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Leaching Runoff Fraction for Nitrate and Herbicides on Sugarcane Fields: Implications for Grey Water Footprint

Author

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  • Fabio Vale Scarpare

    (Biological Systems Engineering Department, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-6120, USA
    Faculdade de Engenharia Mecânica, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Cidade Universitária “Zeferino Vaz”, Campinas 13083-860, SP, Brazil)

  • Luciana do Carmo Zotelli

    (Faculdade de Engenharia Mecânica, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Cidade Universitária “Zeferino Vaz”, Campinas 13083-860, SP, Brazil)

  • Robson Barizon

    (Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária (EMBRAPA) Meio Ambiente, Jaguariúna 13820-000, SP, Brazil)

  • Sergio Gustavo Quassi de Castro

    (Laboratório Nacional de Biorrenováveis, Centro Nacional de Pesquisa em Energia e Materiais, Campinas 13083-970, SP, Brazil)

  • Andre Herman Freire Bezerra

    (Instituto Metrópole Digital, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Campus Universitário Lagoa Nova, Natal 59078-970, RN, Brazil)

Abstract

Sugarcane cultivation uses many chemical inputs to ensure good yields, which puts local water resources under pressure. Grey water footprint (GWF) is a widely used indicator of the volume needed to assimilate a pollutant load in a water body. However, the GWF relies on leaching runoff fractions, which are empirically determined. We hypothesize that these fractions might not represent the true magnitude of the Brazilian sugarcane environment and that management practices can further reduce this fraction loaded into the environment. In two field trials, we measure the herbicides and nitrate loaded into the environment through in situ measurements, determine their loss fractions, compare them with some empirical models, calculate the GWF, and estimate the potential for nitrate pollution attenuation with the adoption of split and incorporated nitrogen application. Both hypotheses are confirmed. For nitrate, our results suggest that the leaching runoff fraction used in most GWF studies is overestimated by about two times, impacting the GWF estimation for the Brazilian sugarcane environment. However, the same conclusion was not possible for herbicides due to the low diversity of the analyzed molecules. In addition, the fertilizer management application reduced the nitrate load on the environment, which the GWF did not necessarily detect.

Suggested Citation

  • Fabio Vale Scarpare & Luciana do Carmo Zotelli & Robson Barizon & Sergio Gustavo Quassi de Castro & Andre Herman Freire Bezerra, 2023. "Leaching Runoff Fraction for Nitrate and Herbicides on Sugarcane Fields: Implications for Grey Water Footprint," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-15, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:8:p:6990-:d:1129214
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Rodriguez, Renata del G. & Scanlon, Bridget R. & King, Carey W. & Scarpare, Fabio V. & Xavier, Alexandre C. & Pruski, Fernando F., 2018. "Biofuel-water-land nexus in the last agricultural frontier region of the Brazilian Cerrado," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 231(C), pages 1330-1345.
    2. Ahmmed Md Motasim & Abd Wahid Samsuri & Arina Shairah Abdul Sukor & Amin Mohd Adibah, 2021. "Nitrogen Dynamics in Tropical Soils Treated with Liquid and Granular Urea Fertilizers," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-12, June.
    3. 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.
    4. van der Laan, M. & Annandale, J.G. & Bristow, K.L. & Stirzaker, R.J. & Preez, C.C. du & Thorburn, P.J., 2014. "Modelling nitrogen leaching: Are we getting the right answer for the right reason?," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 133(C), pages 74-80.
    5. 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.
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