scholarly journals Robotic urine-patch treatment and effluent application - technology to support intensification of New Zealand dairy farming while protecting the environment

2013 ◽  
pp. 125-130
Author(s):  
G. Bates ◽  
B.F. Quin
Keyword(s):  
Nitrate Leaching ◽  
Dairy Farming ◽  
Urease Inhibitors ◽  
Rapid Intensification ◽  
Application Technology ◽  
N Losses ◽  
N Application ◽  
Milk Contamination ◽  
Urine Patch ◽  
Gaseous N Losses

The need to minimise nitrate leaching and gaseous N losses from dairy farming is increasing; simultaneously dairy farming is undergoing rapid intensification. Robotic targeted application of nitrification and/or urease inhibitors is proposed as a route to addressing the "urine-patch" issue without risking milk contamination. This paper demonstrates a new robotic product under development and scheduled for commercial release for the 2015/2016 dairy season. The paper then discusses two developments of the product that will enable (i) highly-efficient fluidised-N application, and (ii) effluent application. These new products have the potential to greatly reduce nitrate leaching and gaseous N losses from dairy farming. Keywords: robotic urine-patch treatment, nitrogen (N) losses, N inhibitors, effluent management, robotic effluent spreading, robotic fertiliser spreading

scholarly journals Nitrogen Release in Soils Amended with Different Organic and Inorganic Fertilizers under Contrasting Moisture Regimes: A Laboratory Incubation Study

Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 2163
Author(s):  
Shihab Uddin ◽  
Mohammad Rafiqul Islam ◽  
Mohammad Mofizur Rahman Jahangir ◽  
Mohammad Mojibur Rahman ◽  
Sabry Hassan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Type ◽  
N Mineralization ◽  
Poultry Manure ◽  
Order Kinetic ◽  
Strongly Correlated ◽  
N Losses ◽  
N Application ◽  
Moisture Regimes ◽  
N Release ◽  
Gaseous N Losses

Understanding nitrogen (N) release patterns and kinetics is a key challenge for improving N use efficiency in any agroecosystem. An incubation experiment was done to study the N release pattern and kinetics of contrasting soils amended with compost (CO), poultry manure (PM), rice husk biochar (RHB), poultry manure biochar (PMB) and cowdung (CD) combined with chemical fertilizer (integrated plant nutrient system, IPNS approach) under two moisture regimes, viz. field capacity (FC) and continuous standing water (CSW) at 25 °C for 120 days. Our results revealed that NH4+-N was the dominant under CSW conditions, whereas NO3−-N was dominant under FC conditions. Net mineral N data fitted well to the first order kinetic model. Both N release potential (N0) and rate constant (k) were greater in acidic soil than those of charland soil. The maximum N release varied between 24.90–76.29% of input depending on soil type and moisture status. N mineralization was strongly correlated with urea N application. PM and PMB mineralized in all soil and moisture conditions whereas N immobilization was observed in the case of RHB. N mineralization was strongly correlated with urea N application. Gaseous N losses were different for the organic amendments exhibiting more gaseous N losses in PM, CD and CO based IPNS whereas the lowest gaseous N loss was observed in PMB based IPNS. Biochar based IPNS increased soil pH in all conditions. Thus, the present study suggests that N release depends on soil type, soil moisture and type of organic amendment. However, CO, PM and CD based IPNS can be recommended for both acidic and charland soils in terms of N release as short duration crops will suffer from N deficiency if biochar based IPNS is used in the field.

scholarly journals Nitrate leaching and growth of cereal crops following cultivation of contrasting temporary grasslands

2001 ◽  
Vol 136 (3) ◽  
pp. 271-281 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. ERIKSEN
Keyword(s):  
Nitrate Leaching ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Residual Effect ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Grassland Management ◽  
Dairy Farming ◽  
Residual Effects ◽  
Cereal Crops ◽  
N Losses ◽  
N Use

Intensive dairy farming with low N use efficiencies may have adverse environmental impact through nitrate leaching. The residual effects of six different temporary grasslands (1994–96) on yield and nitrate leaching in the following cereal crops (1997–99) were investigated on a loamy sand in central Jutland. The grasslands were unfertilized grass–clover and fertilized ryegrass subject to cutting or continuous grazing by dairy cows with two levels of N in feed supplements. In the first year there was sufficient residual effect of the grazed grasslands to obviate the need for supplementary fertilizer, but in the following years gradually more fertilizer N was required to obtain optimal yields. Nitrate leaching decreased as a function of time after cultivation of grassland, but grassland management had little effect on the subsequent nitrate leaching (6 to 36 kg N/ha in unfertilized plots). Application of cattle slurry to cereals influenced nitrate leaching more than the history of the grassland and caused the annual mean nitrate concentration to exceed the EU Drinking Water Directive upper limit in most cases. Presumably, large differences in N-input during the grassland phase of the crop rotation had relatively little effect on the subsequent N release because of variable N losses during grazing. Possibilities for further improvement of the utilization of grassland N following cultivation are limited when the current knowledge has been implemented. If the N use efficiency of dairy farming systems is to be further improved the utilization of N during the pasture phase is crucial.

scholarly journals Well-Aerated Southern Appalachian Forest Soils Demonstrate Significant Potential for Gaseous Nitrogen Loss

Forests ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 1155
Author(s):  
Peter Baas ◽  
Jennifer D. Knoepp ◽  
Jacqueline E. Mohan
Keyword(s):  
Forest Soils ◽  
Nitrogen Loss ◽  
Elevation Gradient ◽  
High Elevation ◽  
N Cycling ◽  
N Losses ◽  
Northern Hardwood ◽  
Southern Appalachian ◽  
Nitrifier Denitrification ◽  
Gaseous N Losses

Understanding the dominant soil nitrogen (N) cycling processes in southern Appalachian forests is crucial for predicting ecosystem responses to changing N deposition and climate. The role of anaerobic nitrogen cycling processes in well-aerated soils has long been questioned, and recent N cycling research suggests it needs to be re-evaluated. We assessed gross and potential rates of soil N cycling processes, including mineralization, nitrification, denitrification, nitrifier denitrification, and dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA) in sites representing a vegetation and elevation gradient in the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service Experimental Forest, Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory in southwestern North Carolina, USA. N cycling processes varied among sites, with gross mineralization and nitrification being greatest in high-elevation northern hardwood forests. Gaseous N losses via nitrifier denitrification were common in all ecosystems but were greatest in northern hardwood. Ecosystem N retention via DNRA (nitrification-produced NO3 reduced to NH4) ranged from 2% to 20% of the total nitrification and was highest in the mixed-oak forest. Our results suggest the potential for gaseous N losses through anaerobic processes (nitrifier denitrification) are prevalent in well-aerated forest soils and may play a key role in ecosystem N cycling.

scholarly journals Effect of Wheat Cover Crop and Split Nitrogen Application on Corn Yield and Nitrogen Use Efficiency

Agronomy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 1081 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oladapo Adeyemi ◽  
Reza Keshavarz-Afshar ◽  
Emad Jahanzad ◽  
Martin Leonardo Battaglia ◽  
Yuan Luo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Grain Yield ◽  
Nitrogen Use Efficiency ◽  
Cover Crops ◽  
Cover Crop ◽  
Block Design ◽  
Corn Yield ◽  
N Losses ◽  
Nitrogen Use ◽  
N Application ◽  
Use Efficiency

Corn (Zea mays L.) grain is a major commodity crop in Illinois and its production largely relies on timely application of nitrogen (N) fertilizers. Currently, growers in Illinois and other neighboring states in the U.S. Midwest use the maximum return to N (MRTN) decision support system to predict corn N requirements. However, the current tool does not factor in implications of integrating cover crops into the rotation, which has recently gained attention among growers due to several ecosystem services associated with cover cropping. A two-year field trail was conducted at the Agronomy Research Center in Carbondale, IL in 2018 and 2019 to evaluate whether split N application affects nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) of corn with and without a wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cover crop. A randomized complete block design with split plot arrangements and four replicates was used. Main plots were cover crop treatments (no cover crop (control) compared to a wheat cover crop) and subplots were N timing applications to the corn: (1) 168 kg N ha−1 at planting; (2) 56 kg N ha−1 at planting + 112 kg N ha−1 at sidedress; (3) 112 kg N ha−1 at planting + 56 kg N ha−1 at sidedress; and (4) 168 kg N ha−1 at sidedress along with a zero-N control as check plot. Corn yield was higher in 2018 than 2019 reflecting more timely precipitation in that year. In 2018, grain yield declined by 12.6% following the wheat cover crop compared to no cover crop control, indicating a yield penalty when corn was preceded with a wheat cover crop. In 2018, a year with timely and sufficient rainfall, there were no yield differences among N treatments and N balances were near zero. In 2019, delaying the N application improved NUE and corn grain yield due to excessive rainfall early in the season reflecting on N losses which was confirmed by lower N balances in sidedressed treatments. Overall, our findings suggest including N credit for cereals in MRTN prediction model could help with improved N management in the Midwestern United States.

Effect of Mixed Urease Inhibitors on N Losses From Surface-applied Urea

2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sifang Li ◽  
Jingjing Li ◽  
Jing Lu ◽  
Zhijuan Wang
Keyword(s):  
Urease Inhibitors ◽  
N Losses

GASEOUS NITROGEN LOSSES FROM CONVENTIONAL AND CHEMICAL SUMMERFALLOW

1985 ◽  
Vol 65 (1) ◽  
pp. 195-203 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. S. AULAKH ◽  
D. A. RENNIE
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Field Studies ◽  
Soil Core ◽  
Gaseous Nitrogen ◽  
N Losses ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Major Factors ◽  
Chemical Fallow ◽  
Lower Slope ◽  
Gaseous N Losses

The gaseous losses of N (N2O + N2) measured for 130 days (May-September 1983) from conventional fallow at Yorkton, Oxbow and Weyburn soil sites ranged from 9 to 11, 15 to 31 and 60 to 87 kgN∙ha−1 for upper, middle and lower slope positions, respectively. The corresponding values for chemical fallow were 18–28, 24–51, and 69–98 kgN∙ha−1. In both tillage systems, gaseous N losses increased in the order of upper < middle < lower slope positions and were associated with the variations in soil moisture. The results obtained from additional widely scattered field studies on chernozemic soils further confirmed that the more dense surface soil and relatively higher soil moisture (lower air-filled porosity) were the major factors affecting increased denitrification under chemical fallow. Volumetric soil moisture was the only factor which showed a very highly significant correlation with N2O emmisions. Key words: Acetylene inhibition-soil core technique, chemical fallow, denitrification, nitrification

A review of nitrogen losses due to leaching and surface runoff under intensive pasture management in Australia

Soil Research ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 52 (7) ◽  
pp. 621 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucy L. Burkitt
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Nitrate Leaching ◽  
Surface Runoff ◽  
Dairy Industry ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Dairy Farms ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Pasture Management ◽  
N Losses ◽  
Pasture Production

This paper reviews the literature on nitrate leaching and nitrogen (N) runoff under intensive dairy pasture systems in Australia and draws comparisons with research undertaken under similar climates and farming systems internationally, with the aim to inform future research in this area. An Australian nitrate-leaching study suggests that annual nitrate-leaching loads are lower (3.7–14.5 kg N ha–1 year–1 for nil N and 6–22 kg N ha–1 year–1 for 200 kg N ha–1 applied) than the range previously measured and modelled on New Zealand dairy farms (~18–110 kg N ha–1 year–1). It is likely that nitrate-leaching rates are higher in New Zealand because of the prevalence of free-draining soils and higher average stocking rates. However, this review highlights that there are insufficient Australian nitrate-leaching data, particularly following urine application, to undertake a rigorous comparison. Median N surpluses on Australian dairy farms are higher (198 kg N ha–1) than values for an average New Zealand farm (135 kg N ha–1). Given the facts that many soils used for intensive pasture production in Australia are lightly textured or free-draining clay loams receiving average rainfall of >800 mm year–1, that herd sizes have risen in the last 10 years and that water quality is a concern in some dairy catchments, nitrate leaching could be an issue for the Australian dairy industry. Australian data on surface runoff of N are more available, despite its overall contribution to N losses being low (generally <5 kg N ha–1 year–1), except under border-check flood irrigation or hump-and-hollow surface drainage (3–23 kg N ha–1 year–1). More research is needed to quantify surface N runoff and leaching following effluent application and to examine dissolved organic forms of N loss, particularly in view of the continued intensification of the Australian dairy industry.

Nitrate leaching in dairy farming: economic effects of environmental restrictions

1998 ◽  
pp. 755-761
Author(s):  
R. Groeneveld ◽  
A.F. Bouwman ◽  
S. Kruitwagen ◽  
E.C. Van lerland
Keyword(s):  
Nitrate Leaching ◽  
Dairy Farming ◽  
Economic Effects

scholarly journals Disentangling the effect of sheep urine patch size and nitrogen loading rate on cumulative N2O emissions

2016 ◽  
Vol 56 (3) ◽  
pp. 265 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karina A. Marsden ◽  
Davey L. Jones ◽  
David R. Chadwick
Keyword(s):  
Patch Size ◽  
Loading Rate ◽  
N2o Emissions ◽  
Large Patch ◽  
N Application ◽  
N Concentration ◽  
Application Rates ◽  
Urine Patch ◽  
N Loading ◽  
Sheep Urine

Ruminant urine nitrogen (N) concentration and volume are important parameters influencing the size and N loading rate of urine patches deposited to soil. Such parameters can influence N cycling and emissions of the greenhouse gas, nitrous oxide (N2O) from grazed grassland, yet, there is limited information on the effect of these parameters within typical ranges reported for sheep. We used an automated, high-frequency gas monitoring system to investigate N2O emissions from varying urine N application rates and patch sizes under field conditions. Using artificial sheep urine, we manipulated urine N concentration to provide two urine N application rates (4 and 16 g N/L; equivalent to 200 and 800 kg N/ha). We investigated the effect of urine patch size with equal N application rates (4 × 125 cm2 vs 500 cm2, at 200 and 800 kg N/ha) and the effect of patch size with unequal N application rates, but the same total amount of N applied (62.5 mL over 125 cm2 at 800 kg N/ha and 250 mL over 500 cm2 at 200 kg N/ha). Cumulative emissions of N2O generally increased with N loading rate, whether applied as one large urine patch or four smaller ones. Cumulative N2O emissions increased when the N was applied in four smaller urine patches compared with one large patch; this difference was significant at 800 kg N/ha, but not at 200 kg N/ha. When the total amount of N applied was held constant (1 g of N), the amount of N2O released was similar when urine was applied as a high N concentration small patch (800 kg N/ha) compared with a low N concentration large patch (200 kg N/ha). Urine N2O emission factors in this study were, on average, 10 times lower than the IPCC default of 1% for sheep excreta. This research clearly demonstrates that the chemical and physical nature of the urine patch influences N2O emissions, yet further research is required to gather more data on typical sheep urine volumes (individual and daily), urination frequency, urine N concentrations and the typical volumes of soil influenced by urine deposition, to provide more accurate estimates of emissions from sheep grazed pastures.

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