Effects of Adapted N-Fertilisation Strategies on Nitrate Leaching and Yield Performance of Arable Crops in North-Western Germany
Groundwater pollution with nitrate is a big challenge for drinking water abstraction in regions with intensive agricultural land-use, specifically with high livestock densities on sandy soils in humid climates. Karst aquifers with high water flow velocities are extremely vulnerable to this problem....
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MDPI AG
2020-12-01
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| Series: | Agronomy |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/11/1/64 |
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| author | Insa Kühling Mareike Beiküfner Maria Vergara Dieter Trautz |
| author_facet | Insa Kühling Mareike Beiküfner Maria Vergara Dieter Trautz |
| author_sort | Insa Kühling |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Groundwater pollution with nitrate is a big challenge for drinking water abstraction in regions with intensive agricultural land-use, specifically with high livestock densities on sandy soils in humid climates. Karst aquifers with high water flow velocities are extremely vulnerable to this problem. To cope with this situation, a field trial with an installation of ceramic suction cups under a randomised block design with a typical north-German cropping sequence of silage maize–winter wheat–winter barley was established in a karst water protection zone. Over three years, reduced nitrogen (N) application rates and N type (mineral or combined organic + mineral fertilisation) were tested for their effects on crop yields and leachate water quality below the root zone. Results showed no significant reductions in crop yields with 10/20% reduced N rates for cereals/maize and only slight reductions in cereal protein content. Nitrate concentration from adapted N rates was significantly lower in treatments with an application of organic fertilisers (−7.74 mg NO<sub>3</sub>-N l<sup>−1</sup>) with greatest potential after cultivation of maize; in only mineral fertilised plots the effect was smaller (−3.80 mg NO<sub>3</sub>-N l<sup>−1</sup>). Cumulative leaching losses were positively correlated with post-harvest soil mineral nitrogen content but even in unfertilised control plots losses >50 kg N ha<sup>−1</sup> were observed in some crop-years. Reduced N rates led to decreased leaching losses of 14% (6.3 kg N ha<sup>−1</sup> a<sup>−1</sup>) with mineral and 29% (20.1 kg N ha<sup>−1</sup> a<sup>−1</sup>) with organic + mineral fertilisation on average overall cops and years. The presented study revealed the general potential of adapted fertilisation strategies with moderately reduced N applications (−10/−20%) to increase leachate water quality without affecting significantly crop yields. However, regionally typical after-effects from yearlong high N surpluses in livestock intensive farming systems are a limiting factor. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T13:39:29Z |
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| id | doaj.art-2fd51891d37d4a6abeda145efa317bf5 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4395 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T13:39:29Z |
| publishDate | 2020-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Agronomy |
| spelling | doaj.art-2fd51891d37d4a6abeda145efa317bf52023-11-21T03:08:07ZengMDPI AGAgronomy2073-43952020-12-011116410.3390/agronomy11010064Effects of Adapted N-Fertilisation Strategies on Nitrate Leaching and Yield Performance of Arable Crops in North-Western GermanyInsa Kühling0Mareike Beiküfner1Maria Vergara2Dieter Trautz3Faculty of Agricultural and Nutritional Sciences, Agronomy & Crop Science, Kiel University, Hermann-Rodewald-Str. 9, 24118 Kiel, GermanyFaculty of Agricultural Sciences and Landscape Architecture, Sustainable Agro-Ecosystems, Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences, Am Krümpel 31, 49090 Osnabrück, GermanyFaculty of Agricultural Sciences and Landscape Architecture, Sustainable Agro-Ecosystems, Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences, Am Krümpel 31, 49090 Osnabrück, GermanyFaculty of Agricultural Sciences and Landscape Architecture, Sustainable Agro-Ecosystems, Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences, Am Krümpel 31, 49090 Osnabrück, GermanyGroundwater pollution with nitrate is a big challenge for drinking water abstraction in regions with intensive agricultural land-use, specifically with high livestock densities on sandy soils in humid climates. Karst aquifers with high water flow velocities are extremely vulnerable to this problem. To cope with this situation, a field trial with an installation of ceramic suction cups under a randomised block design with a typical north-German cropping sequence of silage maize–winter wheat–winter barley was established in a karst water protection zone. Over three years, reduced nitrogen (N) application rates and N type (mineral or combined organic + mineral fertilisation) were tested for their effects on crop yields and leachate water quality below the root zone. Results showed no significant reductions in crop yields with 10/20% reduced N rates for cereals/maize and only slight reductions in cereal protein content. Nitrate concentration from adapted N rates was significantly lower in treatments with an application of organic fertilisers (−7.74 mg NO<sub>3</sub>-N l<sup>−1</sup>) with greatest potential after cultivation of maize; in only mineral fertilised plots the effect was smaller (−3.80 mg NO<sub>3</sub>-N l<sup>−1</sup>). Cumulative leaching losses were positively correlated with post-harvest soil mineral nitrogen content but even in unfertilised control plots losses >50 kg N ha<sup>−1</sup> were observed in some crop-years. Reduced N rates led to decreased leaching losses of 14% (6.3 kg N ha<sup>−1</sup> a<sup>−1</sup>) with mineral and 29% (20.1 kg N ha<sup>−1</sup> a<sup>−1</sup>) with organic + mineral fertilisation on average overall cops and years. The presented study revealed the general potential of adapted fertilisation strategies with moderately reduced N applications (−10/−20%) to increase leachate water quality without affecting significantly crop yields. However, regionally typical after-effects from yearlong high N surpluses in livestock intensive farming systems are a limiting factor.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/11/1/64NO<sub>3</sub>drinking water protectionnitrogen losseskarst aquiferfertiliser ordinancesuction cups |
| spellingShingle | Insa Kühling Mareike Beiküfner Maria Vergara Dieter Trautz Effects of Adapted N-Fertilisation Strategies on Nitrate Leaching and Yield Performance of Arable Crops in North-Western Germany Agronomy NO<sub>3</sub> drinking water protection nitrogen losses karst aquifer fertiliser ordinance suction cups |
| title | Effects of Adapted N-Fertilisation Strategies on Nitrate Leaching and Yield Performance of Arable Crops in North-Western Germany |
| title_full | Effects of Adapted N-Fertilisation Strategies on Nitrate Leaching and Yield Performance of Arable Crops in North-Western Germany |
| title_fullStr | Effects of Adapted N-Fertilisation Strategies on Nitrate Leaching and Yield Performance of Arable Crops in North-Western Germany |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of Adapted N-Fertilisation Strategies on Nitrate Leaching and Yield Performance of Arable Crops in North-Western Germany |
| title_short | Effects of Adapted N-Fertilisation Strategies on Nitrate Leaching and Yield Performance of Arable Crops in North-Western Germany |
| title_sort | effects of adapted n fertilisation strategies on nitrate leaching and yield performance of arable crops in north western germany |
| topic | NO<sub>3</sub> drinking water protection nitrogen losses karst aquifer fertiliser ordinance suction cups |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/11/1/64 |
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