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

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) Moree, NSW
Further information View external link
Does pre-plant N fertiliser location affect soil mineral nitrogen and nitrous oxide emissions from irrigated cotton at Moree? locations
Aims

To compare conventional practice with two alternative pre-plant N fertiliser placements in relation to the irrigated furrow, to investigate the potential impact on soil mineral N concentrations, nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions, and cotton production.
 

Key messages
  • Changing the pre-plant nitrogen (N) fertiliser location from beside the non-irrigated furrow to beside the irrigated furrow increased nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions, primarily from the fertiliser band location.
  • Irrigating every single furrow instead of every second furrow did not significantly change N2O emissions.
  • Altering irrigation furrows in relation to pre-plant N fertiliser did not significantly affect mineral N in the surface soil, nor did it affect any measure of crop production.
  • These results do not support changing from the current irrigation and N fertiliser placement system in use.
     
Moree NSW 2016

The trial was harvested with a commercial six-row picker on 8 April 2016. All cotton from each plot was baled separately and then weighed, ginned and quality-tested at a commercial gin.

Randomised complete block design with three replications of three treatments. Each plot was eight rows (× 1 m) wide and 380 m long (paddock length).

Lead research organisation Department of Primary Industries NSW
Host research organisation N/A
Trial funding source DPI NSW AOTG14013
Trial funding source DAWR
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 Ray Fox for providing the experimental site and applying the irrigation treatments in the field and to Brooke Cutler and Wayne McPherson for carrying out the field sampling. All soil and plant N analyses were carried out by Clarence Mercer, NSW DPI at the ISO9001accredited laboratory at Tamworth Agricultural Institute, NSW DPI.


Other trial partners Co-operator Ray Fox
Download the trial report to view additional trial information

Method

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

Moree 2016

Sowing machinery

The site was sown with Sicot 748B3F on 15 October 2015.

Sow date 15 October 2015
Harvest date 8 April 2016
Plot size 1m x 380m
Plot replication 3
Plot blocking Randomised complete block
Plot randomisation yes
Fertiliser

Pre-plant N fertiliser was applied on 8 September 2015.

For treatment summaries see Table 1 in attached report.

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
Moree, NSW Black vertisol
Derived trial site soil information
Australian Soil Classification Source: ASRIS
Trial site Soil order
Moree, NSW Vertosol
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 Moree NSW
2016 30.7mm
2015 33.9mm
2014 14.9mm
2013 41.8mm
2012 166.4mm
2011 33.7mm
2010 41.4mm
2009 27.4mm
2008 33.3mm
2007 25.3mm
2006 21.5mm
2005 66.1mm
2004 80.0mm
2003 33.2mm
2002 90.0mm
2001 283.6mm
2000 322.8mm
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

Moree NSW 2016


Observed climate information

Rainfall trial gsr (mm) 340mm

Derived climate information

Moree 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 10:45am AEST