Reducing Nitrogen Loss with Managed Drainage and Polymer‐Coated Urea. Issue 1 (1st January 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Nash, Patrick; Nelson, Kelly; Motavalli, Peter
• Is Part Of: Journal of Environmental Quality. Volume 44:Issue 1(2015)
• Page Start: 256
• Page End: 264
• Publication Date: 2015-01-01
• Subjects: Agricultural ecology -- Periodicals; Environmental engineering -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Periodicals; 630
• DOI: 10.2134/jeq2014.05.0238
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0047-2425

Abstract

Abstract : Continuous corn ( Zea mays L.) production during dry years combined with high N fertilizer rates can have a high potential for NO3 − –N loss through tile drainage water. Claypan soils can further increase the potential for NO3 − –N loss through tile drainage water due to the claypan layer that restricts N leaching below the tile drains. The objective of this 4‐yr study was to determine whether use of managed subsurface drainage (MD) in combination with a controlled‐release N fertilizer could reduce the annual amount of NO3 − –N loss through tile drainage water compared with free subsurface tile drainage (FD) with a noncoated urea application. Due to dry conditions over the summer and fall months, MD reduced the annual amount of water drained by at least 73% compared with FD in two of the four crop years. Low N loss and reduced corn N uptake possibly resulted in carry‐over N and high soil N concentrations throughout the study, which may have limited the effect of N fertilizer source on annual NO3 − –N loss in the tile drainage water. Use of MD reduced annual NO3 − –N loss in the tile drainage water by 78 to 85% in two of the four years. High NO3 − –N loss reduction with MD compared with FD was largely due to dry growing season conditions in combination with wet conditions over the noncropping period.