Leaching and runoff potential of nutrient and water losses in rice field as affected by alternate wetting and drying irrigation

Inefficient water management in rice paddy is responsible for a large quantity of water and nutrient loss, which causes tremendous economic and environmental costs. Yet, quantified data on the water and nutrient losses are limited. A study was conducted during 2018-2019 with an Aman (wet)-Boro (dry)-Aman (wet) rice rotation to evaluate the effect of water management on water and nutrient losses through different pathways. The treatments in 2018 Aman season were: (i) rainfed, (ii) I6D (irrigation after six days of ponded water disappearance), and (iii) I3D. In 2019, the Boro season had (i) I6D and (ii) I3D, and the Aman season had (i) rainfed, (ii) I9D, and (iii) I1D treatments. The water input and output from the studied lysimeters were measured daily, and samples from the leachates, ponded water, and topsoil were routinely analyzed for nutrient content. In both Aman seasons, the rainfed cultivation had lower percolation losses (38-44 % of total input) than other treatments (45-70 %). Evapotranspiration in the Boro season (5.4-5.9 mm/day) was higher than that in the Aman seasons (4.2-4.6 mm/day) because of the drier Boro season. Ammonium (NH4+-N) leached at 0.6-6.7 mg/L and nitrate (NO3--N) 0.6-5.6 mg/L in these rice seasons. Phosphorus concentration ranged 0.04-0.37 mg/L in the leachates and 0.04-0.51 mg/L in the ponded water. The rainfed and I9D exerted higher nutrient leaching concentration in some events and less so for the I6D treatment than the I3D and I1D, possibly because of the better nitrification and preferential flow paths induced by the prolonged drying processes. However, the rainfed, I9D, and I6D had less leaching load than the I3D and I1D because the latter had larger percolation volume. For example, the I6D treatment in the Boro season reduced the N leaching load by 44 % and P load by 39 % compared with the I3D, and the I9D in 2019 Aman season had 42 and 13 % less N and P leaching load, respectively, than the I1D treatment. The findings will contribute to the effort of developing a sustainable and climate-resilient rice production system.