Evaluation of Irrigation‐Nitrogen Management Practices for Celery using Continuous‐Variable Irrigation

Abstract

AbstractThe interaction between N source and irrigation rate and the resultant effects on NO‐3 leaching were characterized for celery, using a modified line‐source sprinkler system which applied water across fertilizer plots at rates varying from replacement of evapotranspiration (ET) to 1.8 ET. Nitrogen, as (NH4)2SO4 (AS), was applied at a rate of 300 kg/ha in split applications (AS300); sulfur‐coated urea (SCU) was applied alone at 300 kg N/ha (SCU300), all preplant, or in a combination with 150 kg N/ha SCU preplant and 150 kg N/ha AS sidedressed (SCU150AS150). Plants with the AS300 and SCU300 treatments removed significantly less N at the lowest irrigation rate than those with the SCU150AS150 treatment, but this difference was not observed at high irrigation rates. All three N treatments produced large accumulations of NO‐3 beneath the root zone which increased with increased leaching. Yields from the fertilized treatments were significantly higher at all irrigation levels than yields from unfertilized plots, but were not different from each other. Yields also did not vary substantially across the range of irrigation rates, indicating that deep percolation of water and NO‐3 can be minimized through improved irrigation management without reducing celery yield.