Polyacrylamide for surface irrigation to increase nutrient-use efficiency and protect water quality

POLIACRILAMIDO PARA LA IRRIGACION SUPERFICIAL PARA INCREMENTAR LA EFICIENCIA DEL USO DE NUTRIENTES Y PROTEGER LA CALIDAD DEL AGUA

Lentz, Rodrick D. and Sojka, Robert E. and Robbins, Charles W. and Kincaid, Dennis C. and Westermann, Dale T. (2001) Polyacrylamide for surface irrigation to increase nutrient-use efficiency and protect water quality. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis. 32(7&8):1203-1220.

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Abstract

Furrow irrigation systems have a greater application capacity, are
less costly, and use less energy than sprinkler systems but furrow
irrigation produces greater runoff, erosion, and deep percolation
losses. Phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) losses are associated with
runoff sediment, and can be minimized by eliminating irrigation-induced
erosion. Excessive leaching of inorganic and organic solutes
commonly occurs at the inflow region of furrow irrigated
fields where infiltration opportunity times are longer. In one conservation
practice, a high molecular weight, anionic polyacrylamide
(PAM) is applied to advancing furrow stream flows at a concentration
of 10 mg L. Because PAM stabilizes furrow soil and
flocculates suspended sediment, we hypothesized that this treatment
would reduce runoff losses of sediment, molybdate reactive
P (MRP), total P, NO3 -N, and chemical oxygen demand (COD).
Polyacrylamide treatment may increase furrow infiltration in some
soils. However, we hypothesized that because it permits higher initial
inflows, PAM would not increase NO3-N or Cl leaching relative to conventional, constant inflow irrigation. To test the first hypothesis,
all treatments had the same inflow regime. For hypothesis
two, control inflows were a constant 15 L min - I ; PAM treated inflows
were cut back from 45 to 15 L min - I after furrow advance.
Irrigation runoff and percolation waters were sampled and analyzed.
Polyacrylamide increased infiltration and decreased runoff,
particularly early in the irrigations. Mean cumulative runoff sediment
loss over 12 h was 11.86 kg for each control furrow vs
1.15 kg for PAM-treated furrows. The PAM reduced 12-h cumulative
sediment losses in runoff by 90%, MRP by 87%, total P by
92%, and COD by 85%, relative to control furrows. Polyacrylamide
had no field-wide, season-long effect on cumulative amounts
of water, NO3 -N or Cl leached. The PAM-technology effectively
prevented soil nutrient losses, increased nutrient-use efficiency,
and decreased N and P loads in irrigation return flows and receiving
surface waters.

Item Type:	Article
NWISRL Publication Number:	1045
Subjects:	Irrigation > Furrow irrigation > Erosion > Polyacrylamide Polyacrylamide (PAM) > Water-soluble PAM (WSPAM) Water > Water quality > Polyacrylamide Water > Water quality > Nutrients Practical farm efficiency Mass Import - autoclassified (may be erroneous)
Depositing User:	Users 6 not found.
Date Deposited:	20 Nov 2010 21:50
Last Modified:	14 Nov 2016 17:24
Item ID:	123
URI:	https://eprints.nwisrl.ars.usda.gov/id/eprint/123