Abstract:
Simultaneous distributions of water, nitrate-N and ammonium-N in a sandy loam soil from a point source discharging an ammonium nitrate (NH
4NO
3) solution were measured using the gravimetric method. The variables affecting water and solute distributions, including application rate varying from 0.6 to 7.8 L/h, input concentration from 100 to 700 mg/L, and applied volume from 6 to 15 L, were investigated and their effects on the distributions of nitrate-N and ammonium-N were presented in this article. A uniform distribution of nitrate-N concentration in the soil was found a radius of 17.5 cm around the point source for a given input concentration. For any input concentration, the accumulation of nitrate at the boundary of the wetted volume was observed. The nitrate-N concentration in the soil was primarily affected by the input concentration. There was an increased nitrate-N concentration with a higher input concentration. The effects of application rate and applied volume on nitrate distribution were not significant up to a radius of 15 cm, beyond which either a higher application rate or a smaller applied volume resulted in a higher nitrate concentration in the soil. The results of ammonium-N distribution measurements indicated that there existed an extremely high ammonium-N concentration in the proximity of the point source (about 2.5 to 7.5 cm from the source). An increased input concentration produced a higher ammonium concentration around the point source. Results also demonstrated that the influence of fertigation on the ammonium-N distribution was restricted in a small volume, about 10 cm around the point source. Beyond this range, input concentration, application rate, and total applied volume had insignificant effects on ammonium-N distribution. The information obtained from this research is useful in the design, operation, and management of a fertigation system with drip irrigation.