Nitrogen loss by surface runoff from different cropping systems
P. Jiao A , D. Xu A D , S. Wang A , Y. Wang B , K. Liu C and G. Tang B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A State Key Laboratory of Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycle in River Basin, China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing, 100038, China.
B Anhui Water Resources Research Institute, Bengbu, 233000, China.
C Department of Soil Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, R3T 2N2, Canada.
D Corresponding author. Email: xudi@iwhr.com
Soil Research 50(1) 58-66 https://doi.org/10.1071/SR11152
Submitted: 22 June 2011 Accepted: 19 December 2011 Published: 13 February 2012
Abstract
Reducing nitrogen (N) loss from agricultural soils as surface runoff is essential to prevent surface water contamination. The objective of 3-year study, 2007–09, was to evaluate surface runoff and N loss from different cropping systems. There were four treatments, including one single-crop cropping system with winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) followed by summer fallow (wheat/fallow), and three double-cropping systems: winter wheat/corn (Zea mays L.), wheat/cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.), and wheat/soybean (Glycine max L. Merrill). The wheat/fallow received no fertiliser in the summer fallow period. The four cropping systems were randomly assigned to 12 plots of 5 m by 2 m on a silty clay soil. Lower runoff was found in the three double-cropping systems than the wheat/fallow, with the lowest runoff from the wheat/soybean. The three double-cropping systems also substantially reduced losses of ammonium-N (NH4+-N), nitrate-N (NO3–-N), dissolved N (DN), and total N (TN) compared with the wheat/fallow. Among the three double-cropping systems, the highest losses of NO3–-N, DN, and TN were from the wheat/cotton, and the lowest losses were from the wheat/soybean. However, the wheat/soybean increased NO3–-N and DN concentrations compared with wheat/fallow. The losses in peak events accounted for >64% for NH4+-N, 58% for NO3–-N, and 41% for DN of the total losses occurring during the 3-year experimental period, suggesting that peak N-loss events should be focussed on for the control of N loss as surface runoff from agricultural fields.
Additional keywords: natural rainfall, summer crop, temporal variation.
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