Investigation of Nitrate Leaching through two Different Soil Textures via Application of three Organic Manures (Poultry, Cow and Sewage Sludge)

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

• N. Nikamal Larijani ¹
• A. Hassanoghli ²
• M. Mashal ¹
• A.M. Liaghat ³

¹ Department of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, Aburayhan Campus, University of Tehran

² Agricultural Engineering Research Institute, Karaj

³ Irrigation and Reclamation Engineering Department, Faculty of Water and Soil Engineering, University of Tehran (Karaj)

10.22067/jsw.v0i0.10200

Abstract

Abstract
By increasing the world population and more need to supply food, farmers attend to use of chemical fertilizers, organic manures and pesticides. Also, applications of these agents without attention to their side effects, cause more problems to human health and environment. Nitrate is one of the most important elements of organic manures, which leach through soil to surface and ground waters by irrigation or precipitation. So, it’s necessary to monitor the behavior of it. The purpose of this study was to determine the nitrate transport through two different soil textures, loam and silt loam via application of organic fertilizers. In this study, experiments were carried out by cylindrical drained plastic lysimeters with 100 cm height and 60 cm diameter, filled by uncondensed soil up to 60 cm height. Three different organic manures (poultry, cow and sewage sludge) were used on top soil of lysimeters by the rate of 35 tone/ha (upon the average use amounts of farmer's). 24 lysimeters were prepared; 9 lysimeters for 3 types of manure with 3 replicates and 3 without manure used as control for each soil type. The results were analyzed by a factorial experiment in a completely randomized form statistical design. Irrigation was done by one week intervals, totally three times with well water. Five drainage water samples (100 ml each sample) were taken through the first pore volume drained after irrigating of lysimeters. It means that each pore volume divided to 5 equal parts for sampling. The results showed that the nitrate concentration in loam soil was more than silt loam soil in drainage water samples, so it can be attributed to the effect of soil texture. Also for both soil textures, sewage sludge treatment was caused the most nitrate concentration, and the least was monitored in control treatment. The amounts of poultry and cow NO3 in drainage water samples were between them, respectively. Considering the one week irrigation intervals and three consecutive irrigations which were done, the amount of contamination in both soils in the first week was highest and in the third week was the lowest; it can be related to nitrate leaching by irrigations done.

Keywords: Water pollution, Nitrate leaching, Lysimeter, Organic manure

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