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The lysimeter experiments were conducted to examine the effects of plastic-film mulching on the discharge rate of nitrate nitrogen (NO3-N) from the chemical fertilizer inputted fields. Two lysimeters filled with sandy loam were kept in the different mulching conditions. One of which was mulched partially only the part of ridge and another one was mulched fully including the furrow with black plastic film. Chemical fertilizer was plowed into the soil equally to the two lysimeters before the application of mulch. After transplanting broccoli, the amount of subsurface drainage discharge and the NO3-N concentrations of drainage water were measured everyday.

The large rate of NO3-N discharge occurred mainly during a heavy rainfall for all treatments. The effect of mulching on the reduction of NO3-N discharge rate was higher for the sole-mulch treatment. This result showed that some types of mulching would be effective for an appropriate fertilizer management for which the amount of fertilizer applied will be reduced.