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Water Management for Enhancing Crop Nutrient Use Efficiency and Reducing Losses

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Book cover Advances in Research on Fertilization Management of Vegetable Crops

Part of the book series: Advances in Olericulture ((ADOL))

Abstract

Strategies that enhance water and nutrient use efficiency in vegetable production may contribute to increase productivity and reduce diffuse (non-point source) nutrient pollution. A combination of optimal water management and applying fertilizer rates adjusted to crop requirements should not only reduce the risk of adverse environmental impact but also be the most profitable choice for the farmer. This chapter covers water management strategies oriented towards improving nutrient use efficiency in horticultural systems. Water management affects the mineralization process and the subsequent use of released nutrients, and is crucial in Mediterranean and semi-arid climates. This is particularly relevant when transforming rain fed cropping systems into irrigated ones, because the soil may increase mineralization and supply large amounts of nutrients during the transition period. Nitrogen losses occur mainly by leaching and, together with phosphorus, by erosion and runoff from open fields. Nitrate leaching is frequently the most important loss process in horticulture because large input of N fertilizer are applied to maintain high productivity, roots of many vegetable crops are superficial, and the N remaining in the field as crop residues after harvest is a large fraction of the plant N uptake. Losses by leaching and effluents from greenhouses may also be responsible for diffuse pollution. Water management greatly affects greenhouse gas emission and may help to design horticultural systems with low emissions of atmospheric pollutants. Water is also used for salinity control and irrigation can be used to mitigate some of the adverse effect of salinity on plant nutrition and growth. Therefore, an integrated fertilization program oriented towards reducing nutrient losses and maintaining farm profitability should rely on both, a rational fertilization and an efficient water management.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Agricultural Production and CEIGRAM, Technical University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain

    Jose L. Gabriel & Miguel Quemada

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  1. Jose L. Gabriel
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  2. Miguel Quemada
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Correspondence to Miguel Quemada .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, DISAFA, Vegetable Crops & Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, VEGMAP, University of Turin, Grugliasco (Turin), Italy

    Francesco Tei

  2. Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, DISAFA, Vegetable Crops & Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, VEGMAP, University of Turin, Grugliasco (Turin), Italy

    Silvana Nicola

  3. Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, DISAFA, Vegetable Crops & Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, VEGMAP, University of Turin, Grugliasco (Turin), Italy

    Paolo Benincasa

Glossary

k

N potential mineralization rate

k*

Apparent soil N mineralization

NO3 −

Nitrate

NVZ

Nitrate vulnerable zones

ETc

Crop evapotranspiration

GHG

Greenhouse gases

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Gabriel, J.L., Quemada, M. (2017). Water Management for Enhancing Crop Nutrient Use Efficiency and Reducing Losses. In: Tei, F., Nicola, S., Benincasa, P. (eds) Advances in Research on Fertilization Management of Vegetable Crops . Advances in Olericulture. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-53626-2_9

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