HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Owens, L. B. Articles by Van Keuren, R. W. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Owens, L. B. Articles by Van Keuren, R. W. Agricola Articles by Owens, L. B. Articles by Van Keuren, R. W.

Nitrate Leaching from Grassed Lysimeters Treated with Ammonium Nitrate or Slow-Release Nitrogen Fertilizer

USDA-ARS, North Appalachian Experimental Watershed, P.O. Box 488, Coshocton, OH 43812;

R. W. Van Keuren

Dep. of Horticulture and Crop Science, Ohio State Univ.-Ohio Agric. Res. Dev. Ctr., 1680 Madison Ave., Wooster, OH 44691.

^* Corresponding author (lowens{at}coshocton.com).

ABSTRACT

Nitrate leaching is a potential in humid regions when crops and forages are fertilized. This study was conducted to compare NO₃ leaching with two different N fertilizer formulations applied to forages. For 11 yr, ammonium nitrate (AN) was applied to a large (8.1 m² surface area), undisturbed, monolithic lysimeter Y101B at an annual rate of 168 kg N ha^–1, and methylene urea (MU), a slow-release fertilizer, was applied to a similar lysimeter (Y101D) at the same rate. Nitrate-N concentrations in the percolate from these 2.4 m-deep lysimeters were measured weekly. Even though NO₃-N levels increased steadily with the AN applications, the greatest increases occurred during the eighth year of treatment and reached levels above 20 mg L^–1. With the MU, NO₃-N concentrations remained relatively constant until after 8 yr of treatment, reaching concentrations of 6 mg L^–1. The highest rates of annual NO₃-N transport in percolate were 42.3 and 12.1 kg ha^–1 from lysimeters treated with AN and MU, respectively. (Losses from NH₃ volatilization were measured at 12.0 and 44.8 kg N ha^–1 for AN and MU, respectively.) Nitrate-N transport in percolate varied seasonally with the greatest amounts being moved during the late winter-early spring. Following 11 yr, the NO₃-N concentrations in each lysimeter declined to approximately 1 mg L^–1. Based on this study with a 168 kg N ha^–1 annual application rate, less NO₃-N leaching will occur when a slow-release N fertilizer, such as MU, is applied to forages than when AN is applied.

Joint contribution from USDA-ARS and OSU-OARDC.

Received for publication August 24, 1998.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				L. B. Owens and J. V. Bonta Reduction of Nitrate Leaching with Haying or Grazing and Omission of Nitrogen Fertilizer J. Environ. Qual., July 1, 2004; 33(4): 1230 - 1237. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. L. Decau, J. C. Simon, and A. Jacquet Nitrate Leaching under Grassland as Affected by Mineral Nitrogen Fertilization and Cattle Urine J. Environ. Qual., March 1, 2004; 33(2): 637 - 644. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. P. Horgan, B. E. Branham, and R. L. Mulvaney Mass Balance of 15N Applied to Kentucky Bluegrass Including Direct Measurement of Denitrification Crop Sci., September 1, 2002; 42(5): 1595 - 1601. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J.D. Jabro, W.L. Stout, S.L. Fales, and R.H. Fox SOIL-SOILN Simulations of Water Drainage and Nitrate Nitrogen Transport from Soil Core Lysimeters J. Environ. Qual., March 1, 2001; 30(2): 584 - 589. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]