Assessment of orchard N losses to groundwater with a vadose zone monitoring network

•Nitrate leaching below almond and pistachio orchards was studied.•Huge spatial variability in nitrate concentration was observed at the orchard scale.•The variability could not be explained by physico-hydrological properties of the soil.•Annual orchard average N loss could be estimated based on eig...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Agricultural water management 2016-07, Vol.172, p.83-95
Main Authors: Baram, S., Couvreur, V., Harter, T., Read, M., Brown, P.H., Hopmans, J.W., Smart, D.R.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Assessments
Best Management Practice
Fertigation
Fertilizing
Flooding
Irrigation
Leaching
Monitoring
Nitrate
Orchards
Prunus dulcis
Roots
Soil (material)
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Summary:•Nitrate leaching below almond and pistachio orchards was studied.•Huge spatial variability in nitrate concentration was observed at the orchard scale.•The variability could not be explained by physico-hydrological properties of the soil.•Annual orchard average N loss could be estimated based on eight monitoring sites.•Current BMP fertigation practices should be modified to protect groundwater. A 2-year study was conducted to explore the impact of current and alternative best management practices (BMPs) of irrigation and fertigation on nitrate (NO3−) leaching below the root zone. Using a fully randomized complete block design, three fertigation strategies were compared: current BMP with and without accounting for NO3−-N in irrigation-water, and a high frequency fertigation treatment with low-N concentration applications. Temporal changes in water content, pore water NO3− concentrations and soil water potential were monitored within and below the root zone to a soil depth of 3m at eight sites in an almond and a pistachio orchard. NO3− concentrations below the root zone ranged from
ISSN:0378-3774
1873-2283
DOI:10.1016/j.agwat.2016.04.012