Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-c4f8m Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-24T05:21:07.577Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Factors affecting nitrate leaching from a calcareous loam in East Anglia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

D. B. Davies ,
T. W. D. Garwood  and
A. D. H. Rochford
D. B. Davies
Affiliation:
ADAS Anstey Hall, Marts Lane, Trwnpington, Cambridge CB2 2LF, UK
T. W. D. Garwood
Affiliation:
ADAS Anstey Hall, Marts Lane, Trwnpington, Cambridge CB2 2LF, UK
A. D. H. Rochford
Affiliation:
ADAS Anstey Hall, Marts Lane, Trwnpington, Cambridge CB2 2LF, UK
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

The effects of overwinter cover cropping, delayed ploughing and method of straw disposal on the quantities of nitrate leached (averaged over three winters during 1989–93) from a chalk loam in Eastern England were examined. The recovery of ‘retained’ nitrogen (retained through cover crop uptake, delayed ploughing and immobilization by straw) in a following spring crop was also assessed. In the first two winters, the rye cover crop decreased nitrate leaching by > 90% (28 kg N/ha per year), as compared with bare fallow treatments. In 1992/93 this decrease was only 23% (10 kg/ha), due to the early onset of drainage before cover was well established. Delayed ploughing on bare treatments, to decrease autumn N mineralization and subsequent nitrate leaching, was ineffectual in 1989/90 but had substantial effects in 1990/91 and 1992/93; N mineralization, inferred from soil mineral nitrogen content, and nitrate leaching were decreased by 31 and 35% in 1990/91 and by 36 and 61% in 1992/93, respectively. Nitrate leaching (averaged over three winters) was unaffected by straw incorporation. There was no evidence of recovery of cover crop N in the spring sown test crops (barley or sugarbeet). In the low soil N input situation encountered in this experiment, it was unnecessary to sow cover crops before early September in years of average or below average rainfall to ensure that the average soil solution concentrations remained below the EU drinking water limit of 11 mg NO3-N/1. However, in wetter seasons substantial N leaching occurred before cover had taken up much N. In 1992/93 N retained against leaching by a rye cover crop in previous years was apparently being remobilized and lost through leaching, although if cover was grown again there was less leaching than from bare land. In the future, an increase in the extent of cover cropping might increase transpiration rates and therefore lead to a decrease in aquifer recharge.

Type
Crops and Soils
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 126 , Issue 1 , February 1996 , pp. 75 - 86
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1996

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Allison, M. F. & Armstrong, M. J. (1992). The integration of cover crops into sugar beet (Beta vulgahs) rotations. Aspects of Applied Biologv 30, Nitrate and Farming Systems, 301–308.Google Scholar
Catt, J. A., Christian, D. G., Goss, M. J., Harris, G. L. & Howse, K. R. (1992). Strategies to reduce nitrate leaching by crop rotation, minimal cultivation and straw incorporation in the Brimstone Farm Experiment, Oxfordshire. Aspects of Applied Biology 30, Nitrate and Farming Systems, 255–262.Google Scholar
Davies, D. B. & Archer, J. R. (1990). Nitrate management in the United Kingdom. In Nitrates, Agriculture, Water (Ed. Calvet, R.), pp. 511–527. Paris: INRA.Google Scholar
Department of the Environment (1986). Nitrate in Water. Nitrate Co-ordination Group, Pollution Paper 26. London: HMSO.Google Scholar
Dowdell, R. J. & Cannell, R. Q. (1975). Effect of ploughing and direct drilling on soil nitrate content. Journal of Soil Science 26, 53–61.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
European Community (1980). Council Directive on the Quality of Water for Human Consumption. Official Journal of the EC 80/778 EEC L229, 11.Google Scholar
Fielder, A. G. & Peel, S. (1992). The selection and management of species for cover cropping. Aspects of Applied Biology 30, Nitrate and Farming Systems, 283–290.Google Scholar
Glendining, M. J., Poulton, P. R. & Powlson, D. S. (1992). The relationship between inorganic N in soil and the rate of fertilizer N applied on the Broadbalk Wheat Experiment. Aspects of Applied Biology 30, Nitrate and Farming Systems, 95–102.Google Scholar
Goulding, K. W. T. & Webster, C. P. (1992). Methods for measuring nitrate leaching. Aspects of Applied Biology 30, Nitrate and Farming Systems, 63–70.Google Scholar
Gregory, P. J., Crawford, D. V. & McGowan, M. (1979). Nutrient relations of winter wheat. 1. Accumulation and distribution of Na, K, Ca, Mg, P, S and N. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 93, 485–494.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hodge, C. A. H. & Seale, R. S. (1966). The Soils of the District around Cambridge. Memoirs of the Soil Survey of Great Britain. Sheet 188. Harpenden, Herts, UK.Google Scholar
Janzen, H. H. & Schaalje, G. B. (1992). Barley response to nitrogen and non-nutritional benefits of legume green manure. Plant and Soil 142, 19–30.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jarvis, S. C., Barraclough, D., Unwin, R. J. & Royle, S. M. (1989). Nitrate leaching from grazed grassland and after straw incorporation in arable soils. In Proceedings of EC Workshop, Management Systems to Reduce Nitrate Leaching (Ed. Germon, J. C.), pp. 110–121. London and New York: Elsevier Applied Science.Google Scholar
Jenkinson, D. S. (1985). The supply of nitrogen from the soil. The Nitrogen Requirements of Cereals. MAFF Reference Book 385, pp. 79–82. London: HMSO.Google Scholar
Jensen, E. S. (1991). Nitrogen accumulation and residual effects of nitrogen catch crops. Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica 41, 333–344.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Johnson, P. A., Smith, P., Chambers, P., Wells, A. & Shepherd, M. A. (1992). The effects of husbandry practices limiting nitrate loss on gross margins. Aspects of Applied Biology 30, Nitrate and Farming Systems, 359–366.Google Scholar
Karraker, P. E., Bortner, C. E. & Fergus, E. N. (1950). Nitrogen balance in lysimeters as effected by Kentucky bluegrass and legumes. Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station Bulletin No.557.Google Scholar
Laurent, F. & Mary, B. (1992). Management of nitrogen in farming systems and the prevention of nitrate leaching. Aspects of Applied Biology 30, Nitrate and Farming Systems, 45–61.Google Scholar
Lord, E. I. & Shepherd, M. A. (1993). Developments in the use of porous ceramic cups for measuring nitrate leaching. Journal of Soil Science 44, 453–449.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Martinez, J. & Guiraud, G. (1990). A lysimeter study of the effects of a ryegrass catch crop, during a winter wheat/maize rotation, on nitrate leaching and on the following crop. Journal of Soil Science 41, 5–16.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McCalla, T. M., Army, T. J. & Wiese, A. F. (1962). Comparison of the effects of chemical and sweep tillage methods of summer fallow on some properties of Pullman silty clay loam. Agronomy Journal 54, 404–407.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Meisinger, J. J., Hargrove, W. L., Mikkelson, R. L., Williams, J. R. & Benson, B. W. (1991). Effect of cover crops on groundwater quality. In Cover Crops for Clean Water (Ed. Hargrove, W. L.), pp. 57–68. Ankeny, USA: Soil & Water Conservation Society.Google Scholar
Mikkelsen, S. A. (1992). Current nitrate research in Denmark – background and practical application. Aspects of Applied Biology 30, Nitrate and Farming Systems, 29–44.Google Scholar
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1986). Analysis of Agricultural Materials. MAFF Reference Book 427, 3rd Edn. London: HMSO.Google Scholar
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1988). Fertiliser Recommendations for Agricultural and Horticultural Crops. MAFF Reference Book 209, 5th Edn. London: HMSO.Google Scholar
Muller, J. C., Denys, D., Morlet, G. & Mariotti, A. (1989). Influence of catch crops on mineral nitrogen leaching and its subsequent plant use. In Proceedings of EC Workshop, Management Systems to Reduce Nitrate Leaching (Ed. Germon, J. C.), pp. 85–99. London and New York: Elsevier Applied Science.Google Scholar
Nielsen, N. E. & Jensen, H. E. (1985). Soil mineral nitrogen as affected by undersown catch crops. In Assessment of Nitrogen Fertiliser Requirement (Eds Neeteson, J. J. & Dilz, K.), pp. 101–110. Haren: Netherlands Institute of Soil Fertility.Google Scholar
Powlson, D. S., Jenkinson, D. S., Pruden, G. & Johnston, A. E. (1985). The effect of straw incorporation on the uptake of nitrogen by winter wheat. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 36, 26–30.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rogasik, J., Smukalski, M. & Obenauf, S. (1992). Cover crops on sandland in Germany: husbandry and fate of nitrogen. Aspects of Applied Biology 30, Nitrate and Farming Systems, 309–316.Google Scholar
Ryden, J. C., Ball, P. R. & Garwood, E. A. (1984). Nitrate leaching from grassland. Nature 311, 50–53.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Schröder, J., De Groot, W. J. M. & Van Dijk, W. (1992). Nitrogen losses from continuous maize as affected by cover crops. Aspects of Applied Biology 30, Nitrate and Farming Systems, 317–326.Google Scholar
Shepherd, M. A., Davies, D. B. & Johnson, P. A. (1993). Minimizing nitrate losses from arable soils. Soil Use and Management 9, 94–99.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Spackman, E. (1990). Irriguide system descriptions, sections II and III.ADAS internal document.Google Scholar
Stokes, D. T., Scott, R. K., Tilston, C. H., Cowie, G. & Sylvester-Bradley, R. (1992). The effect of time of soil disturbance on nitrate mineralisation. Aspects of Applied Biology 30, Nitrate and Farming Systems, 279–281.Google Scholar
Sylvester-Bradley, R. & Chambers, B. J. (1992). The implications of restricting use of fertiliser nitrogen for the productivity of arable crops, their profitability and potential pollution by nitrate. Aspects of Applied Biology 30, Nitrate and Farming Systems, 85–94.Google Scholar
Thompson, N., Barrie, I. A. & Ayles, M. (1981). The Meteorological Office Rainfall and Evaporation Calculation (MORECS). Hydrological Memorandum 45. London: The Meteorological Office.Google Scholar
Tunney, H. (1992). The EC Nitrate Directive. Aspects of Applied Biology 30, Nitrate and Farming Systems, 5–10.Google Scholar
Webster, C. P., Shepherd, M. A., Goulding, K. W. T. & Lord, E. I. (1993). Comparisons of methods for measuring the leaching of mineral nitrogen from arable land. Journal of Soil Science 44, 49–62.CrossRefGoogle Scholar