Effects of Container Spacing Practice and Fertilizer Placement on Runoff from Overhead-Irrigated Sweet Viburnum

Abstract

Abstract Information on how management practices affect runoff volume and nutrient content is needed to improve irrigation and fertilizer efficiency while minimizing environmental impacts. Runoff (leachate plus unintercepted irrigation and rain) was collected weekly for 20 weeks during production of sweet viburnum (Viburnum odoratissimum (L.) Ker-Gawl.) in trade #1 (2.7 liter) containers fertilized with 15 g (0.53 oz) of a resin-coated, controlled-release fertilizer Osmocote 18N–2.6P–10K (18–6–12), 8–9 month 21C (70F)] and overhead-irrigated with water at 1 cm/day (0.39 in). Treatments were a factorial arrangement of two container spacing practices [spaced at planting (SP) or spaced midseason (SM)] and two fertilizer placement methods [incorporated (INC) or surface-applied (SURF)]. Cumulative runoff volume averaged 1590 liters/m2 (3900 gal/100 ft2) or 66% of irrigation plus rain and was 9% higher for SP than SM. A 37% reduction in shoot dry weight of SP versus SM plants was attributed to heat stress in SP containers. SURF decreased N, P, and K leaching losses (mg/container) 42, 42, and 25%, respectively, at SP and 16, 25, and 4%, respectively, at SM. Nutrient leaching losses as a percent of applied were 11–18% for N, 7–13% for P, and 19–28% for K. Total nutrient loads in runoff were 4.6–11.1 g/m2 for N, 0.48–1.25 g/m2 for P, and 5.8–10.1 g/m2 for K with peak nutrient loss occurring during the first two weeks after planting.