华北平原冬小麦/夏玉米轮作体系土壤硝态氮的适宜含量

采用冬小麦季不同施氮处理(夏玉米季不施氮)研究了华北平原冬小麦/夏玉米轮作体系夏玉米季土壤硝态氮的适宜含量.结果表明:在播前土壤无机氮含量较高的条件下,冬小麦季施用150kgN.hm-2即可满足冬小麦/夏玉米两季作物的氮素需求;各氮肥处理在冬小麦季的氮肥施用当季的利用率仅为11%～23%,在夏玉米季氮肥残效利用率则高达30%～52%.当夏玉米播前0～90cm土层硝态氮含量达到82kg.hm-2时,无需施氮即可保证夏玉米十叶期的生长,达到151kg.hm-2时,无需施氮即可保证整个生育期的生长.夏玉米十叶期和收获后0～90cm土层硝态氮含量低于46和65kg.hm-2时,则影响作物正常生长.综合考虑产量和环境效应,冬小麦/夏玉米轮作体系中0～90cm土层硝态氮含量应控制在65～151kg.hm-2之间.     

不同包膜控释尿素对农田土壤氨挥发的影响

为了探索包膜控释尿素土壤氨挥发损失规律特征和提高肥料氮素利用率,采用小麦玉米轮作田间试验,通过与普通尿素进行对比,运用土壤氨挥发原位测定方法——通气法系统研究了硫包膜和树脂包膜控释尿素的施用对小麦玉米轮作农田土壤氨挥发的影响.研究结果表明:在两种施氮量水平下(210 kg/hm2和300 kg/hm2),与普通尿素相比,硫包膜和树脂包膜控释尿素在小麦基肥期、小麦追肥期和玉米施肥期的施用均减少了土壤氨挥发的累积损失量,分别达35.1％-54.3％、59.6％-75.2％、65.6％-98.1％;有效降低了土壤氨挥发通量峰值且延迟其出现时间3-8 d,并能延缓土壤氨挥发主要阶段的时间分别为4-12 d、5-12 d.在小麦玉米轮作周年中,控释尿素土壤氨挥发累积损失量为28.39-43.35 kg/hm2,土壤氨挥发损失率为4.48％-5.63％,控释尿素时段土壤氨挥发通量比普通尿素降低了51.0％-70.8％;且树脂包膜控释尿素的施用降低小麦玉米轮作农田土壤氨挥发的效果优于硫包膜控释尿素.     

陕西关中小麦-玉米轮作区协调作物产量和环境效应的农田适宜氮肥用量

为了确定陕西关中小麦-玉米轮作区兼顾作物产量和环境效应的农田适宜氮肥用量,通过玉米-小麦-玉米连续3季田间试验研究了作物产量、氮肥利用效率、氮肥表观损失和土壤氮素平衡等对施氮量的响应。结果表明,随着氮肥用量的增加,不同年份作物产量和3季作物累计产量均表现为先增加后降低的趋势,而累计氮肥农学效率、氮肥表观利用率、氮肥吸收效率和氮肥偏生产力均表现为显著的降低趋势。土壤氮素平衡结果表明,随着施氮量的增加,低量施氮时(小麦施N150 kg/hm2,玉米施N180 kg/hm2),氮肥残留显著增加,表观损失和损失率变化不明显,而高量施氮时(小麦施N150 kg/hm2,玉米施N180 kg/hm2),氮肥残留变化不明显,表观损失和损失率却显著增加。回归和相关分析显示,矿质氮在土壤较深层次(100—200cm土层)大量累积是氮肥表观损失的重要途径之一。小麦施N 150 kg/hm2、玉米施N 180 kg/hm2时,作物即可获得相对较高的产量和氮肥利用率,且能保持作物收获前后土壤无机氮库的基本稳定,同时也可将氮肥表观损失降至较低水平。     

控释尿素施用方式及用量对夏玉米氮肥效率和产量的影响

在大田条件下以不施氮为对照,研究了施氮量为75和150 kg N·hm^-2条件下,普通尿素底施、控释尿素底施和侧施对夏玉米光合性能、氮肥效率和产量的影响.结果表明：与普通尿素相比,相同施氮水平下,包膜控释尿素处理玉米果穗叶光合速率、叶绿素含量、硝酸还原酶活性、籽粒灌浆速率均显著提高,玉米籽粒产量比普通尿素平均提高9.5%;与控释尿素侧施相比,底施使玉米籽粒产量提高6.2%.包膜控释尿素处理的氮肥农学利用率（AE）和偏生产力（PFP）比普通尿素平均分别提高74.5%和11.0%;与包膜控释尿素侧施相比,底施使AE和PFP分别提高26.8%和5.7%.控释尿素施用量较高时,玉米光合性能得到改善,产量、AE和PFP显著提高;与控释尿素侧施相比,底施对玉米产量、AE和PFP的增加效果更显著.     

控释肥对夏玉米产量及田间氨挥发和氮素利用率的影响

在大田条件下研究了树脂包膜控释肥（CRF）和硫包膜控释肥（SCF）对夏玉米产量、田间氨挥发及氮肥利用率的影响.结果表明：控释肥能显著提高玉米产量.在相同施肥量（N、P、K量相同）情况下,全量控释肥CRF(1428 kg·hm^-2)和SCF（1668 kg·hm^-2）分别比全量普通复合肥CCF（1260 kg·hm^-2）增产13.15%和14.15%;控释肥施肥量减少25%（CRF 1071 kg·hm^-2;SCF 1251 kg·hm^-2）时,分别比CCF增产9.69%和10.04%;控释肥施肥量减少50%时（CRF 714 kg·hm^-2;SCF 834 kg·hm^-2）,其产量与CCF无显著差异.对夏玉米田间土壤原位氨挥发进行研究表明,控释肥处理氨挥发速率上升缓慢,最大挥发高峰出现时间比普通肥处理晚7 d,土壤氨挥发量在0.78～4.43 kg N·hm^-2,比普通肥处理(9.11 kg N·hm^-2)减少51.34%～91.34%.控释肥的氮肥利用率和农学效率也均显著高于普通肥处理.     

控释肥施用对土壤N2O排放的影响——以华北平原冬小麦/夏玉米轮作系统为例

控释肥作为一种能够提高肥料利用率、保障作物产量和节约劳动力的新型肥料已经在作物生产中得到广泛应用,而控释肥对土壤N_2O排放影响结果的差异使其成为当前科学评估控释肥施用环境效应的焦点问题之一。因此,旨在探讨不同种类控释肥及氮素水平施用对华北平原冬小麦/夏玉米轮作系统土壤N_2O排放的影响,为科学评价控释肥施用的环境效应及其推广应用提供科学依据。本研究监测采用静态暗箱—气相色谱法对不同控释肥施用下土壤N_2O排放、环境因素以及产量进行了周年监测,探讨了不同处理(对照处理(CK)、控释肥处理1(CRF1)、优化控释肥处理1(80%CRF1)、优化控释肥处理2(80%CRF2)和控释肥处理3(CRF3+尿素))下土壤N_2O排放特征及土壤温湿度对其的影响。结果表明:控释肥施用下冬小麦/夏玉米轮作系统中土壤N_2O排放峰高值主要出现在基肥施用并伴随灌溉(或降雨)后,一般持续时间约为7—10 d,小麦返青期灌溉以及玉米后期降雨会引起微弱的N_2O排放峰。不同处理土壤N_2O排放通量变化范围为~(-2)35.61—2625.01μg N_2O m~(-2)h~(-1),平均排放通量为23.88—51.39μg N_2O m~(-2)h~(-1),与CRFI相比,80%CRF1和80%CRF2处理能够减小施肥期的N_2O排放峰值,但不改变轮作周期土壤N_2O排放季节变化规律。CK处理和CRF3+尿素处理土壤N_2O排放通量与5 cm深度土壤温度之间表现出显著的正相关性(r~2=0.38,P0.01;r~2=0.30,P0.05);CRF1处理和80%CRF1处理在冬小麦生长季及整个轮作周期内与土壤孔隙含水率(WFPS)表现为显著的正相关关系(冬小麦生长季分别为r~2=0.50,P0.01;r~2=0.39,P0.05;整个轮作周期分别为r~2=0.39,P0.05;r~2=0.43,P0.05)。80%CRF2处理N_2O年排放总量最高,为(2.89±0.24)kg N/hm~2。相同控释肥种类条件下,80%CRF1处理比CRF1处理减少了14.23%,但并未达到显著水平;相同施氮量水平下,CRF1处理与(CRF3+尿素)处理之间N_2O年排放总量差异不显著,而80%CRF1处理比80%CRF2处理N_2O年排放总量减少16.16%,并达到显著水平(P0.05)。本研究不同处理之间N_2O直接排放系数在0.29%—0.42%之间,均明显低于IPCC 1.0%的默认值。各控释肥处理产量与当地农民常规施肥量条件下产量没有显著性差异。因此在华北地区冬小麦/夏玉米轮作系统中应用控释肥技术可以在保证产量的前提下有效减少土壤N_2O排放,并且仍存在一定的减排空间。     

控释配方肥氮素在芥菜连作期的去向和平衡

采用小型渗漏计,在施用水溶性肥料及其与控释肥料组成的控释配方肥条件下,研究了3个生长季连作芥菜的吸氮量、N₂O排放损失、氮素淋溶损失、氮素残留和其他损失量.结果表明： 在含25%控释氮素的控释配方肥处理下,芥菜的吸氮量逐季增加,后期显著高于水溶性肥料处理.水溶性肥料处理的N₂O累积排放量和氮素淋溶损失量明显高于控释配方肥处理,各肥料处理氮素淋失的形态均以NO₃^--N为主.相对于水溶性肥料,控释配方肥能改变氮素的去向,氮素吸收利用率提高75.4%,土壤残留增加76.0%,淋溶损失和其他表观损失分别减少27.1%和66.3%.施用控释配方肥是减少氮素各种形式损失、显著提高氮肥利用率的有效途径,控释肥料是氮素养分高效利用的环保型肥料.     

不同缓控释肥对鲜食玉米产量、品质及氨挥发的影响

采用田间试验,设置不施氮对照(CK)、常规施肥(U)、增效尿素(DU)、包膜尿素(CU)、缓控释掺混尿素(CDU)共5个处理,研究了常规施肥(240 kg N·hm^-2)和不同缓控释肥料一次性减量施用(180 kg N·hm^-2)对鲜食玉米产量、品质与土壤无机氮变化和氨挥发的影响。结果表明: U处理氨挥发总量最高,追肥是产生氨挥发损失的重要因素;与U处理相比,DU、CU、CDU处理氨挥发减排78%～81%。收获后U处理80～100 cm土层硝态氮浓度最高,为51.6 mg·kg^-1,氮淋溶风险较高,而DU、CU、CDU处理同土层硝态氮含量均较低,降低了淋溶风险。与U处理相比,减氮25%的3个缓控释肥处理没有减产,并增加了籽粒维生素C、可溶性糖和蛋白质含量;缓控释肥处理之间,DU处理的氮肥农学效率和经济效益最高。综上,减量施用新型缓控释肥可以实现鲜食玉米稳产提质,显著降低氨挥发损失和硝态氮淋失风险。与成本较高的树脂包膜控释肥相比,双效抑制剂增效肥(DU)成本低、制作便捷,是鲜食玉米专用肥的较好选择。     

15N标记水稻控释氮肥对提高氮素利用效率的研究

本文应用^15N示踪技术研究了水稻对空控释氮肥和尿素氮吸收利用效率的影响以及氮的去向,结果表明：施肥后11天内,水稻控释氮肥和尿素的NH3挥发损失分别占施入氮量的0.69%和1.81%,NH3的挥发损失在施肥后第5天时达到最大值,此后逐渐降低。水稻控释氮肥和尿素氮的淋溶损失分别占施入氮量的0.95%和1.02%,水稻控释氮肥氮的淋溶损失在水稻整个生长期间均比较平缓,施肥后40天时略有上升,此后又缓慢降低。用氮素平衡帐中的亏缺量和缺量扣除氨的损失量后计为硝化-反硝化损失量的结果表明,水稻控制氮肥氮的硝化-反硝化损失量占施氮量的3.46%,而尿素氮在硝化-反硝化损失量却高达37.75%,肥料氮在土壤中的残留主要集中在0～35cm的土层中,达91.4%-91.5%,残留在35cm以下土层中的氮甚微,水稻控制氮肥残留在土壤中的氮量略高于尿素处理。水稻控释氮肥利用率高达73.8%,比尿素高出34.9%,水稻控释氮肥氮利用率高的原因是因氮从颗粒中缓慢释放、受淋溶、氨挥发、尤其受硝化-反硝化途径损失的氮较少。在施等氮量的条件下,施用水稻控制氮肥的稻谷产量比尿素的增产25.5%,达到p=0.05的显著水平。     

不同控释氮肥对夏玉米同化物积累及氮平衡的影响

选用聚酯包膜尿素(Ncau、CRU)、磷矿粉包膜尿素(NhnP)和腐殖酸包膜尿素(NhnF)4种控释氮肥,研究了在区域推荐用量下一次性施用对夏玉米同化物累积分配及环境效应的影响.结果表明:控释氮肥CRU和Ncau的氮素释放曲线与夏玉米的氮素吸收吻合较好;与区域氮素推荐施肥技术相比,施用CRU的夏玉米产量可提高4.2%,施用Ncau可维持相近的产量水平;CRU显著增加了夏玉米花后干物质的累积量,Ncau则明显提高了花前干物质的累积比例;在降雨量较大的情况下,CRU可使氮素表观损失减少19 kg N·hm-2.一次性施用NhnF和NhnP可造成0.1%~8.9%的产量损失,氮素表观损失增加.CRU和Ncau两种控释氮肥均可在"总量控制、分期调控"的区域氮肥推荐用量下,作为区域氮肥推荐施肥的轻简化替代技术应用于夏玉米生产.     

Fate and efficiency of N fertilizers applied to pearl millet in Niger

Field studies were conducted in Niger using ¹⁵N-labeled fertilizers to assess the fate and efficiency of fertilizer N in pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum [L.] R.Br.) production. Total plant uptake of fertilizer N was low in all cases (20%–37%), and losses were severe (25%–53%). The majority of N remaining in the soil was found in the 0- to 15-cm layer though some enrichment at lower depths was found when the N fertilizer was calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN). In a comparison of urea placement methods (band, broadcast, or point placement), no significant differences in ¹⁵N uptake or yield were noted though point placement did exacerbate ¹⁵N loss. The mechanism of N loss is believed to have been ammonia volatilization. Yields were similar whether urea or CAN was used, but ¹⁵N uptake from CAN was higher. A statistical model was developed relating millet yield and N response to midseason rainfall. In drought years, no N response was found, whereas in years of good rainfall a response was found of 15 kg grain for each kilogram of N applied (at 30 kg N ha^-1 rate).     

Transformation of15N-labelled urea in rice-wheat cropping system

Summary In a udic chromusterts the transformation of an initial application of¹⁵N-urea @ 80 kg N ha^–1 to rice (Oryza sativa L.) in rice-wheat (R-W) and to wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in wheat-rice (W-R) rotations was followed in 6 successive crops in each rotation. All rice crops were grown in irrigated wetland and wheat in irrigated upland conditions.The first wheat crop in W-R rotation utilized 22 kg fertilizer N ha^–1 as compared to 19 kg by the corresponding rice crop in R-W rotation. But the latter absorbed more soil N than the former. About 69% of the total N uptake in rice was derived from mineralization of soil organic N as compared to 61% in wheat.The succeeding wheat crop in R-W rotation utilized 6.7% of the residual fertilizer N in the soil but the corresponding rice crop in W-R rotation only 2.2%. The higher utilization appeared to be related to a greater incorporation of labelled fertilizer N in mineral and hexosamine fractions of the soil N. After the second crop in each rotation, the average residual fertilizer N utilization in the next 4 crops ranged between 3 and 4%.The total recovery of¹⁵N-urea in all crops amounted to 21.7 and 24.3 kg N ha^–1 in R-W and W-R rotation, respectively. At the end of the experiment, about 9 to 10 kg ha^–1 of the applied labelled N was found in soil upto 60 cm depth. Most of the labelled soil N (69–76%) was located in the upper 0–20 cm soil layer indicating little movement to lower depths despite intensive cropping for 4 years.     

Fate of nitrogen fertilizer applied on two main arables crops,winter wheat (Triticum aestivum) and sugar beet (Beta vulgaris) in the loam region of Belgium

Since 1986, the fate of fertilizer N (NH₄NO₃ or NaNO₃) applied in field conditions on two main arable crops, winter wheat (Triticum aestivum) and sugar beet (Beta vulgaris), has been studied using ¹⁵N. Up to a rate of 200 kg ha^-1 of N, mean recovery of fertilizer by winter wheat was 70%, provided it had been split applied. Single application (with or without dicyandiamid) was less effective. For sugar beet, in 1990, 1991 and 1992, 40% of fertilizer N was found in the crop at harvest when NH₄NO₃ had been broadcast at 100 to 160 kg N ha^-1 at sowing time. For the same N rate, recovery was 50% when row applied near the seeds and 60% for 80 kg N ha^-1. For the two experimental crops, residual fertilizer N in soil was exclusively organic. It ranged from 15 to 30% of applied N and was located in the 30 cm upper layer. Losses were generally lower with winter wheat (12%) than with sugar beet (20–40%) and could be ascribed to volatilization and denitrification. Soil derived N taken up by the plant was site and year dependent.     

Effects of fertigation scheme on N uptake and N use efficiency in cotton

While fertigation can increase fertilizer use efficiency, there is an uncertainly as to whether the fertilizer should be introduced at the beginning of the irrigation or at the end, or introduced during irrigation. Our objective was to determine the effect of different fertigation schemes on nitrogen (N) uptake and N use efficiency (NUE) in cotton plants. A pot experiment was conducted under greenhouse conditions in year 2004 and 2005. According to the application timing of nitrogen (N) fertilizer solution and water (W) involved in an irrigation cycle, four nitrogen fertigation schemes [nitrogen applied at the beginning of the irrigation cycle (N–W), nitrogen applied at the end of the irrigation cycle (W–N), nitrogen applied in the middle of the irrigation cycle (W–N–W) and nitrogen applied throughout the irrigation cycle (N&W)] were employed in a completely randomized design with four replications. Cotton was grown in plastic containers with a volume of 84 l, which were filled with a clay loam soil and fertilized with 6.4 g of N per pot as unlabeled and ¹⁵N-labeled urea for 2004 and 2005, respectively. Plant total dry matter (DM) and N content in N–W was significantly higher than in N&W in both seasons, but these were not consistent for W–N and W–N–W treatments. In year 2005, a significantly higher nitrogen derived from fertilizer (NDFF) for the whole plant was found in W–N and N–W than that in W–N–W and N&W. Fertigation scheme had a consistent effect on total NUE: N–W had the highest NUE for the whole plant, but this was not significantly different from W–N. Treatments W–N and W–N–W had similar total NUE, and N&W had the lowest total NUE. After harvesting, the total residual fertilizer N in the soil was highest in W–N, lowest in N–W, but this was not significantly different from N&W and W–N–W treatments. Total residual NO₃–N in the soil in N&W and W–N treatments was 20.7 and 21.2% higher than that in N–W, respectively. The total ¹⁵N recovery was not statistically significant between the four fertigation schemes. In this study, the fertigation scheme N–W (nitrogen applied at the beginning of an irrigation cycle) increased DM accumulation, N uptake and NUE of cotton. This study indicates that Nitrogen application at the beginning of an irrigation cycle has an advantage on N uptake and NUE of cotton. Therefore, NUE could be enhanced by optimizing fertilization schemes with drip irrigation.     

Transformation of15N-labelled urea and its modified forms in tropical wetland rice culture

Summary The fate of 100 kg N ha^–1 applied as¹⁵N-urea and its modified forms was followed in 4 successive field-grown wetland rice crops in a vertisol. The first wet season crop recovered about 27 to 36.6% of the applied N depending upon the N source. In subsequent seasons the average uptake was very small and it gradually decreased from 1.4 to 0.5 kg N ha^–1 although about 18 to 20, 12 to 17 and 14 to 18 kg ha^–1 residual fertilizer N was available in the root zone after harvest of first, second and third crops, respectively. The average uptake of the residual fertilizer N was only 7.6% in the second crop and it decreased to 4.5% in the third and to 3.2% in the fourth crop although all these crops were adequately fertilized with unlabelled urea. The basal application of neem coated urea was more effective in controlling the leaching loss of labelled NH₄+NO₃–N than split application of uncoated urea. In the first 3 seasons in which¹⁵N was detectable, the loss of fertilizer N through leaching as NH₄+NO₃–N amounted to 0.5 kg ha^–1 from neem-coated urea, 1.5 kg from split urea and 4.1 kg from coal tar-coated urea. At the end of 4 crops, most of the labelled fertilizer N (about 69% on average) was located in the upper 0–20 cm soil layer showing very little movement beyond this depth. In the profile sampled upto 60 cm depth, totally about 13.8 kg labelled fertilizer N ha^–1 from neem-coated urea, 12.7 kg from coal-tar coated urea, and 11.8 kg from split urea were recovered. The average recovery of labelled urea-N in crops and soil during the entire experimental period ranged between 42 and 51%. After correcting for leaching losses, the remaining 47 to 56% appeared to have been lost through ammonia volatilization and denitrification.     

Assessing the impacts of biochar-blended urea on nitrogen use efficiency and soil retention in wheat production

Improving nitrogen (N) use efficiency (NUE) in crop plants is important to reduce the negative impact of excessive N on the environment. Although biochar-blended fertilizer had been increasingly tested in crop production, the fate of fertilized N in soil and plant had not been elucidated in field conditions. In this study, a novel biochar-blended urea (BU) was prepared by pelleting maize straw biochar, bentonite, sepiolite, carboxymethylcellulose sodium, and chitosan with urea (commercial urea without biochar [CU]). N fertilization in a winter wheat field was treated with BU and CU at both 265 kg N ha^?1 (HL) and 186 kg N ha^?1 (LN). Within a treatment plot, a microplot was fertilized with ¹⁵N-labeled urea at a relevant N level. We investigated the influence of fertilizer management on biomass, grain yield, bioaccumulation of nutrient, soil properties, ¹⁵N isotopic abundance, and greenhouse gas emissions. Microscopic and spectroscopic analysis showed that micro/nanonetwork of biochar could bind N to form a loss control agglomerated particle, and organo-mineral coatings on BU may protect N from quick release. Compared with CU, BU significantly increased grain yield by 13% and 38%, and grain N allocation by 19% and 55%, respectively, at HN and LN level. The total recovery of urea ¹⁵N in wheat plant (¹⁵N based NUE) was 32.8% under CU regardless of N rates but increased to 41.7% (HN rate) and 56.3% (LN rate) under BU. Whereas, the soil proportion (soil residual ¹⁵N) was 20.1% and 13.4% under CU but 32.5% and 18.8% under BU, in 0-20cm topsoil, respectively, at HN and LN rate. Compared with the CU, BU had no effect on CO₂ and CH₄ emissions but significantly reduced the total N₂O emission by 23%–28%. These important findings suggested that BU can be beneficial to uplift plant NUE to reduce reactive N loading but boost crop production.     

A bioassay of the availability of residual 15N fertilizer eight years after application to a forest soil in interior British Columbia

Although a high proportion of fertilizer N may be immobilized in organic forms in the soil, no studies have examined the long-term availability of residual fertilizer ¹⁵N in forestry situations. We investigated this by growing lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) seedlings in surface (0–10 cm) soil sample eight years after application of ¹⁵N-urea, ¹⁵NH₄NO₃ and NH₄ ¹⁵NO₃ to lodgepole pine in interior British Columbia. After nine months of growth in the greenhouse, seedlings took up an average of 8.5% of the ¹⁵N and 4.6% of the native N per pot. Most of the mineral N in the pots without seedlings was in the form of nitrate, while pots with seedlings had very low levels of mineral N. In contrast to the greenhouse study, there was no significantuptake of ¹⁵N by trees in the field study after the first growing season, although half of the soil organic ¹⁵N was lost between one and eight years after fertilization. This indicates the need to understand the mechanisms which limit the uptake of mineral N by trees in the field, and the possible mismatch of tree demand and mineral N availability.     

Response over two growing seasons of a Sitka spruce stand to 15N-urea fertilizer

Urea fertilizer labelled with ¹⁵N (2.5 atom %) was applied to a 20 year old Sitka spruce stand on a peaty gley at a rate equivalent to 160 kg N ha⁻¹. The application of urea resulted in increased biomass and N concentration of needles and enhanced development of the crown. Differences in N concentrations of the amended trees were also observed for new wood and bark. Analysis of ¹⁵N in tree biomass showed a continued influence of fertilizer N in the second growing season following urea application. The overall recovery of fertilizer N in the trees was estimated to be about 10%.     

Nitrogen uptake and recovery from urea and green manure in lowland rice measured by15N and non-isotope techniques

In the recent past considerable attention is paid to minimize dependence on purchased inputs such as inorganic nitrogen fertilizer. Green manure in the form of flood-tolerant, stem-nodulatingSesbania rostrata andAeschynomene afraspera is an alternative N source for rice, which may also increase N use efficiency. Therefore research was conducted to determine the fate of N applied to lowland rice (Oryza sativa L.) in the form ofSesbania rostrata andAeschynomene afraspera green manure and urea in two field experiments using¹⁵N labeled materials.¹⁵N in the soil and rice plant was determined, and¹⁵N balances established. Apparent N recoveries were determined by non-tracer method. ¹⁵N recoveries averaged 90 and 65% of N applied for green manure and urea treatments, respectively. High partial pressures of NH₃ in the floodwater, and high pH probably resulted from urea application and favoured losses of N from the urea treatment. Results show that green manure N can supply a substantial proportion of the N requirements of lowland rice. Nitrogen released fromSesbania rostrata andAeschynomene afraspera green manure was in synchrony with the demand of the rice plant. The effect of combined application of green manure and urea on N losses from urea fertilizer were also investigated. Green manure reduced the N losses from¹⁵N labeled urea possibly due to a reduction in pH of the floodwater. Positive added N interactions (ANIs) were observed. At harvest, an average of 45 and 25% of N applied remained in the soil for green manure and urea, respectively.Contribution from IRRI, Los Baños, Philippines and Justus-Liebig-University, Giessen, GermanyContribution from IRRI, Los Baños, Philippines and Justus-Liebig-University, Giessen, Germany     

Grain 15N of crops applied with organic and chemical fertilizers in a four-year rotation

Variations in crop grain and soil N isotope composition (δ¹⁵N) in relation to liquid hog manure (δ¹⁵N of total N was +5.1‰), solid cattle manure (+7.9‰) and chemical fertilizer (+0.7‰ for urea and −1.9‰ for ammonium phosphate) applications, and control (no fertilizer application) were examined through a 4-year crop rotation under field conditions. Canola (Brassica napus), hull-less barley (Hordeum vulgare), wheat (Triticum aestivum), and canola were grown sequentially from 2000 (year 1) to 2003 (year 4). From year 2, hog manure or chemical fertilizers, but not cattle manure, treatments increased grain N concentrations over the control. Grain δ¹⁵N (+0.3 to +2.5‰) of crops applied with chemical fertilizers was lower than those in the other treatments, reflecting the effects of the N source with a lower δ¹⁵N, while the manure treatments tended to increase grain δ¹⁵N. The higher grain δ¹⁵N of crops applied with hog manure (+5.6 to +8.4‰) than those applied with cattle manure (+2.2 to +4.1‰) reflected the higher N availability of liquid hog manure (up to 70% as NH ₄ ⁺ ) than solid cattle manure (99% organic N) and higher potentials for ammonia volatilization loss in hog manure rather than differences in manure δ¹⁵N signatures. Soil total- and extractable-N concentrations and δ¹⁵N tended to vary with the application of N sources with different N isotope composition and availability. Our study expanded the application of the δ¹⁵N technique for detecting N source (organic vs chemical) effects on N isotopic composition to field conditions and across a 4-year rotation, and revealed that N availability played a greater role than the δ¹⁵N signature of N sources in determining crop δ¹⁵N under the studied conditions. Section Editor: H. Lambers