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Nitrous oxide evolution from irrigated land

Journal Article · · J. Environ. Qual.; (United States)

Nitrous oxide (N/sub 2/O) fluxes from irrigated land cropped to vegetables in a coastal valley in California ranged from 0.0038 to 1.06 kg N/ha per day. For all sites, maximum fluxes (0.24 to 1.06 kg N/ha per day) were observed during the first post-fertilization irrigation and were followed by a trend to lower values (0.048 to 0.144 kg N/ha per day) towards the end of cropping despite total fertilizer N inputs of 176 to 528 kg N/ha. The N/sub 2/O flux showed a pronounced dependence on irrigation events with maximum fluxes associated with soil-moisture contents between 18 and 22% and soil-water suctions between 75 and 150 mbars. The magnitude of N/sub 2/O flux during periods of high moisture content appeared to depend primarily upon soil nitrate concentration which declined during the cropping cycle. Data for N/sub 2/O flux, soil moisture content, air-filled porosity, and soil-water suction suggested that denitrification rather than nitrification was the major process involved in N/sub 2/O production at each field site. Mean N/sub 2/O fluxes for each site coupled with soil-water suction data for a 12-month period suggested annual emissions of N/sub 2/O ranging from 19.6 to 41.8 kg N/ha.

Research Organization:
Univ. of California, Riverside
OSTI ID:
5158757
Journal Information:
J. Environ. Qual.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Environ. Qual.; (United States) Vol. 9:3; ISSN JEVQA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English