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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Parlier, California » San Joaquin Valley Agricultural Sciences Center » Water Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #281707
Title: Measurement of N2O emissions from drip irrigated soils in a pomegranate orchard

Author
item Gao, Suduan
item Hendratna, Aileen
item PHENE, CLAUDE - Consultant

Submitted to: ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meeting Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/1/2012
Publication Date: 10/21/2012
Citation: Gao, S., Hendratna, A., Phene, C. 2012. Measurement of N2O emissions from drip irrigated soils in a pomegranate orchard. ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meeting Abstracts. Paper No. 321-1.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Agriculture is a major contributor to greenhouse gas N2O emissions. Developing a sustainable crop production system should consider minimizing N2O emissions and increasing N use efficiency. Pomegranate is a new emerging crop in the San Joaquin Valley of California because of the fruits value in providing health benefits. In the process of developing a productive orchard, subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) is used for more efficient water and nutrient use in comparison with surface drip irrigation (DI). The objective of this research is to determine if SDI is also efficient in reducing N2O emissions. We hypothesize that SDI will reduce N2O emissions because of more efficient water use and N uptake by the crop based on previous tests for annual crops. Preliminary laboratory data from soil incubation and column experiments showed that N2O emission increased significantly with increasing soil water content, but has a lag period of time as fertilization rate increased. Static chambers with semiautomatic sampling system were constructed for field measurements. Field N2O emissions between the two irrigation systems will be compared. This research is intended to provide an assessment on potentially environmental benefit of SDI in a newly established pomegranate orchard.