Effect of Different Nitrogen Fertilizer Types and Application Measures on Temporal and Spatial Variation of Soil Nitrate-Nitrogen at Cucumber Field

Nitrate-nitrogen content of groundwater are ever-increasing in underneath vegetable growing areas, in this paper, based on field test of cucumber cultivated in Solar Greenhouse in North China, we study the effects of different nitrogen fertilizer application levels (250, 300, 350kg/hm2) and different nitrogen fertilizer types (urea, urea + nitrification inhibitor, slow-release fertilizer) on temporal and spatial variation of soil nitrate-nitrogen content in different soil depth, soil nitrogen fertilizer retention and nitrogen use efficiency during cucumber growth period. The results show that, in the cases of nitrogen fertilizer types (urea and urea + nitrification inhibitor), for surface soil (0 - 40 cm soil depth), the temporal trend of soil nitrate-nitrogen content variation is similar: during the early stage of cucumber growth, soil nitrate-nitrogen content is relatively high;during the middle stage of cucumber growth, as nitrogen is constantly being absorbed by the vegetable, soil nitrate-nitrogen content decrease;during the late stage of cucumber growth, soil nitrate-nitrogen content increase, and increase more significantly when nitrification inhibitor is added in the fertilizer. For deep soil layer (40 - 100 cm depth), when only using urea, the temporal trend of soil nitrate-nitrogen content variation is that of continuous increase, when adding nitrification inhibitor, the temporal trend of soil nitrate-nitrogen content variation is that of insignificant increase. In the case of slow-release fertilizer, for both surface soil and deep soil layer, the temporal trend of soil nitrate-nitrogen content variation is that of continuous decrease. For all three types of nitrogen fertilizer, as fertilization level increase, soil nitrate-nitrogen content in various soil layers increase with it. In the case of fertilization at 300 kg/hm2 and 350 kg/hm2, adding nitrification inhibitor can increase soil retention of nitrogen fertilizer. This study suggests that adding nitrification inhibitors can increase soil retention of nitrogen fertilizer, decrease nitrate-nitrogen leaching downward, thereby reducing the pollution to groundwater.

Suction Cup Samplers for Estimating Nitrate-Nitrogen in Soil Water in Irrigated Sugarbeet Production

Efforts have increased to measure nitrate losses from farmland under different management practices due to environmental and public concerns over levels of nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N) in surface and ground waters. This study evaluated the effect of conventional tillage (CT) and strip tillage (ST) practices and three N application rates on NO3-N concentrations in soil water at a 76 cm depth under irrigated sugarbeet (Beta vulgaris L.) in a clay loam soil. Nitrogen rates were applied as dry urea at 120, 150, 180 kg N ha-1 in 2006;130, 160, 190 kg N ha-1 in 2007;and 110, 140, 170 kg N ha-1 in 2008. Soil water volumes were measured weekly during each growing season using three ceramic suction cup samplers per plot placed at a 76 cm depth below the soil surface under each tillage. Results indicated that NO3-N concentrations at the 76 cm depth in the soil profile were not significantly affected by either tillage practice or by N application rate due to soil variability across the field and due to suction cup samplers’ biased estimate of soil water. The three N rates under CT and ST practices maintained NO3-N concentrations below the root zone to levels exceeding the 10 mg L-1 safe drinking water maximum level in all three years. There were large variations in NO3-N concentrations among replicates within each tillage and N rate that were likely caused by variability in soil physical, hydraulic and chemical properties that impacted water movement through the soil profile, N dynamics and leaching below the root zone of sugarbeet. In conclusion, suction cup samplers are point water measurement devices that reveal considerable variability among replicates within each treatment due to the heterogeneity of field soils. Further, these samplers are not recommended in heterogeneous soils with preferential flow characteristics.

Comparison of three measurement models of soil nitrate-nitrogen based on ion-selective electrodes

Ion-selective electrode(ISE)is a quick and low-cost method of soil nitrate nitrogen(N)detection.The measurement models of soil nitrate-N based on ISEs includes the linear regression model,multiple linear regression model and BP neural network model,and so on.Three models were analyzed in theory,measurement experiments of validation samples and soil nitrate-N concentrations were carried out in this study,and the measurement accuracies of the three models were compared.The results showed that,in the measurement experiments of validation samples and soil nitrate-N concentrations,BP neural network model had the highest accuracy(the average relative errors between results of the BP neural network model and the reference values were 5.07%and 8.81%,respectively)among the three models,multiple linear regression model had the second highest accuracy(the average relative errors between results of the multiple linear regression model and the reference values were 7.70%and 10.51%,respectively),linear regression model couldn’t exclude the interference of chloride ions so that it had the lowest accuracy(the average relative errors between results of the linear regression model and the reference values were 11.16%and 12.28%,respectively)among the three models.The BP neural network model can effectively restrain the interference of chloride ions,and it has a high accuracy for the measurement of soil nitrate-N concentration,so that the BP neural network model can be used to measure soil nitrate-N concentration accurately.

Rhizosphere Aeration Improves Nitrogen Transformation in Soil, and Nitrogen Absorption and Accumulation in Rice Plants

Two rice cultivars(Xiushui 09 and Chunyou 84)were used to evaluate the effects of various soil oxygen(O2)conditions on soil nitrogen(N)transformation,absorption and accumulation in rice plants.The treatments were continuous flooding(CF),continuous flooding and aeration(CFA),and alternate wetting and drying(AWD).The results showed that the AWD and CFA treatments improved soil N transformation,rice growth,and N absorption and accumulation.Soil NO3–content,nitrification activity and ammonia-oxidising bacteria abundance,leaf area,nitrate reductase activity,and N absorption and accumulation in rice all increased in both cultivars.However,soil microbial biomass carbon and pH did not significantly change during the whole period of rice growth.Correlation analysis revealed a significant positive correlation between the nitrification activity and ammonia-oxidising bacteria abundance,and both of them significantly increased as the total N accumulation in rice increased.Our results indicated that improved soil O2 conditions led to changing soil N cycling and contributed to increases in N absorption and accumulation by rice in paddy fields.

Effect of Deficit Irrigation Practice on Nitrogen Mineralization and Nitrate Nitrogen Leaching under Semi-Arid Conditions

Agricultural sector acts as a major consumer of water which accounts for 70 percent of global freshwater use. Water scarcity acts as an imminent threat to agriculture, there is a need to use those irrigation and management practices that could overcome this overwhelming situation of water scarcity. Lab incubation study was designed to evaluate the effect of different moisture levels (50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, and 100% FC) on nitrogen mineralization rate. Net nitrogen mineralization was shown at 60% and 80% FC levels. Two optimized irrigation levels (I0.6 and I0.8) along with four levels of dairy manure (10, 15, 20, and 25 Mg ha-1) were used in a lysimetric trial. Nitrate-nitrogen was measured at four depths (D1: 30 cm, D2: 60 cm, D3: 90 cm, and D4: 120 cm). Results showed strong interaction of irrigation and dairy manure at all depths. Mean maximum nitrate-nitrogen concentration was shown under full irrigation at 120 cm soil depth with the application of DM ®25 Mg ha-1. Under two levels of deficit irrigation, I0.8 has shown maximum nitrate-nitrogen concentration at 90 cm soil depth with the application of DM25, however, deficit irrigation level I0.6 restricted nitrate-nitrogen movement up to 60 cm soil depth, and high concentration was found at 30 cm soil depth. We concluded that deficit irrigation practice along with dairy manure resulted in more nitrate-nitrogen in the upper 60 cm layer of soil where it can be more available for the crops.

Changes in the patterns of inorganic nitrogen and TN/TP ratio and the associated mechanism of biological regulation in the shallow lakes of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River

The changes of NH3-N, NO3-N, NO2-N and TN/TP were studied during growth and non-growth season in 33 subtropical shallow lakes in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. There were significant positive correlations among all nutrient concentrations, and the correlations were better in growth season than in non-growth season. When TP＞0.1 mgL-1, NH3-N increased sharply in non-growth season with increasing TP, and NO3-N increased in growth season but decreased in non-growth season with TP. These might be attributed to lower dissolved oxygen and low temperature in non-growth season of the hypereutrophic lakes, since nitrification is more sensitive to dissolved oxygen and temperature than antinitrification. When 0.1 mgL-1＞TP＞0.035 mgL-1, TN and all kinds of inorganic nitrogen were lower in growth season than in non-growth season, and phytoplankton might be the vital regulating factor. When TP＜0.035 mgL-1, inorganic nitrogen concentrations were relatively low and NH3-N, NO2-N had significant correlations with phytoplankton, indicating that NH3-N and NO2-N might be limiting factors to phytoplankton. In addition, TN/TP went down with decline in TP concentration, and TN and inorganic nitrogen concentrations were obviously lower in growth season than in non-growth season, suggesting that decreasing nitrogen (especially NH3-N and NO3-N) was an important reason for the decreasing TN/TP in growth season. The ranges of TN/TP were closely related to trophic level in both growth and non-growth seasons, and it is apparent that in the eutrophic and hypertrophic state the TN/TP ratio was obviously lower in growth season than in non-growth season. The changes of the TN/TP ratio were closely correlated with trophic levels, and both declines of TN in the water column and TP release from the sediment were important factors for the decline of the TN/TP ratio in growth season.

Effects of packaging materials and types on postharvest nutritional quality of mini Pakchoi Brassica chinensis

The baby leaves of mini Pakchoi Brassica chinensis are gaining popularity due to its pleasant appearance,flavour,tender texture and nutrition.Effects of retail packaging on the nutritional quality of Brassica chinensis at 4℃were studied.Samples were packaged using polyethylene bags(PE-B),polystyrene foam tray covered with polyethylene film(PE-C/PS-T),perforated oriented polypropylene bags(POPP-B)and biaxially oriented polystyrene box(BOPS-B).Weight losses,respiration rate,chlorophyll and carotenoid,vitamin C and nitrate were determined during storage period.After 10 d storage,the weight loss for samples packaged in PE-B was 0.89%,followed by PE-C/PS-T with weight losses of 6%.A significant reduction(>10%)in moisture was observed for the samples packaged in POPP-B and BOPS-B.The variation in respiration rate during storage seemed to form a trend with a sharp decline up to the fourth day.The difference in the reduction of chlorophyll and carotenoid was not significant among the four packages.BOPS-B had a better protective effect on vitamin C loss.The nitrate concentration during storage was within the official limit.