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FERTILIZATION PLAN AT FARM LEVEL FOR COMPLIANCE WITH THE ACTION PROGRAMS REQUIRED BY THE NITRATES DIRECTIVE

Lavinia Burtan

Abstract

European Nitrate Directive relates to water protection against nitrates pollution from agricultural sources. The Directive was transposed in Romanian legislation by the Government Decision no. 964/2000 with its subsequent amendments which approve the Action Plan for water protection against nitrates pollution from agricultural sources. Its objectives are to reduce water pollution with nitrates from agricultural sources and to prevent this type of pollution. According to the Action Plan in each vulnerable zone, an Action Program has to be accomplished. Taking into account that all national water resources drain into the Black Sea which is affected by eutrophication, it was decided to apply for a single Action Program at country level and do not designate vulnerable zones to nitrate pollution from agricultural sources. The Action Program follows the measures established in the Code of Agricultural Practices for water protection against nitrates pollution from agricultural sources. An important measure included in the Code of Agricultural Practices is related to the standards on maximum quantities of nitrogen fertilizers which may be applied on agricultural lands in order to prevent or reduce nitrates pollution of water bodies. For this, fertilizer plans at farm level are recommended to be carried out. The case study is accomplished within a farm located in Arges -Vedea watershed. This paper shows a fertilization plan obtained by using best practices for efficient nitrogen use at farm level. For accomplishing this, different indicators are needed: expected crop yield at the farm level, soil indicators and coefficients of nitrogen use. As much the difference between applied nitrogen and exported nitrogen is lower within the farm, as much the nitrogen use efficiency is higher. In case of wheat, the optimum economic nitrogen dose recommended for obtaining 5000 kg/ha is 130 kg/ha of nitrogen. This dose is correlated with the optimum soil nitrogen supply, plant nitrogen need and the lower risk of nitrogen losses in water bodies.

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DOI resolver: doi.org/10.5593/sgem2018/3.2/s13.026

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