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  • Jul. 15, 2025

Arid Land Geography ›› 2025, Vol. 48 ›› Issue (5): 801-811.doi: 10.12118/j.issn.1000-6060.2024.377

• Biology and Pedology • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Effects of water-nitrogen coupling on NH3 and N2O emissions from drip-irrigated watermelon in the Hexi irrigation area

XUE Liang1,2(), MA Zhongming1,2(), ZHAO Anyu3, LUO Shuanglong1,2, XUE Lian4, Muhammad Ali RAZA1   

  1. 1. Institute of Soil, Fertilizer and Water-Saving Agriculture, Gansu Academy of Agricultural Science, Lanzhou 730070, Gansu, China
    2. National Agricultural Experimental Station for Agricultural Enviroment, Zhangye, Lanzhou 730070, Gansu, China
    3. Zhangye Water-Saving Agricultural Experimental Station, Gansu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhangye 734000, Gansu, China
    4. Lanzhou Agricultural Science and Technology Research and Promotion Center, Lanzhou 730010, Gansu, China
  • Received:2024-06-17 Revised:2024-08-21 Online:2025-05-25 Published:2025-05-13
  • Contact: MA Zhongming E-mail:xuel_3521@163.com;mazhming@163.com

Abstract:

NH3 and N2O emissions constitute the primary pathways of gaseous loss of nitrogen. Investigating the effects of differential water and nitrogen application rates under plastic-mulched drip irrigation on gaseous nitrogen losses is crucial for developing scientifically informed water-fertilizer management strategies in watermelon production systems within the Hexi irrigation area in Gansu Province of China. Therefore, in this two-year field study, the experiment adopted a split-plot design, with main plots comprising three irrigation thresholds set at 80% (I80), 65% (I65), and 50% (I50) of field capacity, while maintaining a uniform upper irrigation limit at 95% of field capacity. Subplot treatments consisted of four nitrogen application rates: 0 kg·hm-2 (N0), 100 kg·hm-2 (N100), 200 kg·hm-2 (N200), and 300 kg·hm-2 (N300), on watermelon production under drip irrigation with a plastic mulch system. The experiment used aeration and static chamber-gas chromatography methods, the study analyzed soil NH3 and N2O emission dynamics, watermelon yield, and quality across treatments. The results showed that: (1) Soil nitrogen gas emissions are jointly affected by water and nitrogen. NH3 and N2O emissions reached their peaks 1-2 days after the application of base fertilizer and lasted for 5-7 days. The cumulative emissions were the highest in the seedling stage, accounting for 33.33% and 47.22% of the total growth period, respectively. The cumulative emissions of NH3 and N2O throughout the growth period were 3.05-15.39 kg·hm-2 and 0.51-2.00 kg·hm-2, respectively. (2) Increasing water and nitrogen supply rates will promote NH3 and N2O emissions. The effect of nitrogen is greater than that of irrigation. Under I80 conditions, the cumulative emissions of NH3 and N2O increased by 63.86%-285.48% and 120.41%-308.82%, respectively, when more nitrogen fertilizer was applied. (3) The nitrogen utilization rate of treatment I65N200 reached 32.62%, which was significantly higher than that of treatment I80N300. The yield and soluble solids content were 70159 kg·hm-2 and 11.39%, respectively, which were not significantly different from treatment I80N300. Considering yield, quality, and nitrogen utilization rate comprehensively, when the soil moisture content is controlled between 65% and 95% of the maximum field capacity in watermelon subsurface drip irrigation and the nitrogen application level is optimized to 200 kg·hm-2, high yield and quality can be maintained in watermelon systems within the Hexi irrigation area. This plastic-mulched drip irrigation strategy ensures yield-quality preservation while effectively mitigating NH3 and N2O emissions.

Key words: watermelon, drip irrigation, water-nitrogen coupling, NH3 emission, N2O emission