Abstract
Data obtained in recent studies of nitrate leaching from grassland in the UK are reviewed. These data suggest that substantial loss of nitrogen (N) as nitrate can occur in leachate and surface runoff, particularly from swards grazed throughout the season. Under cut swards, losses are usually low (in the range 2 to 10% of the N applied). However, losses increase to as much as 50% of N applied at rates above optimum particularly when utilisation of N by the sward is restricted by soil water supply. Consistently greater losses of nitrate (25 to 40% of the N applied) occur from swards that are grazed throughout the season due largely to the return in excreta of a substantial proportion of the N ingested by the ruminant. Losses from complete grassland catchments may be lower depending on the proportion and management of cut and grazed areas. Losses from grazed grass/clover swards are markedly lower than those from grazed grass receiving substantial inputs of fertilizer N. Increased denitrification from heavy and poorly drained soils results in a lower proportion of the N being lost through leaching and surface runoff. Drainage of such soils increases the amount of nitrate lost to water courses. Leaching of nitrate following application of slurry to grassland is usually less than that occurring after application of a similar amount of N as inorganic fertilizer. This is probably due to the substantial loss of inorganic N through ammonia volatilisation immediately after application of slurry to the land surface and to the fact that as much as 50% of the N applied is in organic forms. Various strategies to reduce losses of nitrate through leaching and surface runoff are discussed.
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© 1986 Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, Dordrecht
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Garwood, E.A., Ryden, J.C. (1986). Nitrate loss through leaching and surface runoff from grassland: effects of water supply, soil type and management. In: Van Der Meer, H.G., Ryden, J.C., Ennik, G.C. (eds) Nitrogen Fluxes in Intensive Grassland Systems. Developments in Plant and Soil Sciences, vol 23. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-4394-0_9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-4394-0_9
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