Author/Authors :
IBRIKÇI, Hayriye Çukurova Üniversitesi - Ziraat Fakültesi - Toprak Bölümü, Turkey , KARNEZ, Ebru Çankırı Karatekin Üniversitesi - Kızılırmak Meslek Yüksekokulu, Turkey , ÇETIN, Mahmut Çukurova Üniversitesi - Ziraat Fakültesi - Tarımsal Yapılar ve Sulama Bölümü, Turkey , TOPÇU, Sevilay Çukurova Üniversitesi - Ziraat Fakültesi - Tarımsal Yapılar ve Sulama Bölümü, Turkey , ÖZTEKIN, M. Eren Çukurova Üniversitesi - Ziraat Fakültesi - Toprak Bölümü, Turkey , DINGIL, Mahmut Çukurova Üniversitesi - Ziraat Fakültesi - Toprak Bölümü, Turkey
Abstract :
Nitrogen is one of major nutrient used in plant growth. While nitrogen (N) fertilizers from the inorganic sources are commonly used for crop production of almost all crops, excess use of N is the main source of nitrate (NO3) pollution and risk factor in the water resources. There are appropriate approaches to decrease application level N fertilizers without wounding the crop yield and quality. Consideration of mineral nitrogen (Nmin) could be an approach to optimize fertilizer N use for the 1. and 2. crop corn grown in Cukurova region. Therefore, a study conducted in Akarsu Irrigation District (9,495 ha) of Lower Seyhan Plain to survey and determine preplant Nmin values in the soil profile for the 1. and 2. crop corn production. Representative and randomly selected 1. crop corn (56 fields) and 2. crop corn (27 fields) were selected and sampled from the 0-30, 30-60 and 60-90 cm soil depths. Nitrate and ammonium concentrations in the soil samples were determined, and the values were converted to kg Nmin ha^-1. The both concentration and amount of the NO3 and NH4 varried in the profile, indicating the higher amount in the surface horizons such as 34 to 57 kg Nmin ha^-1 in 0-30 cm soil depth for the 1. and 2. crop corn soils. These values increased to about 80 and 100 kg Nmin ha^-1 in the whole profile of these crops. The overall results from a one year experiment indicate that the both NO3 and NH4 data is important for detemination of Nmin in the region and the results could be considered for fertilizer recommendations to the farmers. However, the similar further studies need to be repeated in the region for the specific crops to observe a stable value for the fertilizer recommendations.
