The management of soil organic matter, an important issue in reducing nitrate leaching to groundwater

Description of the subject. The nitrate concentration in half of the groundwater bodies of the Walloon Region (Belgium) has justified their classification as vulnerable zones under the Nitrates Directive (ND). This vulnerable area has a relatively high diversity of agro-soil environments. Thus, the nitrogen content of agricultural soils can vary locally by a factor 4. Objectives. This study aimed to establish whether the carbon content of a soil is a significant risk factor in nitrate leaching to groundwater. Method. The article is based on measurements of nitrate nitrogen residue (APL) and soil total organic carbon (TOC) at the beginning of the leaching period. The measurements were made in 2012 in 1,500 plots, during inspections organized by the Wallonia Public Service. This was as part of the application of the Program for the Sustainable Management of Nitrogen in Agriculture, the scheme for implementing the ND within the Walloon region. Results. Examination of the results showed both that the APL was positively correlated to the TOC and that plots with "noncompliant" APL results had a significantly higher average TOC than the other plots. Conclusions. Since APL is an environmental indicator of the risk of nitrate leaching, it appears that the TOC may constitute a risk of groundwater contamination by nitrate. It is therefore advisable to improve the inclusion of this parameter in advice regarding nitrogen fertilization and secondly, in the case of summer harvest, to better manage the sowing of catch crops.