How do current recommendations on drainage depth and spacing influence nutrient loss, crop productivity and nutrient utilization?
Can drainage depth and spacing be optimized to minimize the nutrient losses and maximize crop production?
How wide? How deep?
Understanding the influence of tile depth and spacing on nutrient loss – does depth or distance count for something? Research under way by Dr. Rabin Bhattarai from the University of Illinois leads a study investigating how tile depth and spacing variations impact nitrogen (N) and phosphorous (P) losses. The study evaluates current tile drainage design and assesses negative impacts on tile drainage and N and P losses. Click here to download a summary of his current research. How wide, how deep – Bhattarai