Nitrogen loss and its health risk in paddy fields under different drainage managements

Subsurface drainage is a prerequisite for year-round crop production in a large area of northern Iran, s paddy fields. Minimizing environmental and health issues related to nitrogen (N) losses through subsurface drainage systems provides suitable condition for sustainable agriculture in these fields. A field study was conducted to evaluate nitrogen loss and its health risk in the conventional and subsurface-drained paddy fields. Ammonium, nitrate, and total N concentrations of subsurface drainage effluents, surface runoff, and leachates were monitored during three successive rice-canola-rice growing seasons from July 2011 to August 2012. Different components of N balance and health risk of nitrate leaching to groundwater were also investigated. Ammonium in drainage effluents collected during the experimental period ranged from approximately zero to 1.72 mg L−1, while nitrate fluctuated from 0.5 to 28.6 mg L−1. Average nitrate concentration in leachates of subsurface-drained area was 7.7–81.4 % higher than that in subsurface drainage effluents, while it was 126.8 % higher than that in surface runoff for the conventional field. Subsurface drainage provided a better utilization of soil N through providing winter cropping and reduced the potential for non-carcinogenic risks of nitrate leaching to groundwater. The results are encouraging for producers engaged in rice-canola production in the study area with respect to the environment and human health quality.