The simple open soil method of measuring urea volatilisation losses

Summary A simple technique of estimating ammonia volatilisation loss from urea applied to soil is described. The soil is incubated with urea, after which hydrochloric acid is added to prevent loss of N from the hydrolysed urea during drying of the soil. The volatilisation loss is estimated by difference between the N recovered from the soil and the urea applied. Recovery studies of urea hydrolysis on 3 Malaysian soils show that the hydrolysis products, consisting of ammonium N and any unreacted urea, can be quantitatively recovered from the soil by this technique, with average recoveries of 95%–97%. A cross-check by 9 laboratories indicated good accuracy and precision in the method. When the open soil method was compared with the direct measurement of ammonia loss in simple volatilisation chambers, it gave much higher results suggesting that the closed system of trapping tended to underestimate volatilisation losses during urea hydrolysis.     

Ammonia volatilization losses from prilled urea,urea supergranules (USG) and coated USG in rice fields

Summary About 8.4 per cent of applied nitrogen was lost as ammonia during a week after application when prilled urea was broadcast or banded and incorporated in soil 20 days after sowing of rice. Ammonia volatilization was reduced to 3.3 per cent when urea supergranules (USG) were used. Coating of USG with DCD or neem cake showed no advantage. Ammonia volatilization was only 0.7 to 1.6 per cent when fertilizer was applied at panicle initiation stage of rice; highest values were again obtained with prilled urea. The experiments were carried out in closed cages.     

脲酶/硝化抑制剂在黑土和褐土中对尿素氮转化的调控效果

本试验研究脲酶/硝化抑制剂不同组合在黑土和褐土中对尿素水解和硝化作用的调控效果,旨在筛选出适合东北黑土、褐土的高效抑制剂组合。采用室内恒温、恒湿培养试验,以不施氮肥(CK)和施用普通尿素肥料(U)为对照,研究分别添加脲酶抑制剂N-丁基硫代磷酰三胺(NBPT)及其与硝化抑制剂双氰胺(DCD)、3,4-二甲基吡唑磷酸盐(DMPP)、2-氯-6(三氯甲基)-吡啶(CP)、2-氨基-4-氯-6-甲基嘧啶(AM)、3-甲基吡唑(MP)组合制成的6种高效稳定性尿素在黑土和褐土中的尿素水解和氨氧化特征。在培养125 d内分别取土壤样品15次,通过测定2种土壤中尿素态氮、铵态氮和硝态氮含量,及氨氧化作用强度,计算硝化抑制率,确定最适合2种土壤的抑制剂或组合。结果表明: 尿素在黑土和褐土中水解时间约7 d,添加NBPT以及其与不同硝化抑制剂组合均能将尿素水解时间延长21 d以上。与U处理相比,添加抑制剂可显著增加土壤NH₄⁺-N含量,降低NO₃^--N生成量,维持土壤中高NH₄⁺-N含量的时间更久。黑土中,添加硝化抑制剂的处理均能显著抑制土壤硝化作用,有效硝化抑制时间超过125 d;DMPP、CP与NBPT配施使黑土NH₄⁺-N含量提高1.6～1.8倍,培养125 d时其硝化抑制率分别为47.9%和24.1%。褐土中,U处理培养80 d左右基本完成硝化过程,而添加硝化抑制剂使硝化过程延长至少30 d;DCD、DMPP与NBPT配施使土壤NH₄⁺-N含量提高2.1～3.4倍,培养125 d时其硝化抑制率分别为25.3%和23.2%。因此,尿素与NBPT+DMPP和NBPT+DCD制成的高效稳定性尿素分别在黑土和褐土中施用效果最好,其次分别是NBPT+CP和NBPT+DMPP。     

Control of urea hydrolysis and nitrification in soil by chemicals—Prospects and problems

Summary A review is made of the recent work to assess the prospects of regulating urea hydrolysis and nitrification processes in soils by employing chemicals that can retard urea hydrolysis and nitrification. The possible benefits from control of nitrogen transformations in terms of conserving and enhancing fertilizer nitrogen efficiency for crop production and the problems associated with their use with regard to N metabolism of plants have also been discussed with examples. Prospects of using cheap and effective indigenous materials and chemicals for control of urea hydrolysis and nitrification under specific soil situations appear eminent in improving the fertilizer nitrogen efficiency. Urease inhibitors may be helpful in reducing problems associated with ammonia volatilization if this is not offset by leaching of urea. On the other hand retardation of nitrification appears useful in reducing losses that accompany nitrification due to leaching and denitrification, and with the plants that metabolize equally well with relatively higher amounts of NH₄–N may be more effective in improving the utilization of fertilizer N under these situations.     

持续施用缓/控释尿素条件下水田土壤NH3挥发与N2O排放特征

以持续9年施用不同缓／控释尿素的水田棕壤为试验对象,以普通大颗粒尿素为对照,研究了持续施用不同缓／控释尿素条件下水田土壤NH₃挥发与N₂O排放特征.结果表明: 与普通大颗粒尿素(U)相比,除1% 3,4－二甲基吡唑磷酸盐(DMPP)+U处理 NH₃挥发增加了25.8%外,其他缓／控释尿素肥料处理对NH₃有明显的减排效果.树脂包膜尿素(PCU)对NH₃减排效果最明显,为73.4%,硫包膜尿素(SCU)为72.2%,0.5% N-丁基硫代磷酰三胺(NBPT)+1% DMPP+U为71.9%,1% 氢醌(HQ)+3% 双氰胺(DCD)+U为46.9%,0.5% NBPT+U为43.2%,1% HQ+U为40.2%,3% DCD+U为25.5%, 1% DMPP均与施用普通大颗粒尿素差异显著;所有缓／控释尿素处理与对照相比均可显著减少N₂O排放.1% DMPP+U对N₂O减排效果最明显,为74.9%,PCU为62.1%,1% HQ+3% DCD+U为54.7%,0.5% NBPT+1% DMPP+U为42.2%,3% DCD+U为35.9%,1% HQ+U为28.9%,0.5% NBPT+U为17.7%,SCU为14.5%,均与施用普通大颗粒尿素差异显著.比较0.5% NBPT+1% DMPP+U、SCU、PCU对NH₃和N₂O减排的综合效果,3种肥料作用相近,且均明显优于其他处理,但包膜材料的成本较抑制剂高数倍.因此,同时添加脲酶和硝化抑制剂的缓释尿素是减少水田氮素损失及环境污染的首选氮肥.     

Nitrogen losses due to denitrification from cattle slurry injected into grassland soil with and without a nitrification inhibitor

Injection of cattle slurry into a grassland soil decreases NH₃ volatilisation and increases N utilisation by the sward, but may also increase denitrification losses. Denitrification rates were measured using a soil core incubation technique involving acetylene inhibition, following injection of cattle slurry (67 t ha^–1) into a grassland soil. The slurry was injected, either with or without a nitrification inhibitor (DCD), on 8 December 1989. Two-weekly measurements were carried out up to 18 weeks after injection. Compared to the control plot, denitrification rates were significantly higher after slurry injection. Addition of DCD to the slurry almost eliminated this effect. Estimated N-losses during 18 weeks after injection were 0.9 (control), 4.1 (+DCD), and 13.7 (-DCD) kg N ha^–1. Denitrification losses were 7% of the injected NH₄-N and decreased to 2% of the injected NH₄-N when DCD was added. Denitrification could account for about 19% of the difference in apparent recovery of N from slurry injected with and without DCD. The results suggested that considerable amounts of NO₃ ^– were lost due to leaching.     

Effect of phenylphosphorodiamidate on urea hydrolysis,ammonia volatilization and rice growth in an alkali soil

Summary In order to improve nitrogen recovery by rice, the effect of a urease inhibitor phenylphosphorodiamidate (PPD) on the efficiency of fertilizer urea was studied in laboratory and greenhouse. Addition of PPD to urea (5% w/w) delayed urea hydrolysis by 3 to 4 days and reduced ammonia volatilization from 45% (without PPD) to 8.5% (with PPD). Ammonia volatilization obeyed first order kinetics. Urea hydrolysis was sufficiently strongly inhibited to match the nitrification potential of the soil. N application to rice by three different modes showed that a delayed mode (4 splits) was superior to two conventional modes (3 splits) in nitrogen recovery and fertilizer efficiency since it met nitrogen requirement of plants at reproductive stage. In 2 out of 3 modes of application, there was a 14% increase (relative) in grain yields and dry matter, and 6.8% increase in N uptake efficiency on application of PPD along with urea. The results indicate that urease inhibitors like PPD can be effectively used to block urea hydrolysis, reduce ammonia volatilization losses and improve N use efficiency by rice.     

Effects of slow-release urea fertilizers on urease activity,microbial biomass, and nematode communities in an aquic brown soil

A field experiment was carried out at the Shenyang Experimental Station of Ecology (CAS) in order to study the effects of slow-release urea fertilizers high polymer-coated urea (SRU1), SRU1 mixed with dicyandiamide DCD (SRU2), and SRU1 mixed with calcium carbide CaC2 (SRU3) on urease activity, microbial biomass C and N, and nematode communities in an aquic brown soil during the maize growth period. The results demonstrated that the application of slow-release urea fertilizers inhibits soil urease activity and increases the soil NH4+-N content. Soil available N increment could promote its immobilization by microorganisms. Determination of soil microbial biomass N indicated that a combined application of coated urea and nitrification inhibitors increased the soil active N pool. The population of predators/omnivores indicated that treatment with SRU2 could provide enough soil NH4+-N to promote maize growth and increased the food resource for the soil fauna compared with the other treatments.     

Effects of slow-release urea fertilizers on urease activity,microbial biomass, and nematode communities in an aquic brown soil

A field experiment was carried out at the Shenyang Experimental Station of Ecology (CAS) in order to study the effects of slow-release urea fertilizers high polymer-coated urea (SRU1), SRU1 mixed with dicyandiamide DCD (SRU2), and SRU1 mixed with calcium carbide CaC2 (SRU3) on urease activity, microbial biomass C and N, and nematode communities in an aquic brown soil during the maize growth period. The results demonstrated that the application of slow-release urea fertilizers inhibits soil urease activity and increases the soil NH4+-N content.Soil available N increment could promote its immobilization by microorganisms. Determination of soil microbial biomass N indicated that a combined application of coated urea and nitrification inhibitors increased the soil active N pool. The population of predators/omnivores indicated that treatment with SRU2 could provide enough soil NH4+-N to promote maize growth and increased the food resource for the soil fauna compared with the other treatments.     

Effects of slow-release urea fertilizers on urease activity,microbial biomass,and nematode communities in an aquic brown soil

A field experiment was carried out at the Shenyang Experimental Station of Ecology (CAS) in order to study the effects of slow-release urea fertilizers high polymer-coated urea (SRU1), SRU1 mixed with dicyandiamide DCD (SRU2), and SRU1 mixed with calcium carbide CaC₂ (SRU3) on urease activity, microbial biomass C and N, and nematode communities in an aquic brown soil during the maize growth period. The results demonstrated that the application of slow-release urea fertilizers inhibits soil urease activity and increases the soil NH₄ ⁺-N content. Soil available N increment could promote its immobilization by microorganisms. Determination of soil microbial biomass N indicated that a combined application of coated urea and nitrification inhibitors increased the soil active N pool. The population of predators/omnivores indicated that treatment with SRU2 could provide enough soil NH₄ ⁺-N to promote maize growth and increased the food resource for the soil fauna compared with the other treatments.     

硝化抑制剂DCD、 DMPP对褐土氮总矿化速率和硝化速率的影响

采用15N库稀释-原位培养法研究了硝化抑制剂DCD、DMPP对华北盐碱性褐土氮总矿化速率和硝化速率的影响.试验在山西省运城市种植玉米的盐碱性土壤上进行,设单施尿素、尿素+DCD、尿素+DMPP 3个处理.结果表明:施肥后2周,DCD、DMPP分别使氮总矿化速率和氮总硝化速率减少了25.5％、7.3％和60.3％、59.1％,DCD对氮总矿化速率的影响显著高于DMPP,两者对氮总硝化速率的影响无显著差异;而在施肥后7周,不同硝化抑制剂对氮总硝化速率的影响存在差异.施肥后2周,3个处理的土壤氮总矿化速率和硝化速率分别是施肥前的7.2 ～10.0倍和5.5 ～21.5倍;NH4+和NO3-消耗速率分别是施肥前的9.1 ～12.2倍和5.1 ～8.4倍,这是由氮肥对土壤的激发效应所致.硝化抑制剂使氮肥更多地以NH4+形式保持在土壤中,减少了NO3-的积累.土壤氮总矿化速率和总硝化速率受硝化抑制剂的抑制是N2O减排的主要原因.     

Mineralisation of urea and urea derivatives in anaerobic soils

Summary The rates of mineralisation of urea and urea derivatives were studied in a laboratory anaerobic incubation experiment. Urea, urea phosphate and sulphur coated urea were hydrolysed rapidly and, even at the highest level of application, had disappeared in just over 8 days. The presence of the phosphate anion depressed pH in the early stages. Hydrolysis of the less soluble organic derivatives of urea, isobutylidine diurea, ureaform and glycoluril was very much slower and in the case of glycoluril a lag period of 8 to 16 days occurred before hydrolysis began.In the initial stages the system was anaerobic but between days 8 and 16 a change to partial aerobic conditions occurred. At this stage nitrification commenced and at day 16 nitrite was detected. Reduction of Fe(III) increased with time, reaching a maximum at day 32. More Fe(II) was produced in the presence of organic derivatives of urea than with the other fertilizers, possibly due to stabilisation by organic ligands. From day 16 nitrification, denitrification and reduction of Fe(III) proceeded together even through E_h values indicated that oxidation of Fe(II) would be expected. This did not occur until after day 32. Once nitrification began denitrification quickly followed so that for all six fertilisers, except at the highest level of application, virtually all the mineralised-N had been lost by denitrification at the end of the experiment.     

Nitrification of archaeal ammonia oxidizers in acid soils is supported by hydrolysis of urea

The hydrolysis of urea as a source of ammonia has been proposed as a mechanism for the nitrification of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) in acidic soil. The growth of Nitrososphaera viennensis on urea suggests that the ureolysis of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) might occur in natural environments. In this study, ¹⁵N isotope tracing indicates that ammonia oxidation occurred upon the addition of urea at a concentration similar to the in situ ammonium content of tea orchard soil (pH 3.75) and forest soil (pH 5.4) and was inhibited by acetylene. Nitrification activity was significantly stimulated by urea fertilization and coupled well with abundance changes in archaeal amoA genes in acidic soils. Pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA genes at whole microbial community level demonstrates the active growth of AOA in urea-amended soils. Molecular fingerprinting further shows that changes in denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis fingerprint patterns of archaeal amoA genes are paralleled by nitrification activity changes. However, bacterial amoA and 16S rRNA genes of AOB were not detected. The results strongly suggest that archaeal ammonia oxidation is supported by hydrolysis of urea and that AOA, from the marine Group 1.1a-associated lineage, dominate nitrification in two acidic soils tested.     

硝化抑制剂DCD、DMPP对褐土氮总矿化速率和硝化速率的影响

采用¹⁵N库稀释-原位培养法研究了硝化抑制剂DCD、DMPP对华北盐碱性褐土氮总矿化速率和硝化速率的影响.试验在山西省运城市种植玉米的盐碱性土壤上进行,设单施尿素、尿素+DCD、尿素+DMPP 3个处理.结果表明：施肥后2周,DCD、DMPP分别使氮总矿化速率和氮总硝化速率减少了25.5%、7.3%和60.3%、59.1%,DCD对氮总矿化速率的影响显著高于DMPP,两者对氮总硝化速率的影响无显著差异;而在施肥后7周,不同硝化抑制剂对氮总硝化速率的影响存在差异.施肥后2周,3个处理的土壤氮总矿化速率和硝化速率分别是施肥前的7.2～10.0倍和5.5～21.5倍;NH₄⁺和NO₃^-消耗速率分别是施肥前的9.1～12.2倍和5.1～8.4倍,这是由氮肥对土壤的激发效应所致.硝化抑制剂使氮肥更多地以NH₄⁺形式保持在土壤中,减少了NO₃^-的积累.土壤氮总矿化速率和总硝化速率受硝化抑制剂的抑制是N₂O减排的主要原因.     

Effects of slow-release urea fertilizers on urease activity,microbial biomass,and nematode communities in an aquic brown soil

A field experiment was carried out at the Shenyang Experimental Station of Ecology (CAS) in order to study the effects of slow-release urea fertilizers high polymer-coated urea (SRU1), SRU1 mixed with dicyandiamide DCD (SRU2), and SRU1 mixed with calcium carbide CaC₂ (SRU3) on urease activity, microbial biomass C and N, and nematode communities in an aquic brown soil during the maize growth period. The results demonstrated that the application of slow-release urea fertilizers inhibits soil urease activity and increases the soil NH₄ ⁺-N content. Soil available N increment could promote its immobilization by microorganisms. Determination of soil microbial biomass N indicated that a combined application of coated urea and nitrification inhibitors increased the soil active N pool. The population of predators/omnivores indicated that treatment with SRU2 could provide enough soil NH₄ ⁺-N to promote maize growth and increased the food resource for the soil fauna compared with the other treatments.

     

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.     

Autotrophic ammonia oxidation at low pH through urea hydrolysis.

Ammonia oxidation in laboratory liquid batch cultures of autotrophic ammonia oxidizers rarely occurs at pH values less than 7, due to ionization of ammonia and the requirement for ammonium transport rather than diffusion of ammonia. Nevertheless, there is strong evidence for autotrophic nitrification in acid soils, which may be carried out by ammonia oxidizers capable of using urea as a source of ammonia. To determine the mechanism of urea-linked ammonia oxidation, a ureolytic autotrophic ammonia oxidizer, Nitrosospira sp. strain NPAV, was grown in liquid batch culture at a range of pH values with either ammonium or urea as the sole nitrogen source. Growth and nitrite production from ammonium did not occur at pH values below 7. Growth on urea occurred at pH values in the range 4 to 7.5 but ceased when urea hydrolysis was complete, even though ammonia, released during urea hydrolysis, remained in the medium. The results support a mechanism whereby urea enters the cells by diffusion and intracellular urea hydrolysis and ammonia oxidation occur independently of extracellular pH in the range 4 to 7.5. A proportion of the ammonia produced during this process diffuses from the cell and is not subsequently available for growth if the extracellular pH is less than 7. Ureolysis therefore provides a mechanism for nitrification in acid soils, but a proportion of the ammonium produced is likely to be released from the cell and may be used by other soil organisms.     

The effect of pellet size on the ammonia loss from urea applied to forest soil

Summary Using diluted phosphoric acid- and glycerol-treated polyurethane plastic foam discs as static ammonia absorbers, the extent of ammonia loss from applied urea was determined on forest soil under field conditions. The investigation, which primarily involved a comparison of urea materials of two different pellet sizes (2–4 mg and 2060 mg urea per pellet, respectively), extended over a period of 28 days. The urea was applied to the soil surface at a rate of 200 kg N per hectare.It was found that the gaseous ammonia loss from the large-pellet urea (tablets) was markedly lower than that from the small-pellet urea during the first two weeks of exposure. On extending the observation period to four weeks, this difference in cumulative ammonia loss decreased successively. After 28 days' exposure, at a daily mean temperature of 13°C, the volatile loss amounted to 20 and 22 per cent, respectively. An addition of 5% (w/w) of a solution of concentrated orthophosphoric acid, or a fine-crystalline ortho-boric acid to the large-pellet urea, resulted in a reduction of the loss to half the value. The possibilities of controlling the ammonia loss from urea by combining the large pellet size with the addition of urease inhibitors are discussed. re]19721012     

The fate of labelled15N urea and ammonium nitrate applied to a winter wheat crop

Labelled urea or ammonium nitrate was applied to winter wheat growing on a loamy soil in Northern France. Two applications of fertilizer were given: 50 kg N ha^–1 at tillering (early March) and 110 kg N ha^–1 at the beginning of stem elongation (mid-April). The kinetics of urea hydrolysis, nitrification of ammonium and the disappearance of inorganic nitrogen were followed at frequent intervals. Inorganic nitrogen soon disappeared, mainly immobilized by soil microflora and absorbed by the crop. Net immobilization of fertilizer N occured at a very similar rate for urea and ammonium nitrate. Maximum immobilization (16 kg N ha¹) was found at harvest for the first dressing and at anthesis for the second dressing (23 kg N ha¹). During the nitrification period, the labelled ammonium pool was immobilized two to three times faster than the labelled nitrate pool. No significant net¹⁵N remineralization was found during the growth cycle.The actual denitrification and volatilization losses were probably more important than indicated from calculations made by extrapolation of fluxes measured over short intervals. However microbial immobilization was the most important of the processes which compete with plant uptake for nitrogen.     

Inhibiting nitrification and increasing yield of barley by band placement of thiourea with fall-applied urea

Incubation and field experiments were conducted on the influence of thiourea in inhibiting nitrification of urea N, and subsequently on reducing over-winter losses of fallapplied N. Under incubation, most of the added urea placed in bands was nitritified within five or six weeks. However, thiourea when pelleted with urea (21 urea to thiourea by weight) reduced the amount of nitrification to less than one-half during the same period.In two uncropped field experiments in an early dry fall, the application of pelleted urea+thiourea (21) in bands resulted in almost complete inhibition of nitrification of urea for four weeks. In two other uncropped field experiments begun in June with the same fertilizer in bands, half or less of applied N appeared as nitrate after eight weeks. In 10 cropped field experiments with 56 kg N ha^–1, urea+thiourea placed in bands depressed nitrification of fall-applied urea over the winter. By early May, the urea mixed into the soil in the previous fall was nearly all nitrified, while only one-half of the banded urea+thiourea was nitrified. The loss of mineral N by early May was 38% with urea mixed into the soil, but only 18% with bands of urea+thiourea.The 10 sites were cropped to spring barley. The increase in yield of grain or the increase in %N uptake from fertilier N was approximately only one-half as much with fall-applied urea mixed into the soil as compared to spring-applied urea added in the same way. Specifically, fall-applied mixed urea produced 930 kg ha^–1 less grain yield and 32% less N uptake from fertilizer N than did mixed urea in spring. On fall-application there was some benefit from banding of urea or with mixing urea+thiourea pellets into the soil, but the banding of urea+thiourea pellets gave more benefit. Among the fall applications, banded urea+thiourea pellets produced 670 kg ha^–1 more grain yield and 26% more N uptake in grain from fertilizer N than did urea mixed into the soil.