The effect of four different pasture species compositions on nitrate leaching losses under high N loading

Nitrate () leaching can cause elevated concentrations of ‐N in water, which can have adverse impacts on water quality and human health. In grazed pasture systems, most of the ‐N leaching occurs beneath animal urine‐N deposits. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of four different pasture species compositions perennial ryegrass/white clover (P. ryegrass WC), tall fescue/white clover (T. fescue WC), Italian ryegrass/white clover (It. ryegrass WC) and perennial ryegrass/Italian ryegrass/white clover/red clover/chicory/plantain (Diverse)] on ‐N leaching losses from animal urine patches, and to examine the relative importance of root system architecture and seasonal activity to reduce ‐N leaching losses. The results show that ‐N leaching losses were 24–54% lower beneath It. ryegrass WC than other pasture species. Total dry matter (DM) yield in the season following establishment was 11–58% greater in the It. ryegrass WC pasture, while average winter daily N uptake rate of It. ryegrass WC over the two seasons was on average 58% greater than P. ryegrass WC and T. fescue WC. In the second season, the P. ryegrass WC and T. fescue WC pastures had up to 140 and 82% more roots between 0 and 40 cm depth, respectively, than the other pasture species compositions. These results suggest that in grazed pasture systems, high plant winter activity (plant growth/root metabolic activity) is more important than specific root architecture (e.g. deep roots) to reduce ‐N leaching losses.