• Authors:
    • Alluvione, F.
    • Del Grosso, S. J.
    • Halvorson, A. D.
  • Source: Better Crops with Plant Food
  • Volume: 93
  • Issue: 1
  • Year: 2009
  • Summary: Research shows that application of N fertilizer increases nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions linearly from irrigated cropping systems in Colorado. Conventional-till continuous corn had a higher level of N2O emissions than no-till continuous corn. Inclusion of soybean or dry bean in the no-till corn rotation increased the level of N2O emissions during the corn year of the rotation. Use of controlled release and stabilized N sources reduced N2O emissions under no-till when compared to urea and UAN fertilizer sources. Results of this work indicate that there are crop and fertilizer N management alternatives to reduce N2O emissions from irrigated systems.
  • Authors:
    • Horwath, W.
    • Kallenbach, C.
    • Assa, J.
    • Burger, M.
  • Year: 2009
  • Authors:
    • Smith, R.
    • Cahn, M.
  • Year: 2009
  • Authors:
    • Climate Change Central
  • Source: ClimateCHECK
  • Year: 2009
  • Summary: From exec summary: This Consultation Report describes the development to date of the Nitrous Oxide Emissions Reduction Protocol ("NERP"), designed on the framework provided by the Right Product @ Right Rate, Right Time, Right Place™ stewardship model of the Canadian Fertilizer Institute. The process for development includes a Technical Background Document, a Science Discussion document, and a Consultation Workshop. Following the decisions of the Consultation Workshop, the main elements of the NERP are determined. The eligibility requirements of the NERP are designed according to the criteria of the Alberta Offsets System and Canada's Offset System. The GHG emissions for the baseline scenario and project condition are calculated using the country-specific methodology used in Canada's National Inventory Report. The scope of the NERP is limited to (1) on-farm reductions of (2) emissions associated with quantification categories fertilizer, manure, residues, and irrigation. The baseline is determined according to three years of farm-level data. The essential component for participation in the NERP is defined as the implementation of a 4R N stewardship plan, as assured by (1) general guidance in the NERP confirmed by third party verification, (2) detailed design instructions in the NERP, (3) conformity with a recommended predictive model, or (4) retaining services of an approved consulting professional. The fertilizer management practices comprising the Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced levels of the NERP are listed. And, the reduction modifiers associated with the levels of the NERP are proposed.
  • Authors:
    • Climate Change Central
  • Year: 2009
  • Summary: From introduction: The experts participating in the Consultation Workshop approved the main elements of the implementation of the NERP. The eligibility requirements of the NERP will be designed according to the criteria of the Alberta Offsets System and Canada's Offset System. The scope of the NERP is limited to on-farm reductions of emissions associated with quantification categories of fertilizer, manure, residues, and irrigation. The GHG emissions for the baseline will be determined using the country-specific methodology from Canada's National Inventory Report according to three years of farm-level activity data. The GHG emissions for the project condition also will be determined with the country-specific methodology from Canada's National Inventory Report, using the data from the farm after participation in the NERP. The essential component for participation in the NERP was defined as the implementation of a 4-R stewardship plan, as assured by (1) general guidance in the NERP confirmed by third party verification, (2) detailed design instructions in the NERP, (3) conformity with a recommended predictive model, and (4) retaining services of an approved consulting professional. The fertilizer best management practices (BMPs) comprising the Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced levels of the NERP were listed for western Canada conditions. Despite achieving consensus on the main elements of the NERP, the participants of the Consultation Workshop identified some gaps requiring further development. This Decision Paper is intended to facilitate consensus among scientific researchers and technical practitioners concerning the remaining decisions needed to complete the technical and operational framework of the NERP. To achieve this objective, the Decision Paper compiled the knowledge needed to address the gaps identified at the Consultation Workshop, and recorded the decisions of the Contract Steering Committee and other designated experts based on the compiled knowledge.
  • Authors:
    • Del Grosso, S. J.
    • Halvorson, A. D.
    • Alluvione, F.
  • Source: Journal of Environmental Quality
  • Volume: 38
  • Issue: 5
  • Year: 2009
  • Summary: Long-term effects of tillage intensity, N fertilization, and crop rotation on carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) flux. from semiarid irrigated soils are poorly understood. We evaluated effects of. (i) tillage intensity [no-till (NT) and conventional moldboard plow tillage (CT)] in a Continuous corn rotation; (ii) N fertilization levels [0-246 kg N ha(-1) for corn (Zea mays L.); 0 and 56 kg N ha(-1) for dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris W; 0 and 112 kg N ha(-1) for barley (Hordeum distichon L.)]; and (iii) crop rotation Under NT soil management [corn-barley (NTCB); continuous corn (NT-CC); corn-dry bean (NI-CDb)] on CO2 and CH4 flux from a clay loam soil. Carbon dioxide and CH4 fluxes were monitored one to three times per week using vented nonsready state closed chambers. No-till reduced (14%) growing season (154 d) cumulative CO2 emissions relative to CT (NT 2.08 Mg CO2-C ha(-1); CT 2.41 Mg CO2-C ha(-1)), while N fertilization had no effect. Significantly lower (18%) growing season CO2 fluxes were found in NT-CDb than NT-CC and NT-CB (11.4, 13.2 and 13.9 kg CO2-C ha(-1)d(-1) respectively). Growing season CH4 emissions were higher in NT (20.2 g CH4 ha(-1)) than in CT (1.2 g CH4 ha(-1)). Nitrogen fertilization and cropping rotation did not affect CH4 flux. Implementation of NT for 7 yr with no N fertilization was not adequate for restoring the CH4 oxidation capacity Of this clay learn soil relative to CT plowed and fertilized soil.
  • Authors:
    • Pepo, P.
  • Source: Cereal Research Communications
  • Volume: 37
  • Issue: Suppl. 1
  • Year: 2009
  • Summary: The effects of different water supply cropyears (2007 year=dry, with water stress; 2008 year=optimum water supply) on the yields and agronomic traits of wheat in different crop models (crop rotation, fertilization, irrigation) were studied. In non-irrigated treatment the maximum yields of winter wheat were 5590 kg ha -1 in biculture (maize-wheat) and 7279 kg ha -1 in triculture (peas-wheat-maize) in 2007 year characterized by water-deficit stress. In 2008 (optimum rain amount and distribution) the maximum yields were 7065 kg ha -1 (biculture) and 8112 kg ha -1 (triculture) in non irrigated conditions. In water-deficit stress cropyear (2007 year) the yield-surpluses of wheat were 2245 kg ha -1 (biculture) and 1213 kg ha -1 (triculture), respectively. The nutrient utilization of wheat was modified by abiotic (water) and biotic (leaf- and stem-diseases) stress. The fertilization surpluses of wheat were 2853-3698 kg ha -1 (non-irrigated) and 3164-5505 kg ha -1 (irrigated) in a dry cropyear (2007) and 884-4050 kg ha -1 (non-irrigated) and 524-3990 kg ha -1 (irrigated) in an optimum cropyear (2008). The optimum fertilizer doses varied N 150-200+PK in biculture and N 50-150+PK in triculture depending on cropyear and irrigation. The abiotic stress (water deficit) influenced the agronomic traits (diseases, lodging) of winter wheat. The optimalization of agrotechnical elements provides 7,8-8,5 t ha -1 yields in dry cropyear and 7,1-8,1 t ha -1 yields of wheat in good cropyear, respectively.
  • Authors:
    • Pepo, P.
  • Source: Analele Universităţii din Oradea, Fascicula: Protecţia Mediului
  • Volume: 14
  • Year: 2009
  • Summary: In non-irrigated treatment the maximum yields of winter wheat were 5590 kg ha -1 in biculture (maize-wheat) and 7279 kg ha -1 in triculture (peas-wheat-maize) in 2007 year characterized by water-deficit stress. In 2008 (optimum rain amount and distribution) the maximum yields were 7065 kg ha -1 (biculture) and 8112 kg ha -1 (triculture) in non irrigated conditions. The fertilization surpluses of wheat were 2853-3698 kg ha -1 (non-irrigated) and 3164-5505 kg ha -1 (irrigated) in a dry cropyear (2007) and 884-4050 kg ha -1 (non-irrigated) and 524-3990 kg ha -1 (irrigated) in an optimum cropyear (2008). The optimum fertilizer doses varied N 150-200+PK in biculture and N 50-150+PK in triculture depending on cropyear and irrigation. The optimalization of agrotechnical elements provides 7,8-8,5 t ha -1 yields in dry cropyear and 7,1-8,1 t ha -1 yields of wheat in good cropyear, respectively. Our scientific results proved that in water stress cropyear (2007) the maximum yields of maize were 4316 kg ha -1 (monoculture), 7706 kg ha -1 (biculture), 7998 kg ha -1 (triculture) in non irrigated circumstances and 8586 kg ha -1, 10 970 kg ha -1, 10 679 kg ha -1 in irrigated treatment, respectively. In dry cropyear (2007) the yield-surpluses of irrigation were 4270 kg ha -1 (mono), 3264 kg ha -1 (bi), 2681 kg ha -1 (tri), respectively. In optimum water supply cropyear (2008) the maximum yields of maize were 13 729-13 787 (mono), 14 137-14 152 kg ha -1 (bi), 13 987-14 180 kg ha -1 (tri) so there was no crop-rotation effect. We obtained 8,6-11,0 t ha -1 maximum yields of maize in water stress cropyear and 13,7-14,2 t ha -1 in optimum cropyear on chernozem soil with using appropriate agrotechnical elements.
  • Authors:
    • Qureshi, Z. A.
    • Neibling, H.
  • Source: Agricultural Water Management
  • Volume: 96
  • Issue: 1
  • Year: 2009
  • Summary: Agricultural production in irrigated areas is becoming more water-constrained. Scheduling the timing of the last irrigation on cereals is one effective method of reducing seasonal water use while maintaining crop yield and quality. The last irrigation application time and its impact on two-row malting barley ( Hordeum distichum cv. Moravian 37) yield, quality, and economic benefits were studied in the 2000, 2001, and 2002 cropping seasons. Irrigation was stopped for the season at Milk, pre-Soft Dough, Soft Dough, and post-Soft Dough grain formation stages. The Soft Dough water cutoff treatment produced the highest grain yield of two-row spring malting barley. Water cutoff before or after Soft Dough stage reduced the grain yield significantly at P
  • Authors:
    • McNeill, A.
    • Sommer, R.
    • Ibrikci, H.
    • Ryan, J.
  • Source: Advances in Agronomy
  • Volume: 104
  • Year: 2009
  • Summary: This review examines the varied aspects of N in the soils and cropping systems as reflected by research at The International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) in Syria in collaboration with other countries of the West Asia-North Africa region, especially in Morocco and other countries north and south of the Mediterranean. The synthesis, therefore, reflects a broad overview of conditions that impinge an N nutrition of crops and the evolution of N research achievements since the advent of commercial fertilization over three decades ago. With few exceptions, the soils of the Mediterranean region are low in organic matter and consequently in the reserves of total N, thus posing a limit of growing crops without fertilizer N or biological N fixation (BNF) through legumes. Soil calibration studies established the value of the soil nitrate test as a predictor of crop response with field trials to establish application rates for the main crops. Applicability is influenced by depth of sampling and the extent of mineralization. Dryland crop responses to N varied widely throughout the region from 30 to 150 kg N ha -1, being dependent on soil N status and seasonal rainfall as the major determinant of yields. Splitting the N application was only advantageous in higher rainfall areas. Residual N from BNF by food and forage legumes influenced soil N supply for cereals and relative responses to N fertilizer. The contribution of rhizobia fixation to all the major legumes was quantified using 15N along with management factors that influenced BNF by legumes. Where legumes were newly introduced to a region, rhizobial inoculation was considered necessary. With cereal responses to fertilizer N, differences between varieties were highlighted. Where urea or ammonium-N fertilizers were used, volatilization was the main loss mechanisms rather than leaching or denitrification. Considerable work was done on N use within crop rotation systems and components of the N cycle defined along with inputs from urine and feces from grazing animals. Forage legumes were shown to enhance total soil N and both labile and biomass N, with the least influence from fallow. These N forms were shown to fluctuate during the year as moisture and temperature conditions changed. Fertilizer N use had a positive effect on grain quality with increased protein, as well as soil organic matter (SOM) and thus soil quality. The significant change of the gradual introduction of supplemental irrigation in traditional rainfed cropping areas and its implications for use of models to describe the complex nature of N in dryland cropping systems was described. With the likelihood of a continuation of intensification of the dryland cropping systems in the Mediterranean region, N fertilizer use will inevitably increase and along with it the need for greater use efficiency in the interest of production economics and the environment. While limited use has been made of modeling of N, this approach is likely to be of more significance in integrating the varied facets of N under Mediterranean cropping conditions.