Nitrogen removal and nitrate leaching for two perennial, sod-based forage systems receiving dairy effluent

In northern Florida, year-round forage systems are used in dairy effluent sprayfields to reduce nitrate leaching. Our purpose was to quantify forage N removal and monitor nitrate N (NO3(-)-N) concentration below the rooting zone for two perennial, sod-based, triple-cropping systems over four 12-mo c...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of environmental quality 2003-05, Vol.32 (3), p.996-1007
Main Authors: WOODARD, Kenneth R, FRENCH, Edwin C, VAN HORN, Harold H, SWEAT, Lewin A, GRAETZ, Donald A, SOLLENBERGER, Lynn E, MACOON, Bisoondat, PORTIER, Kenneth M, RYMPH, Stuart J, WADE, Brett L, PRINE, Gordon M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions
Arachis glabrata
Biodegradation, Environmental
Biological and medical sciences
Cynodon
Cynodon - chemistry
Cynodon - growth & development
Dairying
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
General agronomy. Plant production
Nitrates - chemistry
Nitrates - isolation & purification
Nitrogen - chemistry
Nitrogen - isolation & purification
Other nutrients. Amendments. Solid and liquid wastes. Sludges and slurries
Plant Roots
Secale - chemistry
Secale - growth & development
Secale cereale
Soil Pollutants - isolation & purification
Soil-plant relationships. Soil fertility. Fertilization. Amendments
Water Pollutants - isolation & purification
Zea mays
Zea mays - chemistry
Zea mays - growth & development
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Summary:In northern Florida, year-round forage systems are used in dairy effluent sprayfields to reduce nitrate leaching. Our purpose was to quantify forage N removal and monitor nitrate N (NO3(-)-N) concentration below the rooting zone for two perennial, sod-based, triple-cropping systems over four 12-mo cycles (1996-2000). The soil is an excessively drained Kershaw sand (thermic, uncoated Typic Quartzip-samment). Effluent N rates were 500, 690, and 910 kg ha(-1) per cycle. Differences in N removal between a corn (Zea mays L.)-bermudagrass (Cynodon spp.)-rye (Secale cereale L.) system (CBR) and corn-perennial peanut (Arachis glabrata Benth.)-rye system (CPR) were primarily related to the performance of the perennial forages. Nitrogen removal of corn (125-170 kg ha(-1)) and rye (62-90 kg ha(-1)) was relatively stable between systems and among cycles. The greatest N removal was measured for CBR in the first cycle (408 kg ha(-1)), with the bermudagrass removing an average of 191 kg N ha(-1). In later cycles, N removal for bermudagrass declined because dry matter (DM) yield declined. Yield and N removal of perennial peanut increased over the four cycles. Nitrate N concentrations below the rooting zone were lower for CBR than CPR in the first two cycles, but differences were inconsistent in the latter two. The CBR system maintained low NO3(-)-N leaching in the first cycle when the bermudagrass was the most productive; however, it was not a sustainable system for long-term prevention of NO3(-)-N leaching due to declining bermudagrass yield in subsequent cycles. For CPR, effluent N rates > or = 500 kg ha(-1) yr(-1) have the potential to negatively affect ground water quality.
ISSN:0047-2425
1537-2537
1537-2537
DOI:10.2134/jeq2003.0996