillage, cropping systems and nitrogen fertilization in Southern Brazil

Soil and Tillage Research ◽

10.1016/j.still.2014.10.011 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 146 ◽

pp. 213-222 ◽

Cited By ~ 50

Author(s):

Cimélio Bayer ◽

Juliana Gomes ◽

Josiléia Accordi Zanatta ◽

Frederico Costa Beber Vieira ◽

Marisa de Cássia Piccolo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Nitrous Oxide ◽

Nitrogen Fertilization ◽

Cropping Systems ◽

Nitrous Oxide Emissions ◽

Southern Brazil

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Soil properties after 36 years of N fertilization under continuous corn and corn-soybean management

10.5194/soil-2021-26 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Nakian Kim ◽

Gevan D. Behnke ◽

María B. Villamil

Keyword(s):

Soil Properties ◽

Crop Rotation ◽

Crop Yields ◽

Inorganic Nitrogen ◽

Block Design ◽

N Fertilization ◽

Total Carbon ◽

Nitrous Oxide Emissions ◽

Continuous Corn

Abstract. Modern agricultural systems rely on inorganic nitrogen (N) fertilization to enhance crop yields, but its overuse may negatively affect soil properties. Our objective was to investigate the effect of long-term N fertilization on key soil properties under continuous corn [Zea mays L.] (CCC) and both the corn (Cs) and soybean [Glycine max L. Merr.] (Sc) phases of a corn-soybean rotation. Research plots were established in 1981 with treatments arranged as a split-plot design in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The main plot was crop rotation (CCC, Cs, and Sc), and the subplots were N fertilizer rates of 0 kg N ha−1 (N0, controls), and 202 kg N ha−1, and 269 kg N ha−1 (N202, and N269, respectively). After 36 years and within the CCC, the yearly addition of N269 compared to unfertilized controls significantly increased cation exchange capacity (CEC, 65 % higher under N269) and acidified the top 15 cm of the soil (pH 4.8 vs. pH 6.5). Soil organic matter (SOM) and total carbon stocks (TCs) were not affected by treatments, yet water aggregate stability (WAS) decreased by 6.7 % within the soybean phase of the CS rotation compared to CCC. Soil bulk density (BD) decreased with increased fertilization by 5 % from N0 to N269. Although ammonium (NH4+) did not differ by treatments, nitrate (NO3−) increased eight-fold with N269 compared to N0, implying increased nitrification. Soils of unfertilized controls under CCC have over twice the available phosphorus level (P) and 40 % more potassium (K) than the soils of fertilized plots (N202 and N269). On average, corn yields increased 60 % with N fertilization compared to N0. Likewise, under N0, rotated corn yielded 45 % more than CCC; the addition of N (N202 and N269) decreased the crop rotation benefit to 17 %. Our results indicated that due to the increased level of corn residues returned to the soil in fertilized systems, long-term N fertilization improved WAS and BD, yet not SOM, at the cost of significant soil acidification and greater risk of N leaching and increased nitrous oxide emissions.

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Spring thaw and growing season N2O emissions from a field planted with edible peas and a cover crop

Canadian Journal of Soil Science ◽

10.4141/cjss06035 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 88 (2) ◽

pp. 241-249 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Elizabeth Pattey ◽

Lynda G Blackburn ◽

Ian B. Strachan ◽

Ray Desjardins ◽

Dave Dow

Keyword(s):

Nitrous Oxide ◽

Diode Laser ◽

Cover Crop ◽

Growing Season ◽

Dairy Manure ◽

Cattle Manure ◽

Tunable Diode Laser ◽

Nitrous Oxide Emissions ◽

Manure Application ◽

Continuous Measurements

Nitrous oxide emissions are highly episodic and to accurately quantify them annually, continuous measurements are required. A tower-based micrometeorological measuring system was used on a commercial cattle farm near Cô teau-du-Lac, (QC, Canada) during 2003 and 2004 to quantify N2O emissions associated with the production of edible peas. It was equipped with an ultrasonic anemometer and a fast-response closed-path tunable diode laser. Continuous measurements of N2O fluxes were made during the spring thaw following corn cultivation in summer 2002, then during an edible pea growing season, followed by cattle manure application, cover crop planting and through until after the next spring ploughing. The cumulative N2O emissions of 0.7 kg N2O-N ha-1 during the initial snowmelt period following corn harvest were lower than expected. Sustained and small N2O emissions totalling 1.7 kg N2O-N ha-1 were observed during the growing season of the pea crop. Solid cattle manure applied after the pea harvest generated the largest N2O emissions (1.9 kg N2O-N ha-1 over 10 d) observed during the entire sampling period. N2O emissions associated with the cover crop in the fall were mostly influenced by manure application and totalled 0.8 kg N2O-N ha-1. For the subsequent spring thaw period, N2O emissions were 0.8 kg N2O-N ha-1. This represents approximately 15% of the annual emissions for the edible pea-cover crop system, which totalled 5.6 kg N2O-N ha-1 over the measuring periods. There was little difference in spring thaw N2O emissions between the two growing seasons of corn and edible pea-cover crop. Key words: Nitrous oxide emissions, legumes, snowmelt, dairy manure, tunable diode laser, flux tower

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