Influence of set-aside on the nitrate content of soil profiles
(1998) 1st International Nitrogen Conference 1998 — Location: NOORDWIJKERHOUT(Netherlands) (23.March.1998)
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- Abstract
- In 1992, the European Union created the current set-aside regime. The risks that the introduction of this new "crop" into the three-courses crop rotation might cause to the environment were unknown especially after the destruction of the set-aside cover. Over a period of four years, nitrate quantities were measured in the soil profile to a depth of 1.5 m in order to evaluate the pollution risks to groundwater. The swards studied were perennial ryegrass, red clover, perennial ryegrass/red clover and spontaneous cover. These experiments were carried out before, during and after the set-aside period, i.e. also during the subsequent crop. Results show that the sowing of a set-aside cover before winter leads to a reduction in the leaching risks. Little nitrate generally remains in the sown plots; the highest quantities are measured after red clover: 26 +/- 10 kg NO3-N ha(-1). As far as spontaneous covers are concerned, the quantities can be high and highly variable: 43 +/- 48 kg NO3-N ha(-1). At the sowing of sugar beet, i.e. 4 months after the set-aside cover is destroyed, mineralisation of the incorporated covers has started: 17 +/- 11 kg NO3-N ha(-1) for the perennial ryegrass and 96 +/- 19 kg NO3-N ha(-1) for the red clover sown before winter. However, in each case, nitrate is mainly located in the upper part of the profile. When sugar beet is harvested, taking into account a nitrogen fertilisation of 65 or 75 N kg ha(-1), little nitrate remains in the profile. Therefore, there is little risk of groundwater pollution if a set-aside cover is sown and if it is destroyed after 15 November before a spring crop.
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Citations
Clotuche, P., Godden, B., Van Bol, V., Peeters, A., & Penninckx, M. (1998). Influence of set-aside on the nitrate content of soil profiles. Environmental Pollution, 102, 501-506. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0269-7491(98)80075-4 (Original work published 1998)