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Seasonal Changes of Nitrate Leaching in Greenhouse Vegetable Field in Yellow River Irrigation Region of Ningxia, China
Received:March 12, 2014  
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KeyWord:nitrate;leaching losses;shallow groundwater depth;soil moisture;soil temperature
Author NameAffiliation
ZHANG Xue-jun Institute of Agricultural Resources and Environment, Ningxia Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Yinchuan 750002, China 
REN Fa-chun Yanghe Service Center for Agricultural Technologies in Yongning County of Yinchuan, Yongning 750199, China 
ZHAO Ying Institute of Agricultural Resources and Environment, Ningxia Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Yinchuan 750002, China 
LUO Jian-hang Institute of Agricultural Resources and Environment, Ningxia Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Yinchuan 750002, China 
CHEN Xiao-qun Institute of Agricultural Resources and Environment, Ningxia Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Yinchuan 750002, China 
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Abstract:
      Extensive use of nitrogen fertilizers has caused nitrate leaching in greenhouse vegetable fields. A field experiment was carried out to investigate the seasonal changes of nitrate leaching and the effects of environmental factors and fertilization practices in a greenhouse tomato and cucumber rotation system in the Yellow River Irrigation Region of Ningxia. Nitrate leaching showed obvious seasonal changes. The leaching peak occurred during summer fallow period in July. Nitrate leaching losses were significantly higher in cucumber(autumn-winter season) than in tomato season(winter-spring season). The nitrate leaching for the whole year was about 185.7 kg·hm-2 in the conventional fertilization, while the amount of nitrate leaching decreased by 10.6% and 8.3% in optimal fertilization and optimal fertilization plus regulating soil C/N ratios, respectively. Losses of nitrate leaching were significantly negatively correlated with shallow groundwater depth, but significantly positively with soil moisture and soil temperature. These findings would be useful for reducing nitrate leaching from greenhouse vegetable systems.