Water and Nitrogen Budget Dynamics for a Maize-Peanut Rotation in Florida

2020 ◽  
Vol 63 (6) ◽  
pp. 2003-2020
Author(s):  
Maria I. Zamora Re ◽  
Sagarika Rath ◽  
Michael D. Dukes ◽  
Wendy Graham

HighlightsDSSAT simulations of final N uptake, biomass, and yield for a maize-peanut rotational field experiment with three irrigation treatments and three N fertilizer rates had good performance for the irrigated treatments (average nRMSE of 9%) but greater error for the rainfed treatments (average nRMSE of 15%).Experiments and DSSAT simulations demonstrated that N fertilizer and irrigation applications were reduced by 26% and 60%, respectively, when using a 247 kg N ha-1 fertilizer rate and a sensor-based irrigation schedule rather than conventional practices of 336 kg N ha-1 and a calendar-based irrigation method, with no impact on yield.Simulations demonstrated that N leaching during the crop rotation was reduced by 37% when an N fertilizer rate of 247 kg N ha-1 and sensor-based irrigation scheduling were used versus conventional practices.Soil N increased (=15 mg kg-1) when maize and peanut residues decayed and then leached during the fallow season. Cover or cash crops planted immediately after the maize and peanut harvests have potential to take up this N and reduce leaching.Abstract. Nitrogen (N) is an essential element for crop growth and yield; however, excessive N applications not taken up by crops can result in N leaching from the root zone, increasing N loads to waterbodies and leading to a host of environmental problems. The main objective of this study was to simulate water and N balances for a maize-peanut (Zea mays L. and Arachis hypogaea L.) rotational field experiment with three irrigation treatments and three N fertilizer rates. The irrigation treatments consisted of mimicking grower irrigation practices in the region (GROW), using soil moisture sensors to schedule irrigation (SMS), and non-irrigated (NON). The N fertilizer rates were low, medium, and high (157, 247, and 336 kg N ha-1, respectively) for maize with a constant 17 kg ha-1 for all peanut treatments. DSSAT maize genetic coefficients were calibrated using the SMS-high treatment combination under the assumption of no water or N stress. The other eight treatment combinations were used as independent data for model validation of the crop coefficients. All soil hydrologic parameters were specified based on measured values, and default DSSAT peanut genetic coefficients were used with no calibration. For the irrigated treatments, DSSAT models had good performance for N uptake, biomass, and yield (average nRMSE of 8%) and moderate performance for soil water content (average nRMSE of 18%). Soil nitrate RMSE was 21% lower than the standard deviation of the observed data (5.8 vs. 7.2 mg kg-1). For the rainfed treatments, DSSAT had greater error (average nRMSE of 15% for N uptake, biomass, and yield, and average nRMSE of 31% for soil water). Soil nitrate RMSE was 11% greater than the standard deviation of the observed data (8.0 vs. 7.2 mg kg-1), and nRMSE was >30% during the crop rotation. Simulations estimated that N leaching over the crop rotation was reduced by 24% on average when using the 247 kg N ha-1 fertilizer rate compared to 336 kg N ha-1 across the irrigation treatments. Furthermore, N leaching was reduced by 37% when using SMS to schedule irrigation and the 247 kg N ha-1 fertilizer rate for maize and 17 kg N ha-1 for peanut compared to conventional practices (GROW and 336 kg N ha-1 for maize and 17 kg N ha-1 for peanut). Moreover, this management practice reduced N fertilizer use by 26% and irrigation water use by up to 60% without negative impacts on yield. Observed and simulated soil N increased during maize and peanut residue decay, with simulations estimating that this soil N would leach below the root zone during the fallow season. This leaching could potentially be reduced if a cover crop or cash crop were planted between the maize and peanut crops to take up the mineralized N. Keywords: Agricultural best management practices, Bare fallow, BMPs, Maize-peanut rotation, N balance, N fertilization, N leaching, Sandy soils, Sensor-based irrigation scheduling, Water balance.

2001 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 22-29 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Kuo ◽  
B. Huang ◽  
R. Bembenek

Biculture of nonlegumes and legumes could serve as cover crops for increasing main crop yield, while reducing NO3leaching. This study, conducted from 1994 to 1999, determined the effect of monocultured cereal rye (Secale cereale L.), annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum), and hairy vetch (Vicia villosa), and bicultured rye/vetch and ryegrass/vetch on N availability in soil, corn (Zea mays L.) yield, and NO3-N leaching in a silt loam soil. The field had been in corn and cover crop rotation since 1987. In addition to the cover crop treatments, there were four N fertilizer rates (0, 67, 134, and 201 kg N ha-1, referred to as N0, N1, N2, and N3, respectively) applied to corn. The experiment was a randomized split-block design with three replications for each treatment. Lysimeters were installed in 1987 at 0.75 m below the soil surface for leachate collection for the N0, N2, and N3treatments. The result showed that vetch monoculture had the most influence on soil N availability and corn yield, followed by the bicultures. Rye or ryegrass monoculture had either no effect or an adverse effect on corn yield and soil N availability. Leachate NO3-N concentration was highest where vetch cover crop was planted regardless of N rates, which suggests that N mineralization of vetch N continued well into the fall and winter. Leachate NO3-N concentration increased with increasing N fertilizer rates and exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s drinking water standard of 10 mg N l�1 even at recommended N rate for corn in this region (coastal Pacific Northwest). In comparisons of the average NO3-N concentration during the period of high N leaching, monocultured rye and ryegrass or bicultured rye/vetch and ryegrass/vetch very effectively decreased N leaching in 1998 with dry fall weather. The amount of N available for leaching (determined based on the presidedress nitrate test, the amount of N fertilizer applied, and N uptake) correlated well with average NO3-N during the high N leaching period for vetch cover crop treatment and for the control without the cover crops. The correlation, however, failed for other cover crops largely because of variable effectiveness of the cover crops in reducing NO3leaching during the 5 years of this study. Further research is needed to determine if relay cover crops planted into standing summer crops is a more appropriate approach than fall seeding in this region to gain sufficient growth of the cover crop by fall. Testing with other main crops that have earlier harvest dates than corn is also needed to further validate the effectiveness of the bicultures to increase soil N availability while protecting the water quality.


HortScience ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 981C-981 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lincoln Zotarelli ◽  
Johannes Scholberg ◽  
Michael Dukes ◽  
Hannah Snyder ◽  
Rafael Munoz-Carpena ◽  
...  

Several practices have been adopted to minimize water use and potential N leaching of vegetable production systems, including use of drip irrigation, plastic mulch, and fertigation. However, these practices may not be adequate on sandy soils with poor water and nutrient retention capacities. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the interactive effects of irrigation practices and fertilizer rates on yield, fertilizer requirements, and N-leaching of pepper and tomato production systems. Bell pepper and tomato were planted on plastic mulched to evaluate the effects of three nitrogen (N) fertilizer rates (154, 192, 288 kg·ha -1 N for pepper vs. 166, 208, and 312 kg·ha-1 N for tomato) and three irrigation scheduling methods were evaluated. Depending on sensor readings, soil moisture sensor (SMS) irrigation treatments allowed up to five watering events per day where as for the fixed duration treatment irrigation was applied once a day. For tomato, the effect of subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) was also evaluated. Compared to TIME, use of SMS control system reduced water use by 29& to 44% and 37% to 66% for tomato and pepper, respectively. Tomato yield was significantly higher on SMS and SDI treatments compared to TIME treatments. For pepper yield and biomass accumulation were not affected by irrigation treatments. The average yields were 24.6 and 27.8 Mg·ha-1 of fresh marketable fruits for pepper and tomato, respectively. Nitrogen rate did not affect yield and optimal yield N rate did not affect yield for either crop. On average, SMS treatments increased irrigation water use efficiency 2–3 times compared to TIME treatments for both tomato and pepper.


2012 ◽  
Vol 92 (7) ◽  
pp. 1389-1401
Author(s):  
R. E. Karamanos ◽  
F. Selles ◽  
D. C. James ◽  
F. C. Stevenson

Karamanos, R. E., Selles, F., James, D. C. and Stevenson, F. C. 2012. Nitrogen management of fallow crops in Canadian prairie soils. Can. J. Plant Sci. 92: 1389–1401. The ability of fallow to supply nitrogen (N) to crops has been questioned, particularly for crops with greater N requirements. A study was conducted to determine canola (Brassica napus L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) responses to a range of N fertilizer rates (0–75 kg N ha−1 for canola and 0–50 kg N ha−1 for wheat) at 17 fallow sites across Saskatchewan and Alberta, Canada, from 2003 to 2005. Yield and N uptake responses to progressively greater N fertilizer rates were curvilinear for both crops. Maximum yield occurred with 76 kg N ha−1 for canola yield (2190 kg ha−1) and 47 kg N ha−1 for wheat (2910 kg ha−1). Maximum N uptake occurred at about 90 kg N ha−1 for both crops. Wheat grain yield and N uptake responses were mostly associated with normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) at anthesis or flag leaf, whereas canola yields and N uptake were most associated with NDVI at five-leaf or bolting, or Cardy Nitrate meter at bolting. The preceding relationships were most apparent at the highest N fertilizer rates. Canola and wheat water use were not affected by N fertilizer rate, but water use efficiency increased linearly for both crops as N fertilizer rate was increased.


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.


Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 740
Author(s):  
Ken Okamoto ◽  
Shinkichi Goto ◽  
Toshihiko Anzai ◽  
Shotaro Ando

Fertilizer application during sugarcane cultivation is a main source of nitrogen (N) loads to groundwater on small islands in southwestern Japan. The aim of this study was to quantify the effect of reducing the N fertilizer application rate on sugarcane yield, N leaching, and N balance. We conducted a sugarcane cultivation experiment with drainage lysimeters and different N application rates in three cropping seasons (three years). N loads were reduced by reducing the first N application rate in all cropping seasons. The sugarcane yields of the treatment to which the first N application was halved (T2 = 195 kg ha−1 N) were slightly lower than those of the conventional application (T1 = 230 kg ha−1 N) in the first and third seasons (T1 = 91 or 93 tons ha−1, T2 = 89 or 87 tons ha−1). N uptake in T1 and T2 was almost the same in seasons 1 (186–188 kg ha−1) and 3 (147–151 kg ha−1). Based on the responses of sugarcane yield and N uptake to fertilizer reduction in two of the three years, T2 is considered to represent a feasible fertilization practice for farmers. The reduction of the first N fertilizer application reduced the underground amounts of N loads (0–19 kg ha−1). However, application of 0 N in the first fertilization would lead to a substantial reduction in yield in all seasons. Reducing the amount of N in the first application (i.e., replacing T1 with T2) improved N recovery by 9.7–11.9% and reduced N leaching by 13 kg ha−1. These results suggest that halving the amount of N used in the first application can improve N fertilizer use efficiency and reduce N loss to groundwater.


2012 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 257
Author(s):  
Adrien N. Dayegamiye ◽  
Judith Nyiraneza ◽  
Johann K. Whalen ◽  
Michèle Grenier ◽  
Anne Drapeau

<p>Growing soybean (<em>Glycine max L.)</em> prior to corn (<em>Zea mays</em> L) can enhance corn grain and nitrogen (N) use efficiency compared to continuous corn. This two year study (2007-2008) was conducted at 62 sites in Quebec (Eastern Canada) to assess the effect of crop rotations [soybean-corn, soybean-wheat (<em>Triticum aestivum</em> L.,)-corn and corn-corn] on corn yield, N uptake, N fertilizer efficiency (NFE), and the economic optimum N rate (EONR). Plots within each crop rotation received N fertilizer rates from 0 to 250 kg N ha<sup>-1</sup> to assess the N contribution from the preceding soybean crop. Corn grain yields ranged from 8.4 to 10.8 Mg ha<sup>-1</sup> and were lower in continuous corn than in the crop rotations. Corn N uptake and NFE varied from 89 to 164 kg N ha<sup>-1</sup> and from 45 to 80 kg grain per kg N fertilizer, respectively. A significant interaction of crop rotation and year on corn N uptake and NFE was obtained implying that annual variations influenced soil N supply. The EONR for corn was lower under crop rotations than continuous corn in 2008 only. No difference in corn yield, NFE and EONR was observed for soybean-corn and soybean-wheat-corn crop sequences. In conclusion, crop rotations including soybean increased soil N availability and reduced EONR from 32 to 45 kg ha<sup>-1</sup> for corn grown in 2008.</p>


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucas Anjos Souza ◽  
Rafael Tavares

High crop yields are generally associated with high nitrogen (N) fertilizer rates. A growing tendency that is urgently demanding the adoption of precision technologies that manage N more efficiently, combined with the advances of crop genetics to meet the needs of sustainable farm systems. Among the plant traits, stem architecture has been of paramount importance to enhance harvest index in the cereal crops. Nonetheless, the reduced stature also brought undesirable effect, such as poor N-uptake, which has led to the overuse of N fertilizer. Therefore, a better understanding of how N signals modulate the initial and late stages of stem development might uncover novel semi-dwarf alleles without pleiotropic effects. Our attempt here is to review the most recent advances on this topic.


2015 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. e0303 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saulius Guzys ◽  
Stefanija Miseviciene

<p>Inappropriate use of nitrogen fertilisers is becoming a global problem; however, continuous fertilisation with N fertiliser ensures large and constant harvests. To evaluate the relationships of differently fertilised cultivated plant rotation with N metabolism in the agroecosystem the research was conducted between 2006 and 2013 at Lipliūnai, Lithuania, in fields with calcareous gley brown soil, <em>i.e.</em> <em>Endocalcari Endohypogleyic Cambisol</em> (<em>CMg-n-w-can</em>). The research area covered three drained plots where crop rotation of differently fertilised cereals and perennial grasses were applied. The greatest productivity was found in a higher fertilisation (TII, 843 kg N/ha) cereals crop rotation. With less fertilisation (TI, 540 kg N/ha) crop rotation productivity of cereals and perennial grasses (TIII, 218 kg N/ha) was 11-35% lower. The highest amount of mineral soil N (average 76 kg/ha) was found in TI. It was influenced by fertilisation (<em>r</em>=0.71) and crop productivity (<em>r</em>=0.39). TIII tended to reduce N<sub>min</sub> (12.1 mg/L) and N<sub>total</sub> (12.8 mg/L) concentrations in drainage water and leaching of these elements (7 and 8 kg/ha). N<sub>min</sub> and N<sub>total</sub> concentrations in the water depended on crop productivity respectively (<em>r</em>=0.48; <em>r</em>=0.36), quantity of mineral soil N (<em>r</em>=0.65; <em>r</em>=0.59), fertilisation (<em>r</em>=0.59; <em>r</em>=0.52), and N balance (<em>r</em>=0.26; <em>r</em>=0.35). Cereal crop rotation increased N leaching by 12-42%. The use of all crop rotations resulted in a negative N balance. Nitrogen balance depended on fertilisation with N fertiliser (<em>r</em>=0.55). The application of perennial grasses crop rotation in agricultural fields was the best environmental tool, reducing N migration to drainage.</p>


2010 ◽  
Vol 90 (5) ◽  
pp. 655-666 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Gan ◽  
A M Johnston ◽  
J D Knight ◽  
C. McDonald ◽  
C. Stevenson

Understanding N dynamics in relation to cultural practices may help optimize N management in annual legume crops. This study was conducted at six environsites (location × year combinations) in southern Saskatchewan, 2004-2006, to quantify N uptake, N2 fixation, and N balance in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) in relation to cultivar choice, cropping systems, rhizobial inoculation, and soil N fertility. The cultivars Amit, CDC Anna, CDC Frontier, and CDC Xena were grown at N fertilizer rates of 0, 28, 56, 84, and 112 kg N ha-1 with no Rhizobium and at 0, 28, and 84 kg N ha-1 combined with Rhizobium inoculation, evaluated in both conventional tilled-fallow and continuously cropped no-till systems. Flax was used as a non-N-fixing reference crop. The cultivar CDC Xena had the lowest yield (1.57 Mg ha-1) and seed N uptake (54.4 kg N ha-1), with N use efficiency (NUE, 13.2 kg seed N kg-1) being 17% less than the average of the other cultivars. Consequently, N balance (N input via fertilizer and N-fixation minus N exported) was -32.4 kg N ha-1 for CDC Xena and less negative than the average of the other cultivars (-39.8 kg N ha-1). Inoculated chickpea took up 10 kg ha-1 more N into the seed and 5 kg ha-1 more N into the straw than chickpea that was not inoculated. The amount of N fixed as a percentage of total N uptake was 15% for non-inoculated chickpea and 29% for inoculated chickpea, resulting in negative N balance regardless of cropping system. Increasing N fertilizer rates decreased NUE, with the rate of decrease being greater for non-inoculated chickpea compared with inoculated chickpea. We conclude that optimum productivity of chickpea can be achieved with application of effective Rhizobium inoculants, and that best N management practices must be adopted in the succeeding crops due to a large negative N balance after a chickpea crop.Key words: Chickpea, Cicer arietinum, N fertilizer, N2 fixation, Rhizobium inoculants, N balance, nitrogen use efficiency, N uptake


2012 ◽  
Vol 92 (2) ◽  
pp. 341-349 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. E. Karamanos ◽  
N. A. Flore ◽  
J. T. Harapiak ◽  
F. C. Stevenson

Karamanos, R. E., Flore, N. A., Harapiak, J. T. and Stevenson, F. C. 2012. The effect of non-targeted application of propiconazole on the yield and quality of malt barley. Can. J. Plant Sci. 92: 341–349. There is a desire to use non-targeted applications of foliar fungicide to improve malting barley production under higher fertility situations. An experiment was conducted at 80 sites (location by year combinations) with a 12 combinations of N/P/K rate-placement to determine if applications of propiconazole improve malt barley yield and quality under high fertility conditions. Treatment differences for days to maturity were no greater than about 1 d. Fungicide by fertility treatment interactions were not significant (P>0.05). Applications of propiconazole improved yield by 305 kg ha−1 (6%) and plump kernels by 3 g kg−1 (3%) across all fertility treatments, which included N fertilizer rates ranging from 0 to 90 kg N ha−1. The effect of fungicide on yield was greatest at sites with highest yield potentials (ca. 8000 kg ha−1) and was not statistically significant at lower-yielding sites (ca. 3000 kg ha−1). Application of propiconazole also improved net returns [barley revenue – (N cost+propiconazole cost+other operating costs)] by $22 ha−1 with higher barley priced ($190 T−1) and high yield potentials. At sites with low yield potential, the application of propiconazole resulted in net losses of about $7 ha−1 compared with not applying propiconazole. Nitrogen fertilizer rates from 0 to 90 kg N ha−1 (15/30-0 P-K fertilizer treatment combinations) increased yield and protein concentration, and reduced plump kernels in a curvilinear fashion when averaged across fungicide treatments. Net returns were maximized at N fertilizer rates slightly less than 90 kg N ha−1, depending on the price/cost regime. Consequently, malt barley producers will have to consider tradeoffs regarding N fertilizer rate that optimizes yield/returns and kernel quality. Also, decisions regarding fungicide applications and N/P/K fertilizer rate-placement applications can be made independent of each other for malt barley production.


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