Influence of nitrogen-based fertilization on nitrates occurrence in groundwater of hilly vineyards

Roberta Zambito Marsala; Ettore Capri; Elisabetta Russo; Lia Barazzoni; Emanuela Peroncini; Marcello De Crema; Raul Carrey Labarta; Neus Otero; Ruggero Colla; Maura Calliera; Maria Chiara Fontanella; Nicoleta Alina Suciu

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.144512

Influence of nitrogen-based fertilization on nitrates occurrence in groundwater of hilly vineyards

Sci Total Environ. 2021 Apr 20:766:144512. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.144512. Epub 2020 Dec 16.

Affiliations

¹ Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Department for Sustainable Food Process, Via Emilia Parmense 84, 29122 Piacenza, PC, Italy; European Observatory on sustainable agriculture (OPERA), Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Via Emilia Parmense 84, 29122 Piacenza, PC, Italy.
² European Observatory on sustainable agriculture (OPERA), Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Via Emilia Parmense 84, 29122 Piacenza, PC, Italy. Electronic address: ettore.capri@unicatt.it.
³ ARPAE - Regional Agency for Prevention, Environment and Energy of Emilia Romagna, Via XXI Aprile 48, 29121 Piacenza, PC, Italy.
⁴ Grup MAiMA, SGR Mineralogia Aplicada, Geoquímica i Geomicrobiologia, Departament de Mineralogia, Petrologia i Geologia Aplicada, Facultat de Ciències de la Terra, Universitat deBarcelona, Institut de Rederca de l'Aigua (IDRA), UB, C/Martí i Franquès, s/n, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.
⁵ Grup MAiMA, SGR Mineralogia Aplicada, Geoquímica i Geomicrobiologia, Departament de Mineralogia, Petrologia i Geologia Aplicada, Facultat de Ciències de la Terra, Universitat deBarcelona, Institut de Rederca de l'Aigua (IDRA), UB, C/Martí i Franquès, s/n, 08028 Barcelona, Spain; Serra Hunter Fellowship, Generalitat de Catalunya, Spain.
⁶ Phytosanitary consortium of Piacenza, Via Cristoforo Colombo 35, 29122 Piacenza, PC, Italy.
⁷ European Observatory on sustainable agriculture (OPERA), Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Via Emilia Parmense 84, 29122 Piacenza, PC, Italy.
⁸ Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Department for Sustainable Food Process, Via Emilia Parmense 84, 29122 Piacenza, PC, Italy.

PMID: 33422844
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.144512

Abstract

Nitrogen losses from intensive agricultural production may end up as high nitrate (NO₃^-) concentrations in groundwater, with a long-term impact on groundwater quality. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of fertilization practices used for grape cultivation on groundwater quality of Tidone Valley, northwest of Italy, following an integrated socio-hydrogeological approach that consists on (i) the involvement of 175 farmers in the description of agricultural and fertilization practices, using a survey of ad hoc questionnaires, (ii) the evaluation of NO₃^- occurrence in groundwater and (iii) the identification of NO₃^- sources through isotopic and hydrochemical analysis. In this area, as for certain particular Apennines shallow aquifers, groundwater is of reduced interest due to its limited storage capacity and there are insufficient wells currently monitored by the local Environmental Agency (ARPAE) to evaluate the impact of agricultural fertilization on existing local aquifers. Farmers' questionnaires results highlighted an extensive use of inorganic nitrogen fertilization and a tendency of farmers to follow their own experience for fertilization. Chemical analyses revealed high variability of major and trace elements concentrations isotope data. NO₃^- concentrations were significantly higher in deeper wells with respects to shallow wells. Isotopic results indicated that groundwater NO₃^- origin is inorganic, in agreement with the land use and the declared viticultural practices. Comparing groundwater NO₃^- occurrence from the studied area with values of entire Emilia-Romagna Region, only 7.7% of groundwater samples showed values above the EQS. (50 mg NO₃^-/L) between Nov 2017 and Sept 2018, while in the entire region 11.5% of groundwater samples showed values above the EQS in the same period. Considering that the vineyards surface in the studied area represents almost 75% of the entire regional vineyard surface, the obtained results suggest a low to moderate impact of viticulture on NO₃^-concentration of regional groundwater.

Keywords: Agriculture; Nitrogen and oxygen isotope data; Socio-hydrogeology; Tidone Valley.