Does pre-plant N fertiliser location affect soil mineral N and nitrous oxide emissions from irrigated cotton at Gunnedah?

2016

Research organisaton
Funding sources

Trial details

Researcher(s) Annabelle McPherson (NSW DPI)
Graeme Schwenke (NSW DPI)
Year(s) 2016
Contributor Department of Primary Industries NSW
Trial location(s) Gunnedah, NSW
Further information View external link
Does pre-plant N fertiliser location affect soil mineral N and nitrous oxide emissions from irrigated cotton at Gunnedah? locations
Aims

To compare conventional practice with an alternative pre-plant N fertiliser placement in relation to the irrigated furrow, to investigate the potential impact on soil mineral N concentrations and consequent N2O emissions.
 

Key messages
  • Changing the pre-plant N fertiliser from the non-irrigated side of the plant bed to the irrigated side of the plant bed did not affect soil mineral nitrogen (N), plant growth or cotton lint yield.
  • The pattern of nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions after the first irrigation event differed according to N fertiliser placement treatment, but the total amount of N2O released was the same.
  • Pre-plant N fertiliser placement did affect N2O emitted after the second irrigation (with water-run N), with more lost from the irrigated, non-fertilised side of the hill.
  • The cumulative N2O losses summed over all the measurement events showed no treatment differences resulting from pre-plant N fertiliser location, indicating that there is no agronomic or environmental benefit to changing N fertiliser location.
     
Gunnedah NSW 2016

The trial was harvested with a commercial six-row picker.

Randomised complete block design with three replications of three treatments. Each plot was eight rows (× 1 m) wide and 560 m long (paddock length).

Lead research organisation Department of Primary Industries NSW
Host research organisation N/A
Trial funding source DAWR AOTG14013
Trial funding source DPI NSW
Related program Determining optimum nitrogen strategies for abatement of emissions for different irrigated cotton systems
Acknowledgments

This experiment was part of the project Determining optimum nitrogen strategies for abatement of emissions for different irrigated cotton systems (AOTG14013; 2013–17), with joint investment by NSW DPI and DAWR, and administered by CRDC. Thanks to Rod Smith for providing the experimental site and applying the irrigation treatments in field. Thanks to Wayne McPherson for field assistance. All soil and plant N analyses were carried out by Clarence Mercer, NSW DPI, at the ISO9001-accredited laboratory at Tamworth Agricultural Institute, NSW DPI.


Other trial partners Co-operator Rod Smith
Download the trial report to view additional trial information

Method

Crop type Other crop: Cotton
Treatment type(s)
  • Fertiliser: Application Method
  • Irrigation: Type
Trial type Experimental
Trial design Randomised,Replicated,Blocked

Gunnedah 2016

Sow date 10 September 2015
Harvest date 23 February 2016
Plot size 1m x 560m
Plot replication 3
Plot blocking Randomised complete block
Plot randomisation Yes
Other trial notes

This research paper is an extract from the publication Northern grains Research Results 2017, available at
https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/agriculture/broadacre-crops/guides/publications/ngrt-results

Download the trial report to view additional method/treatment information
Trial source data and summary not available
Check the trial report PDF for trial results.
Observed trial site soil information
Trial site soil testing
Not specified
Soil conditions
Trial site Soil texture
Gunnedah, NSW Black vertisol
Derived trial site soil information
Australian Soil Classification Source: ASRIS
Trial site Soil order
Gunnedah, NSW Sodosol
Soil Moisture Source: BOM/ANU
Average amount of water stored in the soil profile during the year, estimated by the OzWALD model-data fusion system.
Year Gunnedah NSW
2016 28.1mm
2015 40.8mm
2014 31.3mm
2013 75.3mm
2012 122.9mm
2011 67.2mm
2010 91.3mm
2009 21.8mm
2008 35.8mm
2007 31.8mm
2006 22.3mm
2005 54.0mm
2004 61.3mm
2003 135.8mm
2002 196.3mm
2001 354.8mm
2000 415.6mm
National soil grid Source: CSIRO/TERN
NOTE: National Soil Grid data is aggregated information for background information on the wider area
Actual soil values can vary significantly in a small area and the trial soil tests are the most relevant data where available

Soil properties

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Climate

Gunnedah NSW 2016


Observed climate information

Rainfall trial gsr (mm) 405mm

Derived climate information

Gunnedah NSW

NOTE: Exact trial site locality unknown - Climate data may not be accurate
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Some data on this site is sourced from the Bureau of Meteorology

SILO weather estimates sourced from https://www.longpaddock.qld.gov.au/silo/
Jeffrey, S.J., Carter, J.O., Moodie, K.B. and Beswick, A.R. (2001). Using spatial interpolation to construct a comprehensive archive of Australian climate data , Environmental Modelling and Software, Vol 16/4, pp 309-330. DOI: 10.1016/S1364-8152(01)00008-1.

Trial report and links

2016 trial report



Trial last modified: 08-06-2023 10:43am AEST