Water drainage and nitrate leaching under traditional and improved management of vegetable‐cropping systems in the North China Plain

Abstract

AbstractTraditional irrigation and nitrogen (N) fertilization in North China may elevate water drainage and nitrate concentrations in soil and groundwater. A field experiment was conducted in an intensively irrigated vegetable (cauliflower, amaranth, and spinach) field for three consecutive years (1999–2002). The main objective was to test to what extent an improved water and fertilizer management, based on the maintenance of field capacity a defined range of the water content in the 0–50 cm soil layer and an N expert system, could reduce drainage and nitrate leaching without impairing vegetable yield. Rates of water drainage and related nitrate leaching were calculated based on measurements of soil water potential and soil‐water nitrate concentrations. Soil water potential was monitored with tensiometers at depths of 75 cm and 105 cm. Nitrate concentrations were analyzed in soil leachates collected at 90 cm soil depth using ceramic suction cups. The results revealed that the average annual drainage related to the cultivation season for cauliflower, amaranth, and spinach was reduced from 275 mm in the traditional system to 29 mm with improved management practice. The average annual cumulative nitrate leaching during the vegetable‐growing period amounted to 301 kg ha–1 and 13 kg ha–1 in the traditional and improved management practices, respectively. Vegetable yields were not significantly different under the traditional and improved management practices.