Does pre-plant nitrogen fertiliser location affect soil mineral nitrogen and nitrous oxide emissions from irrigated cotton at Moree?

Abstract

Key findings •• Changing the pre-plant nitrogen (N) fertiliser location from beside the non-irrigated furrow to beside the irrigated furrow increased nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions, primarily from the fertiliser band location. •• Irrigating every single furrow instead of every second furrow did not significantly change N2O emissions. •• Altering irrigation furrows in relation to pre-plant N fertiliser did not significantly affect mineral N in the surface soil, nor did it affect any measure of crop production. •• These results do not support changing from the current irrigation and N fertiliser placement system in use.