Sustainability of a Rainfed Wheat Production System in Relation to Water and Nitrogen Dynamics in the Soil in the Eyre Peninsula, South Australia

Author:

Phogat Vinod123,Šimůnek Jirka4ORCID,Petrie Paul1235,Pitt Tim123,Filipović Vilim67ORCID

Affiliation:

1. Crop Sciences, South Australian Research and Development Institute, GPO Box 397, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia

2. School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, The University of Adelaide, PMB No.1, Glen Osmond, SA 5064, Australia

3. College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA 5042, Australia

4. Department of Environmental Sciences, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA

5. School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia

6. Future Regions Research Centre, Federation University, Gippsland, VIC 3841, Australia

7. Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, Svetošimunska Cesta 25, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia

Abstract

Rainfed wheat production systems are usually characterized by low-fertility soils and frequent droughts, creating an unfavorable environment for sustainable crop production. In this study, we used a processed-based biophysical numerical model to evaluate the water balance and nitrogen (N) dynamics in soils under rainfed wheat cultivation at low (219 mm, Pygery) and medium rainfall (392 mm, Yeelanna) sites in south Australia over the two seasons. Estimated evapotranspiration components and N partitioning data were used to calibrate and validate the model and to compute wheat’s water and N use efficiency. There was a large disparity in the estimated water balance components at the two sites. Plant water uptake accounted for 40–50% of rainfall, more at the low rainfall site. In contrast, leaching losses of up to 25% of seasonal rainfall at the medium rainfall site (Yeelanna) indicate a significant amount of water evading the root zone. The model-predicted N partitioning revealed that ammonia–nitrogen (NH4–N) contributed little to plant N nutrition, and its concentration in the soil remained below 2 ppm throughout the crop season except immediately after the NH4–N-based fertilizer application. Nitrate–nitrogen (NO3–N) contributed to most N uptake during both seasons at both locations. The N losses from the soil at the medium rainfall site (3.5–20.5 kg ha−1) were mainly attributed to NH4–N volatilization (Nv) and NO3–N leaching (NL) below the crop root zone. Water productivity (8–40 kg ha−1 mm−1) and N use efficiency (31–41 kg kg−1) showed immense variability induced by climate, water availability, and N dynamics in the soil. These results suggest that combining water balance and N modeling can help manage N applications to optimize wheat production and minimize N losses in rainfed agriculture.

Funder

Grain Research Development Corporation

Publisher

MDPI AG

Subject

Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law,Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment,Geography, Planning and Development,Building and Construction

Reference84 articles.

1. Nitrogen balance in Australia and nitrogen use efficiency on Australian farms;Angus;Soil Res.,2017

2. Neither crop genetics nor crop management can be optimised;Sadras;Field Crops Res.,2016

3. Designing cropping systems for efficient use of limited water in southern Australia;Connor;Eur. J. Agron.,2004

4. Modelling the nitrogen-driven trade-off between nitrogen utilisation efficiency and water use efficiency of wheat in eastern Australia;Sadras;Field Crops Res.,2010

5. Cawood, R.M. (1996). Climate, Temperature and Crop Production in South-Eastern Australia, Principles of Sustainable Agriculture; Agriculture Victoria.

同舟云学术

1.学者识别学者识别

2.学术分析学术分析

3.人才评估人才评估

"同舟云学术"是以全球学者为主线,采集、加工和组织学术论文而形成的新型学术文献查询和分析系统,可以对全球学者进行文献检索和人才价值评估。用户可以通过关注某些学科领域的顶尖人物而持续追踪该领域的学科进展和研究前沿。经过近期的数据扩容,当前同舟云学术共收录了国内外主流学术期刊6万余种,收集的期刊论文及会议论文总量共计约1.5亿篇,并以每天添加12000余篇中外论文的速度递增。我们也可以为用户提供个性化、定制化的学者数据。欢迎来电咨询!咨询电话:010-8811{复制后删除}0370

www.globalauthorid.com

TOP

Copyright © 2019-2024 北京同舟云网络信息技术有限公司
京公网安备11010802033243号  京ICP备18003416号-3