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Research Journal of Environmental Sciences

Year: 2009 | Volume: 3 | Issue: 6 | Page No.: 645-655
DOI: 10.3923/rjes.2009.645.655
Estimates of Nitrate Leaching from Wheat Fields in Gorgan, of Iran
E. Zeinali, A. Soltani, S. Galeshi and S.A.R. Movahedi Naeeni

Abstract: There is no estimation on the nitrate leaching from arable lands of Iran. Therefore, the CERES-wheat of DSSAT model was used to estimate the nitrate leaching from wheat fields of Gorgan. The experiment was conducted in Gorgan Northeast of Iran, during 2005-2007 years. Input data were 3 nitrogen use scenarios (N-S), 3 soil profiles (SLPs) and two Cropping Systems (CS) including rainfed (RFD) and irrigated (IRR) as well as daily weather data of this area. The amounts of fertilizer-N used in N-S-1, N-S-2 and N-S-3 were 165, 122 and 96 kg N ha-1, respectively. Three SLPs were defined on the basis of the analysis of hundreds soil samples. Soil samples were taken from arable lands to a 120 cm depth. The simulations were performed for a 45 years time period from 1961-2006. The average of N-leached in scenarios during 45 years estimated to be 23.6 kg N/ha/year. Cropping system and SLP had significant effects (p = 0.01) on the nitrate leaching, but the effects of N-Ss and interactions between 3 factors were not significant, statistically. The results of simulations indicated that in RFDCS and IRRCS about 16 and 31 kg N/ha/year have been leached, respectively. The N-leached rates from SLP I, II and III were 39, 19 and 13 kg N ha/year, indicating significant differences between SLPs. It can be concluded that considerable amounts of nitrate-N are leached from wheat fields in Gorgan, annually that can have important economic and environmental impacts.

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How to cite this article
E. Zeinali, A. Soltani, S. Galeshi and S.A.R. Movahedi Naeeni, 2009. Estimates of Nitrate Leaching from Wheat Fields in Gorgan, of Iran. Research Journal of Environmental Sciences, 3: 645-655.

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