Articles
ORCHARD REMOVAL EFFECTS NITRATE DISCHARGE FROM TILED LAND
Article number
564_33
Pages
285 – 290
Language
English
Abstract
The export of nitrate from tiled orchard land in relation to the effect of orchard removal and subsequent conversion to a perennial ryegrass system was monitored over a two year period.
Removal of the orchard resulted in an increase in the rate of nitrate discharge, when compared to adjacent intact orchard land fertilized at the same rate N application rate.
Nitrate-N concentrations rose to a peak of 7.3 mg.L-1 with a flow-weighted average of 2.47 mg.L-1 for the 95/96 drainage period following the removal of the orchard.
In contrast, flow-weighted average NO3N concentrations in drainage water from existing orchard land remained consistently lower than 0.3 mg.L-1 with a peak of 2.7 mg.L-1.
Removal of the orchard resulted in an increase in the rate of nitrate discharge, when compared to adjacent intact orchard land fertilized at the same rate N application rate.
Nitrate-N concentrations rose to a peak of 7.3 mg.L-1 with a flow-weighted average of 2.47 mg.L-1 for the 95/96 drainage period following the removal of the orchard.
In contrast, flow-weighted average NO3N concentrations in drainage water from existing orchard land remained consistently lower than 0.3 mg.L-1 with a peak of 2.7 mg.L-1.
Authors
K.D. Fuller, C.G. Embree, J.A. Macleod
Keywords
nitrate discharge, tile outflow, soil, apple orchard
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