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Leaching of nutrients from a sugarcane crop growing on an Ultisol in Brazil

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  • Ghiberto, P.J.
  • Libardi, P.L.
  • Brito, A.S.
  • Trivelin, P.C.O.

Abstract

Leaching is disadvantageous, both for economical and environmental reasons since it may decrease the ecosystem productivity and may also contribute to the contamination of surface and ground water. The objective of this paper was to quantify the loss of nitrogen and sulfur by leaching, at the depth of 0.9m, in an Ultisol in São Paulo State (Brazil) with high permeability, cultivated with sugarcane during the agricultural cycle of crop plant. The following ions were evaluated: nitrite, nitrate, ammonium, and sulfate. Calcium, magnesium, potassium, and phosphate were also evaluated at the same depth. The sugarcane was planted and fertilized in the furrows with 120kgha-1 of N-urea. In order to find out the fate of N-fertilizer, four microplots with 15N-enriched fertilizer were installed. Input and output of the considered ions at the depth of 0.9m were quantified from the flux density of water and the concentration of the elements in the soil solution at this soil depth: tensiometers, soil water retention curve and soil solution extractors were used for this quantification. The internal drainage was 205mm of water, with a total loss of 18kgha-1 of N and 10kgha-1 of S. The percentage of N in the soil solution derived from the fertilizer (%NSSDF) was 1.34, resulting in only 25gha-1 of N fertilizer loss by leaching during all agricultural cycle. Under the experimental conditions of this crop plant, that is, high demand of nutrients and high incorporation of crop residues, the leached N represented 15% of applied N and S leaching were not considerable; the higher amount of leached N was native nitrogen and a minor quantity from N fertilizer; and the leached amount of Ca, Mg, K and P did not exceed the applications performed in the crop by lime and fertilization.

Suggested Citation

  • Ghiberto, P.J. & Libardi, P.L. & Brito, A.S. & Trivelin, P.C.O., 2009. "Leaching of nutrients from a sugarcane crop growing on an Ultisol in Brazil," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 96(10), pages 1443-1448, October.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:agiwat:v:96:y:2009:i:10:p:1443-1448
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Stewart, L.K. & Charlesworth, P.B. & Bristow, K.L. & Thorburn, P.J., 2006. "Estimating deep drainage and nitrate leaching from the root zone under sugarcane using APSIM-SWIM," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 81(3), pages 315-334, March.
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    1. Ghiberto, P.J. & Libardi, P.L. & Trivelin, P.C.O., 2015. "Nutrient leaching in an Ultisol cultivated with sugarcane," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 148(C), pages 141-149.
    2. Filoso, Solange & Carmo, Janaina Braga do & Mardegan, Sílvia Fernanda & Lins, Silvia Rafaela Machado & Gomes, Taciana Figueiredo & Martinelli, Luiz Antonio, 2015. "Reassessing the environmental impacts of sugarcane ethanol production in Brazil to help meet sustainability goals," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 1847-1856.
    3. Blum, Julius & Melfi, Adolpho José & Montes, Célia Regina & Gomes, Tamara Maria, 2013. "Nitrogen and phosphorus leaching in a tropical Brazilian soil cropped with sugarcane and irrigated with treated sewage effluent," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 117(C), pages 115-122.
    4. Ghiberto, P.J. & Libardi, P.L. & Brito, A.S. & Trivelin, P.C.O., 2011. "Components of the water balance in soil with sugarcane crops," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 102(1), pages 1-7.
    5. Grinshpan, Maayan & Furman, Alex & Dahlke, Helen E. & Raveh, Eran & Weisbrod, Noam, 2021. "From managed aquifer recharge to soil aquifer treatment on agricultural soils: Concepts and challenges," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 255(C).

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