132-13 Nitrous Oxide Emissions in a Corn-Soybean Cropping System with and without Tile Drainage.

Poster Number 618

See more from this Division: ASA Section: Environmental Quality
See more from this Session: Agricultural Practices to Improve Nitrogen-Use Efficiency and Mitigate Greenhouse Gas Emission: I (includes student competition)

Monday, November 16, 2015
Minneapolis Convention Center, Exhibit Hall BC

Apurba K Sutradhar, The Pennsylvania State University, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, Fabian G. Fernandez, 1991 Upper Buford Circle, University of Minnesota, St Paul, MN, Rod Venterea, USDA, ARS, St. Paul, MN and Seth L. Naeve, Department of Agronomy and Plant Genetics, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN
Abstract:
Little is known about the effect of split-N applications in reducing nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from corn (Zea mays L.) or what contribution soybeans (Glycine max L. Merr.) has in the rotation. Similarly, studies evaluating the effect of soil drainage on N2O emissions are lacking.  Our objective was to quantify in-season N2O emissions in a corn-soybean rotation under tile-drainage and natural (no tile) conditions with different N fertilization management. Emissions were measured under drained and undrained soils during 2014 near Wells, MN. Corn received 134 kg N ha-1 as a single pre-plant application or as a split application (1/3 pre-plant and 2/3 at V4 development stage) and check (zero N) plots were present for both crops.  In the first year of a multi-year study, drainage did not impact corn and soybean yield and the drainage-by-N interaction effect for corn was also not significant.  Nitrogen increased corn yield for the single- (11.5 Mg ha-1) and split-application (11.4 Mg ha-1) relative to the check (8.9 Mg ha-1).  In corn, a significant drainage-by-N interaction effect indicated that N treatment had no effect on cumulative N2O emissions (kg N2O-N ha-1) in drained conditions, but in undrained conditions N fertilizer increased emissions 3.2 times for the single- and 2.9 times for the split-application relative to drained conditions. Also, in undrained conditions, the single N application emitted greater N2O-N (4.2 kg ha-1) than the other treatments which emitted similar amounts: split-N 2.7 kg ha-1 and unfertilized check 1.5 kg ha-1.  Soybean cumulative emissions (kg N2O-N ha-1) were unaffected by drainage (0.6 for drained and 0.9 for undrained) and were similar to the unfertilized corn (0.8 for drained and 1.5 for undrained).  These data indicate that split-N application in poorly to somewhat-poorly drained soils with no tile-drainage can help reduce N2O emission without negatively impacting corn yield.

See more from this Division: ASA Section: Environmental Quality
See more from this Session: Agricultural Practices to Improve Nitrogen-Use Efficiency and Mitigate Greenhouse Gas Emission: I (includes student competition)