Nitrate-nitrogen, soluble and bioavailable phosphorus runoff from simulated rainfall after fertilizer application

• Published in: Soil Science Society of America journal Vol. 62; no. 6; pp. 1711 - 1718
• Main Authors: Gascho, G.J. (Crop and Soil Sciences Dep., University of Georgia.), Wauchope, R.D, Davis, J.G, Truman, C.C, Dowler, C.C, Hook, J.E, Sumner, H.R, Johnson, A.W
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Madison, WI Soil Science Society of America 01.11.1998; American Society of Agronomy
• Subjects: ABONOS FOSFATADOS; ABONOS LIQUIDOS; ABONOS NITROGENADOS; ABONOS POTASICOS; ACRISOL; ACRISOLES; ACRISOLS; AGRICULTURAL SOILS; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Applied sciences; AZOTE; Biological and medical sciences; DIMENSION; DIMENSIONS; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics; ENGRAIS AZOTE; ENGRAIS LIQUIDE; ENGRAIS PHOSPHATE; ENGRAIS POTASSIQUE; ESCORRENTIA; Exact sciences and technology; EXPERIMENTACION EN CAMPO; EXPERIMENTAL PLOTS; EXPERIMENTATION AU CHAMP; FIELD EXPERIMENTATION; FOSFORO; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; GEORGIA (EUA); GEORGIA (USA); GEORGIE (EU); GRANULE; GRANULES; GRANULOS; LIQUID FERTILIZERS; LLUVIA; LOSSES FROM SOIL; Natural water pollution; NITRATE; NITRATES; NITRATOS; NITROGEN; NITROGEN FERTILIZERS; NITROGENO; PERDIDAS DESDE SUELOS; PERTE DES LES SOLS; PHOSPHATE FERTILIZERS; PHOSPHORE; PHOSPHORUS; PLUIE; Pollution; Pollution, environment geology; POTASH FERTILIZERS; RAIN; Rainwaters, run off water and others; RUISSELLEMENT; RUNOFF; Simulation; SIZE; Soil and water pollution; Soil science; Soils; SOL AGRICOLE; Stormwater; SUELOS AGRICOLAS; UDULTS; Water treatment and pollution; Zea mays; Georgia; United States; North America; America; Nitrogen fertilization; Monocotyledones; Cultivated soil; Available nutrient; Nitrates; POLLUTION BY AGRICULTURE; Phosphate fertilizer; Soluble form; Phosphorus fertilization; Inorganic element; Cereal crop; Field experiment; Gramineae; Mineral fertilization; Physical simulation; Angiospermae; Ultisols; Nitrogen fertilizer; Zea mays; Pollutant behavior; Substance loss; Phosphorus; Bioavailability; Runoff water; Nitrogen; Pollutant; Diffuse source; Runoff; Environment; Water pollution; Spermatophyta; Loamy sand soil
• ISSN: 0361-5995; 1435-0661
• DOI: 10.2136/sssaj1998.03615995006200060032x

Runoff from crop land can enhance eutrophication of fresh water and hypoxia in sea water. We simulated rain at 25 mm hr-1 for 2 hr, 8 d prior and 1, 14, 29, 49 and 108 d after fertilization and planting of corn (Zea mays L.). Experimental sites received 50 kg N, 45 kg P, and 125 kg K ha-1 as granulated fertilizer broadcast and incorporated to a depth of 150 mm. An additional 118 kg N ha-1 was surface-banded as solution fertilizer at Day 28, which was 1 d prior to the Day 29 rain. The study was conducted for 2 yr on a Tifton loamy sand (fine-loamy, siliceous, thermic Plinthic Kandiudults) with a slope of 4.5%, on micro- (5.57 m2) and meso-scale (622 m2) plots. Runoff was equal for the two scales of plots. There were greater runoff losses of soluble-P from meso- (1.4 kg ha-1) than from micro-plots (1.0 kg ha-1). Nitrate-N losses averaged 2.7 kg ha-1 and bioavailable-P losses were 2.3 kg ha-1. Greatest NO3(-)N and soluble-P losses occurred the day after application of the solid fertilizer, whereas bioavailable-P loss was greatest at Day 14 and 29. No increase in NO3(-)N losses was found 1 d after the application of urea ammonium nitrate solution, possibly indicating that liquid fertilizers are not as susceptible to runoff losses as solid fertilizers. Results of this study should encourage the use of small plots, thereby saving research time and expense and provide data useful for estimating losses at similar sites