Effects of irrigation and nitrogen fertilization on the greenhouse gas emissions of a cropping system on a sandy soil in northeast Germany

• Irrigation does not impact yield-related total GHG emissions.
• GHG emissions due to irrigation are compensated by higher yields and C-sequestration.
• GHG emissions from pre-chains were the main source of the total GHG emissions.

Irrigation induces processes that may either decrease or increase greenhouse gas emissions from cropping systems. To estimate the net effect of irrigation on the greenhouse gas emissions, it is necessary to consider changes in the crop yields, the content of soil organic carbon and nitrous oxide emissions, as well as in emissions from the use and production of machinery and auxiliary materials. In this study the net greenhouse gas emissions of a cropping system on a sandy soil in northeast Germany were calculated based on a long-term field experiment coupled with two-year N2O flux measurements on selected plots. The cropping system comprised a rotation of potato, winter wheat, winter oil seed rape, winter rye and cocksfoot each under three nitrogen (N) fertilization intensities with and without irrigation. Total greenhouse gas emissions ranged from 452 to 3503 kg CO2-eq ha−1 and 0.09 to 1.81 kg CO2-eq kg−1 yield. Application of an adequate amount of N fertilizer led to a decrease in greenhouse gas emissions compared to zero N fertilization whereas excessive N fertilization did not result in a further decrease. Under N fertilization there were no significant differences between irrigation and non-irrigation. Increases in greenhouse gas emissions from the operation, production and maintenance of irrigation equipment were mainly offset by increases in crop yield and soil organic carbon contents. Thus, on a sandy soil under climatic conditions of north-east Germany it is possible to produce higher yields under irrigation without an increase in the yield-related greenhouse gas emissions.