滴灌均匀系数对土壤水分和氮素分布的影响

为了确定滴灌均匀系数的设计与评价标准,在日光温室内研究了滴灌施肥灌溉均匀性和施氮量对土壤水氮分布特性的影响。试验中滴灌均匀系数（Cu）设置0.62、0.80和0.96 3个水平,施氮量设置150和300 kg/hm2 2个水平。土壤含水率和电导率采用沿毛管均匀布置的TDR探头（Hydra Probe）连续监测,并定期取土样测试土壤硝态氮和铵态氮含量。结果表明,在作物生育期内3种滴灌均匀系数处理的土壤含水率一直保持很高的均匀系数,滴灌均匀系数和施氮量对土壤含水率均值及其均匀系数的影响均不显著（α=0.05）。土壤电导率及硝态氮含量的均匀性在很大程度上取决于土壤初始氮素含量的均匀性,其均匀系数低于土壤含水率的均匀系数,滴灌均匀系数的影响也不显著。从获得均匀的土壤水氮分布的角度出发,现行滴灌均匀系数标准尚有降低的空间。     

不同来源氮素在烤烟体内的累积分配及对烟叶品质的影响

通过在云南省玉溪市赵桅村6组烟田（A）和赵桅实验基地（B）进行的大田15N示踪试验,研究了在不施氮和施氮90 kg/hm2条件下,水稻土烤烟干物质累积特征、肥料氮和土壤氮的吸收和分配及肥料氮和土壤氮对烟叶品质的影响。结果表明,施氮能显著提高烟株干物重,增加烟株吸氮量,但在生育后期施氮与不施氮处理,烟株均存在干物质和氮素累积过多问题。施氮90 kg/hm2情况下,烟株整个生育期中吸收的氮素主要来自于土壤氮,而且烟株吸收的土壤氮及其占总吸氮量的比例随生育期延长和烟叶着生部位的升高显著增加;到采收结束时,两试验田烟株吸收的土壤氮占总吸氮量的比例分别达69%和74%。不同施氮水平烟叶品质差异较大,不施氮处理各部位烟叶总氮和烟碱含量均偏低,糖碱比不协调;施氮处理各部位烟叶总氮含量均在适宜范围内,但由于烟株生育后期土壤供氮较多,上部烟叶存在烟碱含量偏高的问题。选择有机质含量适宜的土壤,控制烟株生育后期土壤供氮量,对降低上部烟叶总氮和烟碱含量,提高我国烟叶整体质量至关重要。     

根系分区交替滴灌下水氮耦合对棉花氮素利用效率的影响

该文采用施氮量（N90、N180、N270）和灌水量（W140、W200、W260）3水平完全组合设计,研究水氮耦合对根系分区交替滴灌棉花氮素吸收和利用影响。结果表明：在根系分区交替滴灌下棉花干物质量和氮素含量随灌水量增加而显著提高,其中中氮高水耦合（N180 W260）是获取较高干物质量和氮素含量最为有效处理。从提高产量、氮素吸收和利用角度分析,比较产量相对较高的中氮高水（N180 W260）、高氮中水（N270 W200）和高氮高水（N270 W260）处理,N180 W260的氮肥吸收比例、N回收率、氮肥农学利用效率和表观利用效率最高,氮肥生理利用效率无显著差异。因此N180 W260是氮肥吸收和利用效率较高的水氮耦合处理,其显著提高棉花干物质量及氮素吸收性能,对于棉花水肥管理具有实际意义。     

施氮量对土壤无机氮分布和微生物量氮含量及小麦产量的影响

在高肥力土壤条件下,研究了施氮量对土壤无机氮分布和微生物量氮含量及小麦产量的影响。结果表明,小麦生长期间,施氮处理0100.cm土层硝态氮积累量显著大于不施氮处理;当施氮量大于150.kg/hm2时,随施氮量增加,0100.cm土层硝态氮积累量显著增加;随小麦生育进程推进,施氮处理上层土壤硝态氮下移趋势明显,至小麦成熟时,施氮1952～85.kg/hm2处理60100.cm土层硝态氮含量显著大于其它处理。小麦生长期间,0100.cm土层铵态氮积累量较为稳定,施氮处理间亦无显著差异。与不施氮肥相比,施氮提高小麦生长期间040.cm土层土壤微生物量氮含量;当施氮量小于240.kg/hm2时,随施氮量增加,土壤微生物量氮含量增加。小麦的氮肥利用率随施氮量增加而降低;施氮1051～95.kg/hm2,收获时小麦植株吸氮量、生物产量、子粒产量和子粒蛋白质含量提高;而施氮量大于240.kg/hm2时,小麦生育后期的氮素积累量降低,收获时植株吸氮量、生物产量和子粒蛋白质含量降低。说明本试验条件下,施氮1051～50.kg/hm2可满足当季小麦氮素吸收利用,获得较高的子粒产量和蛋白质含量。继续增加施氮量,土壤微生物量氮含量增加,但土壤中残留大量硝态氮,易淋溶损失。     

施氮量对棉铃干物质和氮累积及分配的影响

以高品质棉（科棉1号）和常规棉（美棉33B）品种为材料,2005年在江苏徐州（11711E, 3415N）、2007年在河南安阳（11413E, 3604N）设置施氮量（低氮N 0 kg/hm2,适氮N 240 kg/hm2,高氮N 480 kg/hm2）试验,研究施氮量对棉铃干物质、氮累积分配和棉铃（纤维、棉子）品质的影响。结果表明:施氮可改变棉铃各部分干物质和氮素的累积特征,进而影响棉铃重和棉铃品质。在本试验N 240 kg/hm2水平下,单铃棉子和纤维的干物质累积量最大,棉铃各部分（铃壳、纤维、棉子）氮含量适中、氮累积量最高,最终铃重最大,棉纤维和棉子品质最优;在不施氮（N 0 kg/hm2）时,棉铃干物质和氮快速累积期开始较早、累积速率较低,最终干物质和氮累积量均较低,铃重最低,棉纤维和棉子品质最差。在N 480 kg/hm2水平下,棉铃各部分（铃壳、纤维、棉子）的氮含量和累积量提高,且在成熟棉铃中棉纤维干物质的分配系数下降,棉子中的氮分配系数提高,最终棉子中蛋白质含量上升,铃重和棉纤维比强度、棉子油分含量均降低。综上所述,施氮量过低影响棉铃干物质和氮素的累积,而施氮量过高则主要影响棉铃干物质和氮素在铃壳、棉子和纤维间的分配,二者均导致最终的铃重降低、棉纤维和棉子品质变劣。     

不同施氮模式对日光温室番茄产量、品质及土壤肥力的影响

在日光温室栽培条件下,研究了不同施氮模式对番茄产量、品质及土壤肥力的影响。结果表明,与当地习惯施肥模式（N1）相比,分别减施化肥氮26%（N2）、减施化肥氮26% 结合调节土壤C/N（N3）、减施化肥氮26% 结合调节土壤C/N和采用滴灌（N4）、减施化肥氮45% 结合调节土壤C/N和采用滴灌（N5）的集成模式对产量和品质无显著影响; 减氮模式下植物吸收的总氮量、氮素利用率和氮肥农学效率均高于习惯施肥模式,其中N5模式的氮素利用率和氮肥农学效率显著高于N1模式（P<0.05）,说明减少化肥氮的施用量结合调节土壤C/N和/或滴灌措施能够保证番茄的产量和品质,达到减肥增效的目的。结果还看出,番茄拉秧后0—100 cm土层累积的硝态氮含量低于习惯施肥模式,对0—20 cm表层土壤碱解氮、速效磷、速效钾含量和土壤脲酶和蔗糖酶活性的影响不显著; 减氮条件下,N3和N5模式土壤细菌/真菌比值高于N1模式。综上研究结果表明,N3和N5 两个集成模式具有明显优势。     

滴灌施氮对春玉米氮素吸收、土壤无机氮含量及氮素平衡的影响

为解决吉林省半干旱区滴灌施肥条件下氮肥合理施用问题,通过2年(2015—2016年)田间试验,研究了覆膜滴灌条件下施氮量(0,70,140,210,280,350kg/hm~2)对春玉米产量、氮素吸收利用、土壤剖面无机氮含量变化及氮素平衡的影响。结果表明:施氮量在70~210kg/hm~2范围内玉米产量随施氮量的增加显著增加,当施氮量超过210kg/hm~2后,处理间产量无显著差异;将玉米产量(y)与施氮量(x)拟合,得出最佳施氮量分别为195.1,201.0kg/hm~2。施氮显著提高了玉米各生育时期氮积累量,其中灌浆期和成熟期氮积累量以施氮量210kg/hm~2处理最高。氮素当季回收率、农学利用率和偏生产力均随施氮量的增加而下降。玉米成熟期0-200cm剖面土壤硝态氮和铵态氮含量随土层深度增加呈逐渐下降的趋势;施氮提高了0-200cm土壤硝态氮和铵态氮含量,其中施氮量280,350kg/hm~2处理40-200cm土层硝态氮含量显著高于其他施氮处理。玉米吸氮量、土壤无机氮残留量和氮表观损失量与施氮量呈极显著的正相关;玉米吸氮量、土壤无机氮残留量和氮表观损失量分别占增加纯氮的21.6%~23.3%,33.0%~37.4%,41.0%~43.7%。综上所述,在本试验条件下,综合产量、氮素吸收利用、土壤剖面无机氮含量变化及氮素平衡等因素,在吉林省半干旱区滴灌施肥适宜施氮量应控制在195~210kg/hm~2。     

华北平原春玉米生长和产量对滴灌均匀系数及灌水量的响应

为了确定现行滴灌均匀系数设计标准的适宜性,通过华北平原2?a春玉米滴灌试验,研究滴灌均匀系数和灌水量对春玉米生长和产量的影响。均匀系数（Cu）设置0.66、0.81和0.99 3个水平,灌水量设置灌溉需水量的50%、75%和100% 3个水平。研究结果表明,滴灌均匀系数和灌水量对春玉米的株高和叶面积指数均值的影响不显著,两指标的均匀系数在生育期内基本呈逐渐增加的趋势,至生育末期其值均大于0.95;沿滴灌带方向,各处理产量的均匀系数均大于0.93,滴灌均匀系数和灌水量及其交互作用对产量的均值和均匀系数的影响均不显著。因此,对华北平原的春玉米而言,可考虑适当降低现行滴灌均匀系数的设计和评价标准（Cu≥0.80）,以降低滴灌系统的投资和运行费用。     

膜下滴灌棉花氮素推荐施肥模型的研究

研究应用叶绿素仪（SPAD-502）在膜下滴灌条件下的棉花氮肥推荐。试验于2006年在石河子乌兰乌苏农业气象实验站进行,以新陆早24为材料。结果表明,不同叶位的叶片含氮量、SPAD值及叶片不同部位的SPAD值存在明显差异,SPAD值与叶绿素含量、叶片含氮量、单株吸氮量等均有较好的相关性;倒四叶的叶尖部位适合作为测试部位。盛蕾期、花期、盛花期和铃期倒四叶SPAD值与施氮量之间呈极显著线性相关;各生育期SPAD值与产量也具极显著相关。滴灌条件下最高籽棉产量为4686.5 kg/hm2,对应的施肥量为293.1 kg/hm2;最大利润（经济最佳）施肥量为207.33 kg/hm2,对应的最佳产量为4565.9 kg/hm2。各生育期SPAD的临界值分别为60.5、60.0、60.8和59.1。盛蕾期、花期、盛花期和铃期SPAD值每变动一格推荐施肥量分别为10.81、8.46、13.42和6.29 kg/hm2。     

滴灌施氮对高垄覆膜马铃薯产量、氮素吸收及土壤硝态氮累积的影响

通过田间试验研究了高垄覆膜滴灌条件下施氮量（N 0、90、180、270、360 kg/hm2）对马铃薯产量、土壤硝态氮积累、氮素平衡及氮肥利用率的影响。结果表明,N180处理的马铃薯块茎产量最高。马铃薯收获期各处理硝态氮含量为表层土（020cm）最高,且在0120 cm剖面呈现降低的趋势;各处理040 cm土层硝态氮积累量占0120cm土层硝态氮积累总量的47.74%～53.17%。施氮量与马铃薯吸氮量、土壤硝态氮残留量、氮素表观损失量呈显著正相关,马铃薯吸氮量、硝态氮残留量和氮素表观损失量分别占增加纯氮的37.93%、45.99%和16.08%。马铃薯块茎吸氮量和收获指数随着施氮量的增加有增加的趋势;氮肥吸收利用率、氮肥农学利用效率、氮肥生理利用效率均以N 90处理最高,分别为67.97%、68.06 kg/kg和154.92 kg/kg。在内蒙古阴山北麓马铃薯主产区,覆膜滴灌施氮量应控制在90～180 kg/hm2。     

北方夏玉米滴灌施肥一体化技术应用效果

为有效提高夏玉米水肥利用效率,通过田间试验对滴灌施肥一体化高效调控与利用技术进行系统的探究。结果表明,与常规漫灌(T1)相比,采用滴灌施肥一体化技术(T2和T3)可显著提高夏玉米大喇叭口期至灌浆期的叶面积指数;显著促进吐丝期至成熟期的干物质积累;在产量构成因素方面显著增加穗粗和穗粒数,并在一定程度上降低玉米穗的秃顶长度,进而显著提高夏玉米的产量。与T1相比,T2和T3增产5.32%~6.13%;水分利用效率提高36.10%~39.42%;氮、磷、钾肥利用率分别提高37.56%~35.29%、23.09%~30.30%、106.21%~121.51%。此外,采用滴灌施肥一体化技术可显著提高夏玉米生产经济效益。与T1相比,T2和T3可有效降低投产比,收益率平均提高4.71个百分点。在化肥用量较常规灌溉模式减少20%条件下,采用滴灌施肥一体化技术既能显著提高夏玉米产量,又能提高经济效益,是适宜在潮土区推广的一种高效节本增收的灌溉模式。     

适宜施氮量提高温室砂田滴灌甜瓜产量品质及水氮利用率

为解决设施砂田甜瓜生产中的水肥瓶颈问题,该文通过大田试验,研究西北旱区设施砂田甜瓜传统水肥管理与滴灌施肥处理对不同生育时期甜瓜生长、产量、品质及水氮利用率的影响,从而确定甜瓜高效的灌溉方式及适宜的氮肥用量。试验设置了2个对照处理:大水漫灌不施氮肥(CK0)和大水漫灌传统施氮(CK),并在灌水量减少40%的滴灌条件下设置了4个氮肥水平:不施氮(T1)、传统施氮量N 180 kg/hm2(T2)、减氮40%即N 108 kg/hm2(T3)、增氮40%即N 252 kg/hm2(T4),共6个处理。结果表明:滴灌施肥处理较对照在甜瓜生长后期光合、植株干物质及氮素积累量等生理、生长指标均显著提高,甜瓜增产7.40%~14.35%,水、氮利用率分别提高28.81%~40.65%和22.78%~77.22%,果实品质中可溶性固形物及Vc含量也显著提高,硝酸盐含量显著降低,且滴灌可减少砂层含土量,从而延长砂田的使用年限。相同滴灌条件不同氮水平处理间,甜瓜植株干物质及氮素积累量随施氮量的增加而增加,而光合指标、产量、品质及水氮利用率则表现出先增加后降低的趋势,其中以T2和T3处理的甜瓜产量、品质和水氮利用率最高。综合分析表明,滴灌施肥是西北旱区设施砂田甜瓜栽培优质高产、高效和节水节肥的水肥管理模式,适宜的氮肥施用量为108~180 kg/hm2。     

滴灌施肥时机对设施蔬菜产量品质与氮肥利用效率的影响

为了提高设施蔬菜滴灌水肥利用效率,在日光温室内开展了为期15个月不同滴灌施肥时机对设施蔬菜产量品质、土壤-蔬菜系统中氮素分布、氮素平衡和氮素利用效率的研究。结果表明:滴灌施肥时机对果实产量、全氮和硝酸盐含量有显著影响,灌水中前期施肥处理产量、全氮和硝酸盐含量均较高,随着施肥时段向后推移,蔬菜吸收氮素先增大后减小;灌水后期施肥处理在收获后各层土壤硝态氮含量最低且消耗量最高,灌水中期施肥处理土壤-蔬菜系统表观损失和氮盈余小,较其他处理低15.35%~59.13%;灌水中期施肥处理氮肥偏生产力和氮肥表观利用率高于前后期施肥处理,3茬平均氮肥表观利用率T2处理高于其他处理7.09%,7.41%,11.48%。施肥时机对土壤-蔬菜系统产量品质和氮素分布等综合影响明显,推荐滴灌施肥过程中尽量使施肥时机保持在灌水过程的中期。     

不同滴灌施肥模式对棉花产量及养分吸收的影响

通过等养分和等成本施肥田间试验,研究不同滴灌施肥模式对棉花产量及养分吸收的影响。试验设4种滴灌施肥模式,分别为常规基施(CK)、常规追施(DCK)、普通滴灌专用肥(F1)和高磷钾滴灌专用肥(F2)。结果表明,在等养分施用条件下,高磷钾滴灌专用肥和普通滴灌专用肥处理的棉花干物质重、养分吸收量和产量均显著高于常规基施处理,但普通滴灌专用肥和常规追施处理差异不大;常规基施处理的氮肥和磷肥的利用率最低,普通滴灌专用肥和常规追施处理的氮肥和磷肥利用率差异不显著,高磷钾滴灌专用肥可显著提高磷肥利用率。在等成本施用条件下,常规追施处理的棉花干物质重、养分吸收量和产量最高,而高磷钾滴灌专用肥、普通滴灌专用肥和常规基施处理无显著差异。因此,滴灌专用肥尤其是高磷钾滴灌专用肥具有较好的应用效果,但是如何降低肥料成本是滴灌专用肥技术面临的重要问题。     

膜下滴灌水肥耦合促进番茄养分吸收及生长

研究膜下滴灌不同水肥调控措施对日光温室番茄生长、产量、养分吸收利用的影响,为温室番茄水肥科学管理提供依据。设灌水(W)和施肥(F:N-P2O5-K2O)2因素,以常规沟灌施肥(W1:100%ET0,F1:240-120-150kg/hm2,ET0为参考作物蒸发蒸腾量)为对照(Control,CK),3个滴灌水量(W1:100%ET0、W2:75%ET0、W3:50%ET0)和3个施肥水平(F1:240-120-150 kg/hm2、F2:180-90-112.5 kg/hm2、F3:120-60-75 kg/hm2)。结果表明,滴灌施肥(W1F1)比CK处理的干物质量、产量和肥料偏生产力(PFP,partial factor productivity of fertilizer)分别增加60.0%、46.9%和47.0%,氮、磷和钾吸收量是CK的1.82~2.41、1.56~2.03和1.36~1.90倍。滴灌施肥下,W1F2干物质量最大(9 258.3 kg/hm2),W1和W2较W3增产19.0%和6.5%,F1和F2较F3增产18.3%和12.9%。生育期内,植株氮、磷和钾吸收量均随灌水量和施肥量的增加而增大(第二果膨大期,F2处理磷和钾吸收量最大除外),灌水量越大,养分利用效率(NUE,nutrient use efficiency)越小,吸收效率(UPE,nutrient uptake efficiency)和PFP越大,施肥量越大,NUE、UPE及PFP均减小。综合分析,滴灌施肥增产效果明显,W1F2(100%ET0,N-P2O5-K2O为180-90-112.5 kg/hm2)处理干物质量最大,有较大的增产潜力,UPE和PFP较高,是适宜的灌水施肥组合。     

Effect of Drip Fertigation on Yield,Water Use Efficiency,and Nutrients Availability in Banana in West Bengal,India

Field studies were conducted during 2008–2009 and 2009–2010 at the Gangetic alluvial plains of West Bengal, India, to assess the different levels of drip fertigation at variable evaporation replenishment compared to surface irrigation and conventional soil fertilization on yield, water use efficiency, and nutrients availability in plant and ratoon crop of banana. The experiment was laid in an Augmented Factorial Complete Block Design with three replications having three drip irrigation schedules at 50%, 60%, and 70% of cumulative pan evaporation (CPE) and three drip fertigation schedules at 50%, 60%, and 80% of recommended nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK) fertilizers with inclusion of conventional surface irrigation at 100% of IW/CPE. The results showed that fruit yield of plant and ratoon crop increased progressively with increasing levels of irrigation water (up to 60% CPE) and NPK fertigation through the drip system. However, maximum fruit yield and water use efficiency of crops was obtained with drip irrigation at 60% CPE with NPK fertigation at 80% of recommended dose. Drip irrigation, as a whole, registered higher fruit yields and water use efficiency with savings of 38.3–41.5% of water compared to surface irrigation. Availability of N, P, and K in soil at vegetative, shooting, and harvesting stages for plant and ratoon crop consistently increased with increasing rate of irrigation water and NPK fertigation through the drip system. Higher availability of macronutrients in soil was recorded with drip irrigation at 70% CPE with 80% of recommended drip NPK fertigation. Overall drip fertigation system improved the available plant nutrients in the soil as compared with traditional surface irrigation.     

Efficiency of Nitrogen Fertilizer for Potato under Fertigation Utilizing a Nitrogen Tracer Technique

Abstract

Efficient crop use of nitrogen (N) fertilizer is critical from economic and environmental viewpoints, especially under irrigated conditions. Nitrogen fertilizer (¹⁵N‐labeled urea) and irrigation methods (drip and furrow) were evaluated on spring and fall potato cultivars under Syrian Mediterranean climatic conditions. Field experiments were conducted in the El‐Ghab Valley near Hama in fall 2000 and spring 2001 on a heavy clay soil. Four N‐fertilizer applications (70, 140, 210, and 280 kg N/ha) were applied in five equally split treatments for both irrigation methods. Potato was irrigated when soil moisture in the specified active root depth reached 80% of the field capacity as indicated by the neutron probe.

Higher marketable tuber yield of spring potato was obtained by fertigation compared to furrow irrigation; the magnitude of tuber yield increases was 4, 2, 31, and 13%, whereas for fall potato the tuber yield increases were 13, 27, 20, and 35% for N fertilizer rates of 70, 140, 210, and 280 kg N/ha, respectively. Shoot dry matter and tuber yields at the bulking stage were not good parameters to estimate marketable tuber yield. The effect of N treatments on potato yield with furrow irrigation and fertigation was limited and not significant. Drip fertigation improved tuber yield of fall potato relative to national average yield. Nitrogen uptake increased with increasing N input under both irrigation methods. Reducing N input under both irrigation methods improved N recoveries. Increasing N input significantly increased total N content in plant tissues at the bulking stage. Spring potato yields were almost double those of fall potato under both irrigation methods and all N treatments.

Nitrate (NO₃) movement in the soil solution for fall potato was monitored using soil solution extractors. Furrow irrigation resulted in greater movements of NO₃‐N below the rooting zone than drip fertigation.

Harvest index did not follow a clear trend but tended to decrease upon increasing N fertilization rates beyond 140 kg N/ha under both irrigation methods. Drip fertigation improved field water‐use efficiencies at the bulking and harvest stages. Fertigation increased specific gravity of potato tubers relative to furrow irrigation. Higher N input decreased specific gravity of potato tubers under both irrigation methods.     

Studies on method and rate of fertilizer application in apple under mulch in north-western Himalayas

Different methods of fertilizer application-drip fertigation and conventional fertilizer application under drip, surface irrigation, and rainfed conditions were evaluated during 2009–2012 at Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Shimla, India. The experiment was arranged in randomized block design (RBD), replicated thrice. Results suggest that fertigation significantly increased growth parameters over conventional methods. Fruit yield was significantly higher under fertigation (13.7 t ha^?1) over conventional fertilizer application with drip (11.6 t ha^?1), surface irrigation (10.6 t ha^?1), and under rainfed (8.6 t ha^?1). Fruit quality parameters were also superior under fertigation. Fertigation maintained higher available nitrogen (N) and potassium (K) content in 0-30 cm soil layers. Available phosphorus (P) was higher in 0-20 cm soil depths in all the treatments. Fertigation with 80 and 100 percent recommended NPK dose registered statistically comparable results. In addition to higher productivity, fertigation resulted in 20 percent fertilizer savings over drip irrigation and 20 percent fertilizer besides 40 percent water savings over surface irrigation.     

Response of Cotton to Irrigation Methods and Nitrogen Fertilization: Yield Components,Water‐Use Efficiency,Nitrogen Uptake,and Recovery

Efficient crop use of nitrogen (N) fertilizer is critical from economic and environmental viewpoints, especially under irrigated conditions. Cotton yield parameters, fiber quality, water‐ and N‐use efficiency responses to N, and irrigation methods in northern Syria were evaluated. Field trials were conducted for two growing seasons on a Chromoxerertic Rhodoxeralf. Treatments consisted of drip fertigation, furrow irrigation, and five different rates of N fertilizer (50, 100, 150, 200, and 250 kg N /ha). Cotton was irrigated when soil moisture in the specified active root depth was 80% of the field capacity as indicated by the neutron probe.

Seed cotton yield was higher than the national average (3,928 kg/ha) by at least 12% as compared to all treatments. Lint properties were not negatively affected by the irrigation method or N rates. Water savings under drip fertigation ranged between 25 and 50% of irrigation water relative to furrow irrigation. Crop water‐use efficiencies of the drip‐fertigated treatments were in most cases 100% higher than those of the corresponding furrow‐irrigated treatments. The highest water demand was during the fruit‐setting growth stage. It was also concluded that under drip fertigation, 100–150 N kg/ha was adequate and comparable with the highest N rates tested under furrow irrigation regarding lint yield, N uptake, and recovery. Based on cotton seed yield and weight of stems, the overall amount of N removed from the field for the drip‐fertigated treatments ranged between 101 and 118kg and 116 and 188 N/ha for 2001 and 2002, respectively. The N removal ranged between 94 and 113 and 111 and 144 kg N/ha for the furrow‐irrigated treatments for 2001 and 2002, respectively.