Input and output of major nutrients under monocropping sisal in Tanzania

A semiquantitative nutrient balance is presented for a field monocropped with sisal on Ferralsols in Tanzania. Input of nutrients included wet deposition, non-symbiotic nitrogen fixation and nutrients added with planting material. Nutrient output consisted of the harvested product. The average annual shortfall between 1966 to 1990 was 12 kg N ha⁻¹, 2·8 kg P ha⁻¹, 38 kg K ha⁻¹, 44 kg Ca ha⁻¹ and 19 kg Mg ha⁻¹. The nutrient balance was compared to changes in topsoil (0–20 cm) nutrient contents of the sisal field during the same period. Average annual decrease in soil nutrient contents was: 104 kg N ha⁻¹, 1·8 kg P ha⁻¹, 11 kg K ha⁻¹, 29 kg Ca ha⁻¹ and 10 kg Mg ha⁻¹. Much more nitrogen was lost from the topsoil than can be explained by the nutrient balance, indicating significant losses. Changes in soil phosphorus content are almost explained by the nutrient balance. More exchangeable cations were removed with the yield than were lost from the topsoil, which may imply that cations are extracted from the subsoil. Both the nutrient balance and the changes in soil nutrient contents showed that monocropping sisal is mining nutrients. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Wind-blown nutrient transport and soil productivity changes in southwest Niger

This study was conducted to quantify nutrient losses by saltation and suspension transport. During two convective storms, mass fluxes of wind-blown particles were measured in a pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) field in southwest Niger, on a sandy, siliceous, isohyperthermic Psammentic Paleustalf. The trapped material at three heights (0·05, 0·26 and 0·50 m) and a sample of vertically deposited dust were analyzed for total element contents of K, C, N and P. The nutrient content of the material at 0·05 m was similar to the nutrient content of the topsoil. At 0·50 m, the material was three times richer in nutrients than the topsoil, whereas the deposited dust, trapped at 2·00 m, was 17 times richer. For all four elements, a total element (TE) mass flux profile was fitted throughout the observations. From the TE profiles, the following nutrient losses from the experimental plot were estimated: 57·1 kg ha⁻¹ K, 79·6 kg ha⁻¹ C, 18·3 kg ha⁻¹ N, and 6·1 kg ha⁻¹ P. The TE profiles showed a maximum value in the saltation layer. The suspended TE mass fluxes above the saltation layer were an order of magnitude lower than the saltation fluxes, but extended to greater heights. Therefore, saltation and suspension are both able to transport significant quantities of nutrients. While saltation results in only a local redistribution of nutrients, suspension may transport dust over thousands of kilometers, resulting in a regional loss of nutrients.     

Nutrient losses from rain‐fed bench terraced cultivation systems in high rainfall areas of the mid‐hills of Nepal

Between the elevations of 1000 and 2000 m in the mid‐hills of Nepal, over 12 million people subsist on land‐holdings of less than 0·5 ha. These farmers have limited access to commercial inputs such as fertilisers and are reliant on organic manures for soil fertility maintenance. Participatory research was conducted with farmers on bari land (upper slope rain‐fed crop terraces) in the hill community of Landruk (bench terraces 0–5° slope, 3000–3500 mm annual rainfall, which aimed to develop soil and water management interventions that controlled erosion without resulting in high leaching, and so were effective in minimising total nutrient losses. Interventions tested were the control of water movement through diversion of run‐on and planting fodder grasses on terrace risers on bench terraces. The interventions were effective in reducing soil loss from the bari land in comparison with existing farmer practices, but no effect was observed on nutrient losses in solution form through runoff and leaching. Losses of NO₃‐N in leachate ranged from 17·3 to 99·7 kg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹, but only 0·7 to 5·6 kg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ in runoff. The overall nutrient balance suggests that the system is not sustainable. Fertility is heavily dependent on livestock inputs and if the current trends of declining livestock numbers due to labour constraints continue, further losses in productivity can be expected. However, farmers are interested in interventions that tie ecosystem services with productivity enhancement and farmers' priorities should be used as entry points for promoting interventions that are system compatible and harness niche opportunities. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Carbon and nutrient budgets of the Chagga home garden system in the Kilimanjaro highlands,Tanzania

Sustainable land management of smallholder farms is crucial for ensuring food security in sub-Saharan Africa. However, little is known about the nutrient dynamics of smallholder farming systems at the farm level based on primary data. In this study, carbon (C) and nutrient budgets of the home garden system in the Kilimanjaro highlands, where Andosols predominate, were quantified at the farmer's field. We evaluated (1) the soil C and nutrient flow in the main three land-use blocks (banana (Musa spp.) garden, maize (Zea mays L.) field and grassland) in one representative home garden and (2) the internal flow between farmland and livestock and the external nutrient flow across the inside and outside of the six home gardens. Intensive applications of livestock dung to the banana trees resulted in a positive C budget (7.2 Mg C ha⁻¹ year⁻¹) in the banana garden. Nitrogen loss through the harvesting of feed and crops was almost balanced with the livestock dung application, while nitrogen loss through leaching only accounted for 3% of that applied. Banana productivity has been maintained despite a negative potassium budget (−241 kg K ha⁻¹ year⁻¹), probably owing to the replenished exchangeable potassium from Andosols. In the maize field, the C budget was negative (−1.7 Mg C ha⁻¹ year⁻¹) owing to high organic matter decomposition. Carbon and nutrient budgets in the grassland were all negative. Our results revealed that the village average livestock density (4.4 TLU ha⁻¹: TLU means tropical livestock unit) was sufficient for P, Ca and Mg balance in the home garden, whereas it was not sufficient for N and K balance. Increasing livestock density improved the nutrient balance of the system. However, it is noteworthy that 33%–47% of the feed supplied as C and nutrients was collected from outside the home gardens, suggesting a high reliance on external inflow to fulfil feed demands. In conclusion, intensive livestock dung application to banana cultivation was fundamental for maintaining agricultural productivity to replenish the nutrients lost from the system. At the same time, this system was sustained not only by C and nutrient cycling within the system, but also by transporting resources from the external environment into the system.     

LONG‐TERM MANURING AND FERTILIZER EFFECTS ON DEPLETION OF SOIL ORGANIC CARBON STOCKS UNDER PEARL MILLET‐CLUSTER BEAN‐CASTOR ROTATION IN WESTERN INDIA

Soil organic carbon (SOC) pools are important for maintaining soil productivity and reducing the net CO₂ loading of the atmosphere. An 18‐year old long‐term field experiment involving pearl millet‐cluster bean‐castor sequence was conducted on an Entisol in western India to examine the effects of chemical fertilizers and manuring on carbon pools in relation to crop productivity and C sequestration. The data showed that even the addition of 33.5 Mg ha⁻¹ C inputs through crop residues as well as farm yard manure could not compensate the SOC depletion by oxidation and resulted in the net loss of 4.4 Mg C ha⁻¹ in 18 years. The loss of SOC stock in the control was 12 Mg C ha⁻¹. Conjunctive use of chemical fertilizers along with farm yard manure produced higher agronomic yields and reduced the rate of SOC depletion. The higher average seed yields of pearl millet (809 kg ha⁻¹), cluster bean (576), and castor (827) over six cropping seasons were obtained through integrated use of fertilizers and manure. For every Mg increase in profile SOC stock, there was an overall increase of 0.46 Mg of crop yield, comprising increase in individual yield of pearl millet (0.17 Mg ha⁻¹ y⁻¹ Mg⁻¹ SOC), cluster bean (0.14) and castor (0.15). The magnitude of SOC build up was proportional to the C inputs. Carbon pools were significantly correlated with SOC, which increased with application of organic amendments. Threshold C input of 3.3 Mg C ha⁻¹ y⁻¹ was needed to maintain the SOC stock even at the low antecedent level. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effect of 22-Year-L​ong Conjunctive Use of Organic and Chemical Sources of Nutrients on Crop Yield,Soil Properties,and Nutrient Balance in Post-Monsoon Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) in Peninsular Vertisols of India

A long-term field experiment was conducted in Vertisols of Solapur (Maharashtra, India) to assess the effect of the integrated use of nutrients on yield, soil properties, and nutrient balance in post-monsoon sorghum. The highest crop yield (1.19 Mg ha^?1) and available nutrients (308, 14.9, and 814 kg ha^?1 nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K), respectively) were recorded in the treatment of 25 kg N sorghum crop residue (CR) + 25 kg N Leucaena clippings (LCs), 25 kg N (CR) + 25 kg N (urea), 25 kg N farmyard manure + 25 kg N (urea), and 25 kg N (CR) + 25 kg N (LC), respectively. Most of the nutrients were depleted except K and Ca. The response ratio for N (16 kg kg^?1) and partial factor productivity (33 kg kg^?1) were considerably higher in the 25 kg N (CR) + 25 kg N (LC) treatment. Conjunctive use of organic ?and chemical fertilizers helped in reducing the nutrient losses and improved their use efficiency and yield sustainability.     

Nutrient losses from a vineyard soil in Northeastern Spain caused by an extraordinary rainfall event

Vineyards are one of the lands that incur the highest soil losses in Mediterranean environments. Most of the studies that report about this problem only focus on soil losses and few investigations have addressed the nutrient losses associated with erosion processes during the storms. The present research evaluates the loss of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in vineyard soils located in a Mediterranean area (NE Spain), after an extreme rainfall event recorded on 10 June 2000. The total rainfall of this event was 215 mm, 205 mm of which fell in 2 h 15 min. The maximum intensity in 30-min periods reached 170 mm h⁻¹. This rainfall produced a large amount of sediments both inside and outside the plots, with the consequent soil mobilisation and loss of nutrients. The estimate of soil loss was based on the subtraction of two very accurate digital elevation models (DEMs) of different dates in GIS, and measures of the nutrient content of sediment collected in the plot. Soil loss in the study plot reached 207 mg ha⁻¹. Most sediment was produced by concentrated surface runoff. Nutrient losses amounted as 108.5 kg ha⁻¹ of N, 108.6 kg ha⁻¹ of P and 35.6 kg ha⁻¹ of K. The proposed method allowed mapping the sediment contribution and deposition areas and the distribution of the nutrient load and losses within the plot.     

C and N accumulation in arable soils of West Germany and its influence on the environment — Developments 1970 to 1998

During the last three decades, large amounts of soil organic matter (SOM) and associated nutrients have been accumulated in arable soils of Western Germany (former FRG) due to deepening of the plough layers (from < 25 to > 35 cm) and to fertilizer application rates which have exceeded the amounts of nutrients removed in harvested crops. Organic carbon and total nitrogen balances (1970—1998) on 120 plots from 16 farms in southern Lower Saxony yielded a cumulative increase of up to 16 t C ha⁻¹ and 1 t N ha⁻¹ in loess soils used for cash crop production and up to 26 t C ha⁻¹ and 2.4 t N ha⁻¹ in sandy soils under livestock production. The buffering capacity for reactive compounds, particularly of C, N, S and P and of other (organic or inorganic) pollutants will reach its limits in the near future, after organic matter ”︁equilibria” have been re‐established. An immediate adaptation of the current fertilizer application rates to the nutrient export by field crops is therefore urgently needed.     

Rain Use Efficiency,Primary Production and Rainfall Relationships in Desert Rangelands of Tunisia

Desert rangelands are characterised by low and highly variable rainfall regime, low forage production and high heterogeneity in the distribution of natural resources. This study was carried out in the desert rangelands of Tunisia to evaluate the response of different rangelands to annual rainfall in terms of aboveground net primary production (ANPP) and rain use efficiency over a 10‐year period (2003–2012). In general, ANPP values were relatively low (123 kg DM ha⁻¹ y⁻¹) but would tend to increase with increasing annual rainfall for all rangeland types. The highest value of ANPP was observed from Stipagrostis pungens and Hammada shmittiana communities (sandy‐soil) during the wet year 2011. In contrast, rain use efficiency tends to decline with the highest annual rainfall and varies among rangeland types and with an average of 1·9 kg DM ha⁻¹ mm⁻¹ y⁻¹. Rain use efficiency tended to be higher during dry years and lower during wet years and tended to be higher on S. pungens and H. shmittiana (sandy‐soils) and lower on Helianthemum kahiricum (loamy soils). Therefore, understanding how rainfall affects productivity in rangelands is critical for predicting the impact of land degradation on the functioning of these ecosystems. It can be used to explain production decline associated with desertification as well as to assess rangeland conditions. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Modeling Effects of Soil Fertility of Nutrients and Precipitation of 22 Years on Sustainable Productivity and Profitability of Pearlmillet and Sorghum Rotation in Semi-arid Vertisols

Based on experiments conducted during 1988–2009 on rainfed pearl millet/sorghum with 9 treatments in Vertisols, an efficient treatment for sustainable productivity is identified. Twenty kg of nitrogen (N) from farmyard manure (FYM) + 20 kg N (urea) + 10 kg phosphorus (P) ha^?1 in pearl millet and 40 kg N (urea) + 20 kg P + 25 kg zinc sulfate (ZnSO₄) ha^?1 in sorghum gave maximum yield and rainwater-use efficiency, whereas 20 kg N (FYM) + 20 kg (urea) + 10 kg P ha^?1 in pearl millet and 40 kg (urea) + 20 kg P ha^?1 in sorghum and gave maximum soil N, P, and potassium (K) over years. The regression model of 20 kg N (crop residue) + 20 kg N (urea) + 10 kg P ha^?1 gave maximum R² for predicting sorghum equivalent yield separately through precipitation and soil variables, whereas 20 kg N (FYM) + 20 kg N (urea) + 10 kg P ha^?1 gave maximum R² under combined model of both variables. Treatment of 20 kg N (FYM) + 20 kg N (urea) + 10 kg P ha^?1 was superior for attaining maximum sorghum equivalent yield of 1062 kg ha^?1, net returns of Rs. 4805 ha^?1, benefit/cost (BC) ratio of 1.50, and 127 kg ha^?1 of soil N, 10.3 kg ha^?1 of soil P, and 386 kg ha^?1 of soil K over years.     

Optimization of Zinc and Boron Doses for Cauliflower-Maize-Rice Pattern in Floodplain Soil

ABSTRACT

An experiment was replicated simultaneously at two sites of floodplain soils of Bangladesh to find out the optimum application rate of zinc and boron fertilizers for crops under cauliflower-maize-transplant aus rice pattern. Randomized complete block design with three replications was used in the experimentation. The first crop of the pattern received four zinc levels (0, 2.0, 4.0, and 6.0 kg ha^?1), and three boron levels (0, 1.5, and 3.0 kg ha^?1). In second crop, two additional treatments receiving 2.0 kg Zn ha^?1 and 2.0 kg Zn ha^?1 + 1.5 B ha^?1 were added; in the third crop, another four treatments were added by further application of 2 kg Zn ha^?1 in each. Other nutrients viz. N, P, K, and S were used equally at recommended rates for all plots. In such a 3-crop pattern, application of 4.0 kg Zn ha^?1 and 1.5 kg B ha^?1 at a time to the first crop or 2.0 kg Zn ha^?1 to each of the first two crops along with 1.5 kg B ha^?1 to the first crop was sufficient to achieve satisfactory yield of the crops. Considering system productivity, nutrient uptake, and protein and Zn concentrations of crops, the aforesaid doses were found promising.     

Long-term nitrogen balance for pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.) in an acid sandy soil of Niger

On acid sandy soils of Niger (West Africa) fertilizer N recovery by pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.) is often more than 100 per cent in years with normal or above average rainfall. Biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) by N₂-fixing bacteria may contribute to the N supply in pearl millet cropping systems. For a long-term field experiment comprising treatments with and without mineral fertilizer (F) and with and without crop residue application (CR) a N balance sheet was calculated over a period of six years (1983-1988). After six years of successive millet cropping total N uptake (36-77 kg N ha^?1 yr^?1) was distinctly higher than the amount of fertilizer N applied (30 kg N ha^?1 yr^?1). The atmospheric input of NH₄-N and NO₃-N in the rainwater was about 2 kg N ha_?1 yr^?1, 70 % in the form of NH₄-N. Gaseous NH₃ losses from urea (broadcast, incorporated) were estimated from other experiments to amount to 36 % of the fertilizer N applied. Nitrogen losses by leaching (15 to > 25 kg N ha^?1 yr^?1) were dependent on the treatment and on the quantity and distribution of single rainfall events (>50 mm). Decline in total soil N content (0-60 cm) ranged from 15 to 48 kg N ha^?1 yr^?1. The long-term N balance (1983-1988) indicated an annual net gain between 6 (+CR-F) and 13 (+CR+F) kg N ha^?1 yr^?1. For the control (-CR-F) the long-term N balance was negative (10 kg N ha^?1 yr^?1). In the treatment with crop residues only, the N balance was mainly determined by leaching losses, whereas in treatments with mineral fertilizer application the N balance depended primarily on N removal by the millet crop. The annual net gain in the N balance increased from 7 kg ha^?1 with mineral fertilizer to 13 kg ha^?1 in the combination mineral fertilizer plus crop residues. In both the rhizosphere and the bulk soil (0-15 cm), between 9 and 45% of the total bacterial population were N₂-fixing (diazotrophic) bacteria. The increased N gain upon crop residue application was positively correlated with an increase in the number of diazotrophic and total bacteria. The data on bacterial numbers suggest that the gain of N in the longterm N balance is most likely due to an N input by biological nitrogen fixation. In addition, evidence exists from related studies that the proliferation of diazotrophs and total bacteria in the rhizosphere due to crop residue application stimulated root growth of pearl millet, and thus improved the phosphorus (P) acquisition in the P deficient soil.     

Nitrogen rate and cultivar effects on nitrogen and nitrate concentration of sweet potato leaf tissue

Abstract

Nitrogen applications to dallisgrass grown on Olivier silt loam, an Aquic Fragiudalf, increased forage yield, forage digestibility, nutrient concentrations and nutrient contents as N rates increased to 896 kg ha^‐1. Expressing yield as a function of N application rate resulted in quadratic prediction equations that accounted for 75 to 98% of the variability in yield during five years. Eighty‐six percent of the maximum yield was obtained during the five years at 448 kg of N ha^‐1. Plant concentrations of N, Ca and Mg were increased more than concentrations of the other macronutrients as N rates increased. Plant contents of N, Ca and Mg in the forage increased 4.0, 3.2 and 3.5‐fold as N rates increased to 448 kg ha^‐1, while that of P, K and S increased 2.5 to 2.8‐fold. Residual N accumulations in the soil profile were apparent at the 896 kg ha^‐1 rate at the end of the growing seasons but were not detected the following March, indicating N losses by leaching and/or denitrification occurred at that N rate. Phosphorus applications increased forage P concentrations but did not increase forage yield nor available P levels in the surface 15 cm of soil. Maximum yields were obtained at forage P concentrations and Bray No. 2 soil P levels as low as 2.0 g kg^‐1 and 17 mg kg^‐1, respectively.     

Gaseous emissions of nitrogen and carbon from urban vegetable gardens in Bobo‐Dioulasso,Burkina Faso

Urban and peri‐urban agriculture (UPA) is an important livelihood strategy for the urban poor in sub‐Saharan Africa and contributes to meeting increasing food demands in the rapidly growing cities. Although in recent years many research activities have been geared towards enhancing the productivity of this land‐use system, little is known about turnover processes and nutrient efficiency of UPA. The aim of our study therefore was to determine horizontal fluxes of N, P, K, and C as well as gaseous N and C emissions in urban vegetable gardens of Bobo‐Dioulasso, Burkina Faso. Two gardens referred to as “Kodéni” and “Kuinima” were selected as representative for urban and peri‐urban systems classified as: (1) “commercial gardening + field crops and livestock system” and (2) “commercial gardening and semicommercial field crop system”, respectively. A nutrient‐balance approach was used to monitor matter fluxes from March 2008 to March 2009 in both gardens. Ammonia (NH₃), nitrous oxide (N₂O) and carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions from the respective soils were measured during the coolest and the hottest period of the day using a closed‐chamber system. Annual partial balances amounted to 2056 kg N ha^–1, 615 kg P ha^–1, 1864 kg K ha^–1, and 33 893 kg C ha^–1 at Kodéni and to 1752 kg N ha^–1, 446 kg P ha^–1, 1643 kg K ha^–1, and 21 021 kg C ha^–1 at Kuinima. Emission rates were highest during the hot midday hours with peaks after fertilizer applications when fluxes of up to 1140 g NH₃‐N ha^–1 h^–1, 154 g N₂O‐N ha^–1 h^–1, 12 993 g CO₂‐C ha^–1 h^–1 were recorded for Kodéni and Kuinima. Estimated annual gaseous N (NH₃‐N + N₂O‐N) and C (CO₂‐C + CH₄‐C) losses reached 419 kg N ha^–1 and 35 862 kg C ha^–1 at Kodéni and 347 kg N ha^–1 and 22 364 kg C ha^–1 at Kuinima. For both gardens, this represented 20% and 106% of the N and C surpluses, respectively. Emissions of NH₃, largely emitted after surface application of manure and mineral fertilizers, accounted for 73% and 77% of total estimated N losses for Kodéni and Kuinima. To mitigate N losses nutrient‐management practices in UPA vegetable production of Bobo‐Dioulasso would greatly benefit from better synchronizing nutrient‐input rates with crop demands.     

Eucalyptus biochar application enhances Ca uptake of upland rice,soil available P,exchangeable K,yield, and N use efficiency of sugarcane in a crop rotation system

It was hypothesized that the application of eucalyptus biochar enhances nutrient use efficiencies of simultaneously supplied fertilizer, as well as provides additional nutrients (i.e., Ca, P, and K), to support crop performance and residual effects on subsequent crops in a degraded sandy soil. To test this hypothesis, we conducted an on‐farm field experiment in the Khon Kaen province of Northeastern Thailand to assess the effects of different application rates of eucalyptus biochar in combination with mineral fertilizers to upland rice and a succeeding crop of sugarcane on a sandy soil. The field experiment consisted of three treatments: (1) no biochar; (2) 3.1 Mg ha^?1 biochar (10.4 kg N ha^?1, 3.1 kg P ha^?1, 11.0 kg K ha^?1, and 17.7 kg Ca ha^?1); (3) 6.2 Mg ha^?1 biochar (20.8 kg N ha^?1, 6.2 kg P ha^?1, 22.0 kg K ha^?1, and 35.4 kg Ca ha^?1). All treatments received the same recommended fertilizer rate (32 kg N ha^?1, 14 kg P ha^?1, and 16 kg K ha^?1 for upland rice; 119 kg N ha^?1, 21 kg P ha^?1, and 39 kg K ha^?1 for sugarcane). At crop harvests, yield and nutrient contents and nitrogen (N) use efficiency were determined, and soil chemical properties and pH₀ monitored. The eucalyptus biochar material increased soil Ca availability (117 ± 28 and 116 ± 7 mg kg^?1 with 3.1 and 6.2 Mg ha^?1 biochar application, respectively) compared to 71 ± 13 mg kg^?1 without biochar application, thus promoting Ca uptake and total plant biomass in upland rice. Moreover, the higher rate of eucalyptus biochar improved CEC, organic matter, available P, and exchangeable K at succeeding sugarcane harvest. Additionally, 6.2 Mg ha^?1 biochar significantly increased sugarcane yield (41%) and N uptake (70%), thus enhancing N use efficiency (118%) by higher P (96%) and K (128%) uptake, although the sugar content was not increased. Hence, the application rate of 6.2 Mg ha^?1 eucalyptus biochar could become a potential practice to enhance not only the nutrient status of crops and soils, but also crop productivity within an upland rice–sugarcane rotation system established on tropical low fertility sandy soils.     

N and P losses from a paddy field plot in central Korea

Abstract

The study was carried out to investigate the water balance and runoff and infiltration losses of nutrients in a paddy field plot located in southern Korea. Field monitoring was carried out during the cropping season from May 1, 1999 to September 30, 2000. The soil of the experimental paddy field belonged to the Jisan series (SiL; fine loam, mixed, mesic Fluventic Haplaquepts) covering on area of 5,000 m² (100 m × 50 m). The measured input quantities of N and P into the paddy field were as follows: 122 and 140 kg N ha^?1 and 29 and 30 kg P₂O₅ kg ha^?1 from chemical fertilizer, 20 and 28 kg N ha^?1 and 0.35 and 0.36 kg P ha^?1 from precipitation, and 26 and 35 kg N ha^?1 and 0.57 and 0.72 kg P ha^?1 from irrigation water, respectively. The measured outputs of N and P during the study period were as follows: 48 and 52 kg N ha^?1 and 1.1 and 1.6 kg P ha^?1 from runoff water, and 9 and 12 kg N ha^?1 and 0.04 and 0.05 kg P ha^?1 from infiltration. The runoff loading was the highest in June, presumably because of the higher concentrations of chemical components associated with chemical fertilizer application. The runoff losses of nutrients were compared to the amounts of nutrients supplied by chemical fertilizers. It was found that the losses of N accounted for 34.3 and 42.6% of the chemical fertilizer applied, while those of P accounted for 3.8 and 5.3%. The ratio between nutrient losses by infiltration and the chemical fertilizer applied was 6.4 and 9.8% for N and 0.1 and 0.2% for P, respectively.     

Soil and nutrients losses under different crop covers in vertisols of Central India

Purpose

Accelerated erosion removes fertile top soil along with nutrients through runoff and sediments, eventually affecting crop productivity and land degradation. However, scanty information is available on soil and nutrient losses under different crop covers in a vertisol of Central India. Thus, a field experiment was conducted for 4 years (2010–2013) to study the effect of different crop cover combinations on soil and nutrient losses through runoff in a vertisol.

Materials and methods

Very limited information is available on runoff, soil, and nutrient losses under different vegetative covers in a rainfed vertisol. Thus, the hypothesis of the study was to evaluate if different crop cover combinations would have greater impact on reducing soil and nutrient losses compared to control plots in a vertisol.

This experiment consisted of seven treatment combinations of crop covers namely soybean (Glycine max) (CC₁), maize (Zea mays) (CC₂), pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) (CC₃), soybean (Glycine max)?+?maize (Zea mays) ??1:1 (CC₄), soybean (Glycine ma x))?+?pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) ?2:1 (CC₅), maize (Zea mays)?+?pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) ??1:1 (CC₆), and cultivated fallow (CC₇). The plot size was 10?×?5 m with 1% slope, and runoff and soil loss were measured using multi-slot devisor. All treatments were arranged in a randomized block design with three replications.

Results and discussion

Results demonstrated that the runoff and soil loss were significantly (p?<?0.05) higher (289 mm and 3.92 Mg ha^?1) under cultivated fallow than those in cropped plots. Among various crop covers, sole pigeon pea (CC₃) recorded significantly higher runoff and soil loss (257 mm and 3.16 Mg ha^?1) followed by that under sole maize (CC₂) (235 mm and 2.85 Mg ha^?1) and the intercrops were in the order of maize?+?pigeon pea (211 mm and 2.47 Mg ha^?1) followed by soybean?+?maize (202 mm and 2.38 Mg ha^?1), and soybean?+?pigeon pea (195 mm and 2.15 Mg ha^?1). The lowest runoff and soil loss were recorded under soybean sole crop (194 mm and 2.27 Mg ha^?1). The data on nutrient losses indicated that the highest losses of soil organic carbon (SOC) (25.83 kg ha^?1), total nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) (7.76, 0.96, 32.5 kg ha^?1) were recorded in cultivated fallow (CC₇) as compared to those from sole and intercrop treatments. However, sole soybean and its intercrops recorded the minimum losses of SOC and total N, P, and K, whereas the maximum losses of nutrients were recorded under pigeon pea (CC₃). The system productivity in terms of soybean grain equivalent yield (SGEY) was higher (p?<?0.05) from maize?+?pigeon pea (3358 kg ha^?1) followed by that for soybean?+?pigeon pea (2191 kg ha^?1) as compared to sole soybean. Therefore, maize?+?pigeon pea (1:1) intercropping is the promising option in reducing runoff, soil-nutrient losses, and enhancing crop productivity in the hot sub-humid eco-region.

Conclusions

Study results highlight the need for maintenance of suitable vegetative cover as of great significance to diffusing the erosive energy of heavy rains and also safe guarding the soil resource from degradation by water erosion in vertisols.

     

Residual effects of nitrogen sources,sulfur and boron levels on mungbean (Vigna radiata) in a sunflower (Helianthus annuus)–mungbean system

Field experiments were conducted during spring–rainy (kharif) seasons of 2005 and 2006 on a sunflower–mungbean cropping system at the research farm of the Division of Agronomy, Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi, India. The objectives of this study were to investigate the residual effect of nitrogen sources, sulfur and boron levels applied to sunflower on productivity, nutrient concentrations and their uptake by the succeeding mungbean crop in a sunflower–mungbean cropping system. The experiment with 19 treatments was laid out in factorial randomized block design for both sunflower and mungbean. The residual effects of nutrients applied to sunflower were significant on the succeeding mungbean crop in terms of biometric parameters, yield attributing characters, seed yield and soil nutrient status. The highest mungbean seed yield (961.2 kg ha^?1) was produced with 50 kg ha^?1 sulfur application to the preceding sunflower crop, which was significantly (p < 0.05) higher than with 0 and 25 kg sulfur ha^?1. The concentrations and uptake of nitrogen, sulfur and boron were also greater in the succeeding mungbean crop due to the residual effects of nutrients applied to the preceding sunflower crop. The soil nutrient status before and after mungbean indicated that the available nitrogen and sulfur were higher due to application to the preceding crop, while available boron after mungbean was even higher than after sunflower due to its slow release and static nature in the soil.     

Nursery‐Box Total Fertilization Technology (NBTF) Application for Increasing Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Chinese Irrigated Riceland: N–Soil Interactions

High N fertilizer and flooding irrigation applied to rice in anthropogenic‐alluvial soil often result in N leaching and low use efficiency of applied fertilizer N from the rice field in Ningxia irrigation region in the upper reaches of the Yellow River. Sound N management practices need to be established to improve N use efficiency while sustaining high grain yield levels and minimize fertilizer N loss to the environment. We investigated the effects of Nursery Box Total Fertilization technology (NBTF) on N leaching at different rice growing stages, N use efficiency and rice yield in 2010 and 2011. The four fertilizer N treatments were 300 kg N ha⁻¹ (CU, Conventional treatment of urea at 300 kg N ha⁻¹), 120 kg N ha⁻¹ (NBTF120, NBTF treatment of controlled‐release N fertilizer at 120 kg N ha⁻¹), 80 kgN ha⁻¹ (NBTF80, NBTF treatment of controlled‐release N fertilizer at 80 kg N ha⁻¹) and no N fertilizer application treatment (CK). The results showed that the NBTF120 treatment increased N use efficiency, maintained crop yields and substantially reduced N losses to the environment. Under the CU treatment, the rice yield was 9634 and 7098 kg ha⁻¹, the N use efficiency was 31·6% and 34·8% and the leaching losses of TN were 44·51 and 39·89 kg ha⁻¹; NH₄⁺‐N was 5·26 and 5·49 kg ha⁻¹, and NO₃⁻‐N was 27·94 and 26·22 kg ha⁻¹ during the rice whole growing period in 2010 and 2011, respectively. Compared with CU, NBTF120 significantly increased the N use efficiency and decreased the N losses from the paddy field. Under NBTF120, the N use efficiency was 56·3% and 51·4%, which was 24·7% and 16·6% higher than that of CU, and the conventional fertilizer application rate could be reduced by 60% without lowering the rice yield while decreasing the leaching losses of TN by 16·27 and 14·36 kg ha⁻¹, NH₄⁺‐N by 0·90 and 1·84 kg ha⁻¹, NO₃⁻‐N by 110·6 and 10·14 kg ha⁻¹ in 2010 and 2011, respectively. Our results indicate that the CU treatment resulted in relatively high N leaching losses, and that alternative practice of NBTF which synchronized fertilizer application with crop demand substantially reduced these losses. We therefore suggest the NBTF120 be a fertilizer application alternative which leads to high food production but low environmental impact. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Treating farm dairy effluent with poly-ferric sulphate dramatically reduces phosphorus and E. coli leaching through subsurface drains—A physical drainage model study

Land application of farm dairy effluent (FDE) may lead to water contamination, by contaminants such as phosphorus (P) and E. coli. A new FDE treatment technology using poly-ferric sulphate (PFS) has been developed to recycle wastewater in FDE for washing the farmyard. A physical drainage model study was conducted to investigate the effect of treating FDE with PFS on phosphorus and E. coli leaching through model subsurface drains. Dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP) and total phosphorus (TP) leaching losses from untreated effluent (FDE) averaged 3.48 kg P ha⁻¹ and 11.44 kg P ha⁻¹, respectively. The application of PFS-treated effluent (TE) resulted in significantly lower DRP and TP leaching losses at 0.24 kg P ha⁻¹ and 4.52 kg P ha⁻¹ for fresh TE and 0.27 kg P ha⁻¹ and 6.31 kg P ha⁻¹ for TE stored for 3 weeks before application (TE-S). Cumulative DRP lost to drainage water from the TE and TE-S treatments was 93.1% and 92.2% lower than that from the FDE treatments. Compared with the FDE treatment, there was a 98.27% and 99.99% reduction in E. coli in the drainage water from the TE and TE-S treatments. Plant biomass and P uptake were not affected by the effluent treatments. These results indicate that land application of PFS-treated effluent, fresh or stored, on drained pasture soils can produce significant environmental benefits by reducing the concentration and amount of P and E. coli in the drainage water, without adversely impacting plant growth.