Nitrate leaching from lysimeter-grown short-rotation willow coppice in relation to N-application, irrigation and soil type

The use of willow vegetation /lters for wastewater treatment is gaining interest in Sweden. A study was conducted in order to determine reasonable rates of wastewater application to such vegetation /lters. NO 3-N leaching loads and N-uptake by the plants were quanti/ed in relation to nitrogen application rate, irrigation rate, shoot growth, and soil type during three years after planting of willow (Salixviminalis ) in sixteen 1200-l lysimeters /lled with clay or sand soil. Nitrogen was applied at rates corresponding to 110 –244 kg N=ha yr combined with irrigation of 3–6 mm=day during 100 –110 days each growing season. NO3-N leaching loads were very high the /rst year after plant establishment (on average 341 kg N =ha from clay and 140 kg N=ha from sand lysimeters). However, NO3-N leaching loads decreased and were low or negligible during the second (43 from clay and 17 kg N=ha from sand lysimeters) and third year (3 kg N=ha from clay and less than 1 kg N=ha from sand lysimeters). Harvest of the plants after the second growing season did not seemingly a8ect NO3-N leaching loads during the third year. Soil type and N application rate strongly in9uenced NO3-N leaching loads, whereas irrigation rate had only a slight e8ect, and thus, dosing of wastewater should be based on N-amounts. Assuming an annual shoot growth of 10 tonnes (dry weight)=ha in a willow vegetation /lter, wastewater could be applied at rates corresponding to 160 –190 kg N =ha without substantial NO3-N leaching losses. c 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

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