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Nitrous oxide emissions from an irrigated cornfield
Science (New York, N.Y.)
|September 14, 1979
Summary
Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from cornfields are significant, especially after fertilization and irrigation. These findings highlight the importance of understanding N2O soil emissions for agricultural management.
Area of Science:
- Agricultural Science
- Soil Science
- Environmental Science
Background:
- Nitrous oxide (N2O) is a potent greenhouse gas.
- Understanding N2O emissions from agricultural soils is crucial for environmental management.
- Corn (Zea mays L.) cultivation is a major agricultural practice with potential for N2O release.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from a typical northern Colorado cornfield during the 1978 growing season.
- To identify key periods and processes contributing to N2O loss from fertilized soil.
- To compare different methods for estimating N2O flux density.
Main Methods:
- Field measurements of N2O emissions over a growing season.
- Monitoring soil conditions, including fertilization and irrigation events.
- Utilizing micrometeorological techniques and a soil cover method for flux estimation.
Main Results:
- Total N2O emissions were approximately 2.6 kg N/ha, representing 1.3% of applied fertilizer nitrogen.
- Significant N2O loss (30%) occurred post-fertilization during nitrification.
- A major emission peak (59%) followed the first irrigation due to denitrification under low oxygen conditions.
Conclusions:
- Fertilization and irrigation are critical drivers of N2O emissions in corn production.
- Nitrification and denitrification are key soil processes influencing N2O release.
- Micrometeorological and soil cover methods provide comparable estimates of N2O flux, despite spatial and temporal variability.
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