Meta-analysis of strategies to control nitrate leaching in irrigated agricultural systems and their effects on crop yield

• Meta-analysis of irrigated cropping systems strategies to control nitrate leaching.
• Adjusting water application to crop needs reduced nitrate leaching by 80%.
• Improved fertilizer management reduced nitrate leaching by a mean of 40%.
• Replacing a fallow with a non-legume cover crop reduced nitrate leaching by 50%.
• Fertilizer technology was the strategy least effective in reducing nitrate leaching.

Nitrate leaching (NL) is an important N loss process in irrigated agriculture that imposes a cost on the farmer and the environment. A meta-analysis of published experimental results from agricultural irrigated systems was conducted to identify those strategies that have proven effective at reducing NL and to quantify the scale of reduction that can be achieved. Forty-four scientific articles were identified which investigated four main strategies (water and fertilizer management, use of cover crops and fertilizer technology) creating a database with 279 observations on NL and 166 on crop yield. Management practices that adjust water application to crop needs reduced NL by a mean of 80% without a reduction in crop yield. Improved fertilizer management reduced NL by 40%, and the best relationship between yield and NL was obtained when applying the recommended fertilizer rate. Replacing a fallow with a non-legume cover crop reduced NL by 50% while using a legume did not have any effect on NL. Improved fertilizer technology also decreased NL but was the least effective of the selected strategies. The risk of nitrate leaching from irrigated systems is high, but optimum management practices may mitigate this risk and maintain crop yields while enhancing environmental sustainability.