Short term physiological implications of NBPT application on the N metabolism of Pisum sativum and Spinacea oleracea

The application of urease inhibitors in conjunction with urea fertilizers as a means of reducing N loss due to ammonia volatilization requires an in-depth study of the physiological effects of these inhibitors on plants. The aim of this study was to determine how the urease inhibitor N-(n-butyl) thiophosphoric triamide (NBPT) affects N metabolism in pea and spinach. Plants were cultivated in pure hydroponic culture with urea as the sole N source. After 2 weeks of growth for pea, and 3 weeks for spinach, half of the plants received NBPT in their nutrient solution. Urease activity, urea and ammonium content, free amino acid composition and soluble protein were determined in leaves and roots at days 0, 1, 2, 4, 7 and 9, and the NBPT content in these tissues was determined 48 h after inhibitor application. The results suggest that the effects of NBPT on spinach and pea urease activity differ, with pea being most affected by this treatment, and that the NBPT absorbed by the plant caused a clear inhibition of the urease activity in pea leaf and roots. The high urea concentration observed in leaves was associated with the development of necrotic leaf margins, and was further evidence of NBPT inhibition in these plants. A decrease in the ammonium content in roots, where N assimilation mainly takes place, was also observed. Consequently, total amino acid contents were drastically reduced upon NBPT treatment, indicating a strong alteration of the N metabolism. Furthermore, the amino acid profile showed that amidic amino acids were major components of the reduced pool of amino acids. In contrast, NBPT was absorbed to a much lesser degree by spinach plants than pea plants (35% less) and did not produce a clear inhibition of urease activity in this species.     

新型磷酰胺类脲酶抑制剂对不同质地土壤尿素转化的影响

施用脲酶抑制剂是降低尿素水解、减少氨气挥发损失、提高作物氮(N)肥利用率的重要途径之一.采用室内恒温、恒湿模拟试验方法,在25 ℃黑暗条件下培养,研究新型磷酰胺类脲酶抑制剂N-丙基磷酰三胺(NPPT)的脲酶抑制效果,比较其与N-丁基磷酰三胺(NBPT)在不同尿素用量条件下不同质地土壤中对脲酶的抑制差异.结果表明: 在壤土和黏土中,尿素作用时间≤9 d,添加抑制剂可以将尿素水解时间延长3 d以上.砂土中,尿素分解过程相对缓慢,添加抑制剂显著降低土壤脲酶活性,抑制NH₄⁺-N生成.在培养期间,不同尿素用量条件下,脲酶抑制剂在不同质地土壤中的抑制效果表现为高施N量优于低施N量.培养第6天,在尿素用量250 mg N·kg^-1条件下,NBPT和NPPT在砂土中脲酶抑制率分别为56.3%和53.0%,在壤土中分别为0.04%和0.3%,在黏土中分别为4.1%和6.2%;尿素用量500 mg N·kg^-1,NBPT和NPPT在砂土中脲酶抑制率分别为59.4%和65.8%,在壤土中分别为14.5%和15.1%,在黏土中分别为49.1%和48.1%.不同质地土壤中脲酶抑制效果表现为砂土>黏土>壤土.不同抑制剂处理在培养期间土壤NH₄⁺-N含量呈现先上升后下降的趋势,而NO₃^--N含量和表观硝化率均呈现逐渐上升的趋势.与单施尿素处理相比,添加脲酶抑制剂NBPT和NPPT显著增加土壤中的残留尿素态N,降低NH₄⁺-N生成.新型脲酶抑制剂NPPT在不同质地土壤中的抑制效果与NBPT相似,是一款有效的脲酶抑制剂.     

NBPT在土壤中的降解及其影响因子

采用实验室培养方法研究了NBPT在土壤中的降解动态。结果表明,在未灭菌的土壤中,NBPT的半衰期为7.2~7.6 d,远远小于在灭菌土壤中22.4 d的半衰期;随着环境温度增高(20℃上升至30℃),NBPT降解速度略有提升(半衰期由7.6 d缩短至6.5 d);NBPT在黑暗条件下降解半衰期为4.5 d,而在光照条件下的半衰期为5.9 d。可见,几种试验因子对土壤中NBPT的降解均有不同程度的影响。其中土壤微生物是影响NBPT降解的主要因素,有利于土壤中微生物生长的环境因素,如偏酸的土壤,对土壤中NBPT的降解有促进作用。而葡萄糖则可能因为增加了土壤颗粒的团聚性及其还原性能,增加了土壤对NBPT的吸附而抑制了NBPT的降解。