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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 #289913

Title: Effect of high frequency surface and subsurface drip irrigations on N2O emissions in orchards

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

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/10/2013
Publication Date: 2/7/2013
Citation: Gao, S., Hendratna, A., Phene, C. 2013. Effect of high frequency surface and subsurface drip irrigations on N2O emissions in orchards. Meeting Abstract. p.159.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Fertilized agricultural soil is a source for greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions. A sustainable agricultural practice needs to consider minimizing N2O emissions while increasing N use efficiency and maintaining crop economic yield and quality. In order to develop a sustainable crop production system, subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) was tested for efficient water and N use in a pomegranate orchard in Parlier, CA in comparison to surface drip irrigation (DI). The N fertilizers were applied in the forms of N-pHuric (urea, sulphuric acid) and AN-20 (ammonium nitrate 20% N). The objective of this research is to determine N2O emissions affected by SDI and DI as well as fertilizer application rates. The static flux chamber method was used to measure N2O emission flux from research plots using SDI and DI with three N application rates. The data show that the SDI system generated much lower N2O emissions than DI especially at higher N application rates. A positive linear correlation between the N2O emission flux and N2O concentration in soil-gas phase was identified. Further understanding of N transformations and soil conditions related to N2O emission and irrigation systems is needed to develop good management practices for efficient N use.