Soil water deficit effects on soil inorganic nitrogen in alternate-furrow flood irrigated Australian cotton production systems
Ben C. T. Macdonald
A * , Graeme D. Schwenke B , Annabelle McPherson C , Clarence Mercer B , Jonathan Baird C and Gunasekhar Nachimuthu C
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A CSIRO Agriculture and Food, Black Mountain, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.
B NSW Department of Primary Industries, Tamworth Agricultural Institute, Calala, NSW 2340, Australia.
C NSW Department of Primary Industries, Australian Cotton Research Institute, Narrabri, NSW, Australia.
Soil Research 60(2) 137-146 https://doi.org/10.1071/SR20223
Submitted: 12 August 2020 Accepted: 12 August 2021 Published: 4 November 2021
© 2022 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND)
Abstract
Context: Predicting the nitrogen (N) mineralisation from soil organic matter is a key aid to fertiliser decision-making and improving the N fertiliser use efficiency of a crop.
Aims and methods: Field experiments were conducted to assess the amount of inorganic N derived from soil organic matter mineralisation over two seasons (2017–2018 and 2018–2019) across treatments differing in irrigation frequency and amount. During both seasons, the plant line soil in each treatment was sequentially sampled at each irrigation event.
Key results: There was an effect of the soil water deficit on the measured accumulated soil inorganic N derived from mineralisation in both measurement years. It was observed that soil inorganic N accumulated in the plant line rather than in other hillside and furrow positions for all soil moisture deficit treatments in both years. In 2017–2018, N accumulated in the plant was significantly greater than the measured accumulated inorganic N (0–300 mm).
Conclusions and implications: The sequential soil sampling approach was challenging in irrigated systems and we propose a hybrid measurement of pre-season available soil N and/or plant N uptake in nil N fertiliser plots as a means of estimating N derived from soil organic matter mineralisation.
Keywords: cotton, nitrogen mineralisation, vertosol furrow irrigation.
References
Adams MA, Polglase PJ, Attiwill PM, Weston CJ (1989) In situ studies of nitrogen mineralization and uptake in forest soils; some comments on methodology. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 21, 423–429.| In situ studies of nitrogen mineralization and uptake in forest soils; some comments on methodology.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Brackin R, Buckley S, Pirie R, Visser F (2019) Predicting nitrogen mineralisation in Australian irrigated cotton cropping systems. Soil Research 57, 247–256.
| Predicting nitrogen mineralisation in Australian irrigated cotton cropping systems.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Clay DE, Zheng Z, Liu Z, Clay S, Trooien T (2004) Bromide and nitrate movement through undisturbed soil columns. Journal of Environmental Quality 33, 338–342.
| Bromide and nitrate movement through undisturbed soil columns.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 14964388PubMed |
Constable GA, Rochester IJ (1988) Nitrogen application to cotton on a clay soil: timing and soil testing. Agronomy Journal 80, 498–502.
| Nitrogen application to cotton on a clay soil: timing and soil testing.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Constable GA, Shaw AJ (1988) Temperature requirements for cotton. Agfact P5.3.5.. Division of Plant Industries, New South Wales Department of Agriculture. Available at https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/710796/Agfact-P5.3.5-Temperature-requirements-for-cotton.pdf
Cresswell H, Hamilton G (2002) Bulk density and pore space relations. In ‘Soil physical measurement and interpretation fro land evaluation’. (Eds N McKenzie, K Coughlan, H Cresswell) pp. 35–58. (CSIRO Publishing: Melbourne, Vic., Australia)
Cull P (1979) Irrigation scheduling of cotton by computer. PhD thesis, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia.
Dalgliesh N, Foale M (1998) Soil Matters—Monitoring soil water and nutrients in dryland farming systems.
Hatch DJ, Jarvis SC, Philipps L (1990) Field measurement of nitrogen mineralization using soil core incubation and acetylene inhibition of nitrification. Plant and Soil 124, 97–107.
| Field measurement of nitrogen mineralization using soil core incubation and acetylene inhibition of nitrification.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Holzworth DP, Huth NI, deVoil PG, Zurcher EJ, Herrmann NI, McLean G, Chenu K, van Oosterom EJ, Snow V, Murphy C, Moore AD, Brown H, Whish JPM, Verrall S, Fainges J, Bell LW, Peake AS, Poulton PL, Hochman Z, Thorburn PJ, Gaydon DS, Dalgliesh NP, Rodriguez D, Cox H, Chapman S, Doherty A, Teixeira E, Sharp J, Cichota R, Vogeler I, Li FY, Wang E, Hammer GL, Robertson MJ, Dimes JP, Whitbread AM, Hunt J, van Rees H, McClelland T, Carberry PS, Hargreaves JNG, MacLeod N, McDonald C, Harsdorf J, Wedgwood S, Keating BA (2014) APSIM – Evolution towards a new generation of agricultural systems simulation. Environmental Modelling & Software 62, 327–350.
| APSIM – Evolution towards a new generation of agricultural systems simulation.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Hulugalle NR, Nachimuthu G, Kirkby K, Lonergan P, Heimoana V, Watkins MD, Finlay LA (2020) Sowing maize as a rotation crop in irrigated cotton cropping systems in a vertosol: effects on soil properties, greenhouse gas emissions, black root rot incidence, cotton lint yield and fibre quality. Soil Research 58, 137–150.
| Sowing maize as a rotation crop in irrigated cotton cropping systems in a vertosol: effects on soil properties, greenhouse gas emissions, black root rot incidence, cotton lint yield and fibre quality.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Humphreys E, Freney JR, Constable GA, Smith JWB, Lilley D, Rochester IJ (1990) The fate of your N fertiliser. In ‘Fifth Australian cotton conference: the Australian cotton industry under the microscope, August 8th–9th 1990, Broadbeach, Queensland’. Vol. 452, pp. 161–170. (Australian Cotton Growers’ Research Association: Broadbeach, Qld, Australia)
Huth NI, Poulton PL (2007) An electromagnetic induction method for monitoring variation in soil moisture in agroforestry systems. Australian Journal of Soil Research 63–72.
| An electromagnetic induction method for monitoring variation in soil moisture in agroforestry systems.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Jussy J-H, Ranger J, Bienaimé S, Dambrine E (2004) Effects of a clear-cut on the in situ nitrogen mineralisation and the nitrogen cycle in a 67-year-old Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) plantation. Annals of Forest Science 61, 397–408.
| Effects of a clear-cut on the in situ nitrogen mineralisation and the nitrogen cycle in a 67-year-old Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) plantation.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Kessavalou A, Doran JW, Powers WL, Kettler TA, Qian JH (1996) Bromide and nitrogen-15 tracers of nitrate leaching under irrigated corn in central Nebraska. Journal of Environmental Quality 25, 1008–1014.
| Bromide and nitrogen-15 tracers of nitrate leaching under irrigated corn in central Nebraska.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Macdonald BCT, Chang YF, Nadelko A, Tuomi S, Glover M (2017) Tracking fertiliser and soil nitrogen in irrigated cotton: uptake, losses and the soil N stock. Soil Research 55, 264–272.
| Tracking fertiliser and soil nitrogen in irrigated cotton: uptake, losses and the soil N stock.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Macdonald BCT, Latimer JO, Schwenke GD, Nachimuthu G, Baird JC (2018) The current status of nitrogen fertiliser use efficiency and future research directions for the Australian cotton industry. Journal of Cotton Research 1, 15
| The current status of nitrogen fertiliser use efficiency and future research directions for the Australian cotton industry.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Macdonald BCT, Nachimuthu G, Chang YF, Nadelko AJ, Tuomi S, Watkins M (2020) Nitrogen composition in furrow irrigated run-off water. Agricultural Water Management 242, 106399
| Nitrogen composition in furrow irrigated run-off water.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Macdonald BCT, Nadelko A, Chang Y, Glover M, Warneke S (2016) Contribution of the cotton irrigation network to farm nitrous oxide emissions. Soil Research 54, 651–658.
| Contribution of the cotton irrigation network to farm nitrous oxide emissions.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Mary B, Recous S (1994) Measurement of nitrogen mineralization and immobilization fluxes in soil as a means of predicting net mineralization. European Journal of Agronomy 3, 291–300.
| Measurement of nitrogen mineralization and immobilization fluxes in soil as a means of predicting net mineralization.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
McKenzie N, Coughlan K, Cresswell H (2002) ‘Soil physical measurement and interpretation for land evaluation’. (CSIRO Publishing: Collingwood, Vic., Australia)
Nachimuthu G, Halpin NV, Bell MJ (2017) Impact of practice change on runoff water quality and vegetable yield—an on-farm case study. Agriculture 7, 30
| Impact of practice change on runoff water quality and vegetable yield—an on-farm case study.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Raison RJ, Connell MJ, Khanna PK (1987) Methodology for studying fluxes of soil mineral-N in situ. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 19, 521–530.
| Methodology for studying fluxes of soil mineral-N in situ.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Rauschkolb RS, Hornsby AG (1994) ‘Nitrogen management in irrigated agriculture’. (Oxford University Press: New York, NJ, USA)
Rayment GE, Higginson FR (2011) ‘Soil chemical methods – Australasia’. (Inkarta Press: Melbourne, Vic., Australia)
Rice EW, Baird RB, Eaton AD, Clesceri LS (2012) ‘Standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater’. 22th edn. (American Public Health Association - American Water Works Association - Water Environment Federation: Baltimore, MD, USA)
Rochester IJ (2011) Assessing internal crop nitrogen use efficiency in high-yielding irrigated cotton. Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems 90, 147–156.
| Assessing internal crop nitrogen use efficiency in high-yielding irrigated cotton.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Rochester IJ (2012) Using seed nitrogen concentration to estimate crop N use-efficiency in high-yielding irrigated cotton. Field Crops Research 127, 140–145.
| Using seed nitrogen concentration to estimate crop N use-efficiency in high-yielding irrigated cotton.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Rochester IJ, Bange M (2016) Nitrogen fertiliser requirements of high-yielding irrigated transgenic cotton. Crop and Pasture Science 67, 641–648.
| Nitrogen fertiliser requirements of high-yielding irrigated transgenic cotton.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Rochester IJ, Constable GA (2000) Denitrification and immobilisation in flood-irrigated alkaline grey clays as affected by nitrification inhibitors, wheat straw, and soil texture. Soil Research 38, 633–642.
| Denitrification and immobilisation in flood-irrigated alkaline grey clays as affected by nitrification inhibitors, wheat straw, and soil texture.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Rochester IJ, Constable GA, Macleod DA (1993) Cycling of fertilizer and cotton crop residue nitrogen. Soil Research 31, 597–609.
| Cycling of fertilizer and cotton crop residue nitrogen.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Rochester IJ, Constable GA, MacLeod DA (1991) Mineral nitrogen dynamics in a fallow grey clay. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 31, 237–244.
| Mineral nitrogen dynamics in a fallow grey clay.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Roth G, Harris G, Gillies M, Montgomery J, Wigginton D (2013) Water-use efficiency and productivity trends in Australian irrigated cotton: a review. Crop and Pasture Science 64, 1033–1048.
| Water-use efficiency and productivity trends in Australian irrigated cotton: a review.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Tennakoon SB, Milroy S (2003) Crop water use and water use efficiency on irrigated cotton farms in Australia. Agricultural Water Management 61, 179–194.
| Crop water use and water use efficiency on irrigated cotton farms in Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Villar N, Aizpurua A, Castellón A, Ortuzar MA, Moro MBG, Besga G (2014) Laboratory methods for the estimation of soil apparent N mineralization and wheat N uptake in calcareous soils. Soil Science 179, 84–94.
| Laboratory methods for the estimation of soil apparent N mineralization and wheat N uptake in calcareous soils.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Walkowiak DK (Ed.) (2008) ‘ISCO open channel flow measurement handbook’. (Teledyne ISCO)
Wigginton D, Pendergast L, Foley JL (2012) Metering. In ‘WATERPak: a guide for irrigation management in cotton and grain farming systems’ 3rd edn. (Ed D Wigginton) pp. 92−112. (Cotton Research and Development Corporation)
Wilm HG, Cotton JS, Storey HC (1936) Experiments with critical-depth flumes for measurement of flow in debris-laden streams. Eos, Transactions American Geophysical Union 17, 528
| Experiments with critical-depth flumes for measurement of flow in debris-laden streams.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
