FATE AND MOVEMENT OF NO3– N AS A RESULT OF STAGED LEACHING IRRIGATION EVENTS AND FERTILIZER SOURCE DURING POTATO PRODUCTION IN NORTHEAST FLORIDA

Abstract

The St. Johns River has been identified by the state of Florida as a priority water body in need of restoration. Best Management Practices were evaluated for potato (Solanum tuberosum L. `Atlantic') production in the Tri-County Agricultural Area to reduce nitrate run-off from about 9,300 ha in production. Objectives of this study were 1) determine the influence of soluble and controlled release fertilizer (CRF) and timing of leaching irrigation on nitrate leaching and 2) compare yield and quality of the potato crop fertilized with either a soluble or controlled release nitrogen fertilizer in a seepage irrigated production system. The experiment was a split-split plot with four replications. Main plots were irrigation events (0, 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks after planting, (WAP)), nitrogen source and rates included (ammonium nitrate (AN) 224 kg·ha–1 or controlled release fertilizer (CRF) 196 kg·ha–1). About 7.6 cm of water was applied at each irrigation event and surface water runoff collected. CRF decreased NO3-N loading by an average of 35%, 28%, and 32% compared to AN fertilizer during the 2, 8, and 12 WAP irrigation events, respectively, compared to AN. Plants in CRF treatments had significantly higher total and marketable tuber yields (30 and 25 t·ha–1) compared to plants in AN treatments (27 and 23 t·ha–1), respectively. Plants in the CRF treatments also had significantly higher total and marketable yields in 2005 (28 and 23 t·ha–1) compared to plants in AN treatments (25 and 21 t·ha–1), respectively. CRF was an effective alternative to conventional soluble forms of fertilizer maintaining yields and protecting natural resources from nonpoint source pollution.