聚天冬氨酸尿素及生化抑制剂对长江流域典型土壤N2O排放的影响

以四川紫色土、湖北黄棕壤性水稻土和浙江青泥田水稻土为对象,通过向不同土壤中添加硝化抑制剂3,4-二甲基吡唑磷酸(DMPP)和脲酶抑制剂N-丁基硫代磷酰三胺(NBPT),探讨了不同抑制剂单独或联合施用对普通尿素和聚天冬氨酸尿素(PASP尿素)在各地区土壤中N_2O排放的影响。结果表明,在培养条件下,长江流域不同地区土壤N_2O排放总量呈现出湖北黄棕壤性水稻土四川紫色土浙江青泥田水稻土的趋势,且不添加抑制剂时,PASP尿素相比普通尿素能显著降低湖北黄棕壤性水稻土和浙江青泥田水稻土的N_2O排放。与未添加抑制剂处理相比,含DMPP的处理(DMPP和DMPP+NBPT处理)均能降低普通尿素和PASP尿素在各地区土壤中N_2O的排放,四川紫色土N_2O累积释放量减少了70%～86%,湖北黄棕壤性水稻土减少了7%～53%,浙江青泥田水稻土减少了96%以上;NBPT的添加(NBPT和DMPP+NBPT处理)能降低碱性土壤N_2O累积排放量,其中四川紫色土N_2O排放总量与未添加抑制剂处理相比减少了14%～22%,浙江青泥田水稻土减少了26%～60%。因此,DMPP可有效降低供试土壤N_2O排放;但NBPT仅在四川和浙江供试土壤中表现出减少N_2O排放的效果。综上,推荐四川紫色土和浙江水稻土施用氮肥时辅施DMPP,湖北水稻土施用氮肥时辅施DMPP或DMPP和NBPT联用可减少N_2O排放,减少土壤氮损失及其潜在危害,为进一步探讨各地区氮转化调控提供参考。     

秸秆还田对灌溉玉米田土壤反硝化及N2O排放的影响

运用乙炔抑制技术研究了不同施氮水平下秸秆还田对灌溉玉米田土壤反硝化反应和氧化亚氮(N2O)排放的影响。结果表明,土壤反硝化速率及N2O的排放受氮肥施用、秸秆处理方式及其交互作用的显著影响。与秸秆燃烧相比,不施氮或低施氮水平时,秸秆还田可刺激培养初期反硝化反应速率及N2O排放,增加培养期间N2O平均排放通量;高施氮水平时,秸秆还田可降低反硝化反应速率及反硝化过程中的N2O排放。秸秆还田可降低反硝化中N2O/N2的比例。     

不同硝化抑制剂对稻季N2O排放、NH3挥发和水稻产量的影响

为了筛选出在水稻生产中应用效果更佳的硝化抑制剂，探讨三种不同硝化抑制剂对水稻季N2O排放、NH3挥发、水稻产量和氮肥利用率的影响。本研究在太湖地区开展水稻季田间小区试验，在尿素中分别添加化学合成硝化抑制剂2-氯-6-三氯甲基吡啶（CP）和3,4-二甲基吡唑磷酸盐（DMPP）以及生物硝化抑制剂对羟基苯丙酸甲酯（MHPP）。结果表明，与单施尿素处理相比，尿素添加三种硝化抑制剂能显著减少N2O排放总量，抑制效果表现为DMPP（31.71%）>MHPP（30.40%）>CP（27.83%），不同硝化抑制剂间减排效果无显著差异；添加硝化抑制剂均显著增加了NH3挥发总量，促进作用表现为CP（58.7%）>DMPP（40.3%）>MHPP（25.3%），不同硝化抑制剂间差异显著；添加硝化抑制剂的增产幅度为MHPP（4.9%）>CP（3.3%）>DMPP（1.1%），不同硝化抑制剂间无显著差异，氮肥表观利用率显著增加，表现为MHPP（15.7%）>CP（13.8%）>DMPP（10.9%），但不同硝化抑制剂间无显著差异；综合考虑活性气态氮损失量和水稻产量，三种硝化抑制剂相比单施尿素均显著增加了单位产量活性气态氮排放强度，增加幅度表现为CP（50.3%）>DMPP（35.0%）>MHPP（17.8%），CP显著高于DMPP和MHPP。综合比较，生物硝化抑制剂MHPP在水稻生产中增效减排的作用优于化学合成硝化抑制剂CP和DMPP，但在生产应用中要与其他NH3挥发减排措施相结合，更好的发挥其增效减排潜力，推动农业绿色可持续发展。     

不同硝化抑制剂对黑土N2O的减排效果

【目的】施用硝化抑制剂是削减农田N₂O排放的有效措施，本文研究不同种类硝化抑制剂对土壤N₂O排放的影响，为选择高效硝化抑制剂以实现黑土N₂O减排提供科学依据。【方法】在黑龙江省东部典型旱作黑土区进行田间试验。设置6个处理：不施氮肥(N0)，常规施氮(N200)，减氮20%(N160)，减氮20%分别配施硝化抑制剂双氰胺(N160+DCD)、3,4-二甲基吡唑磷酸盐(N160+DMPP)和2-氯-6 (三氯甲基)-吡啶(N160+CP)。测定全年土壤N₂O排放通量，同步测定土壤温度和含水量以及玉米生长季土壤铵态氮(NH₄⁺-N)、硝态氮(NO₃^--N)和可溶性有机碳(DOC)含量。【结果】施氮显著提高了土壤NH₄⁺-N含量，且各施氮处理间差异不显著。施用硝化抑制剂处理降低了土壤NO₃^--N含量，DCD和DMPP处理的NO3--N...     

硝化抑制剂和秸秆对潮棕壤碳氮转化和微生物群落特征的短期影响

氮是植物和微生物生长繁殖的必需营养元素,而氮矿化表征了土壤供氮能力。通过盆栽实验,采用同位素稀释法和磷脂脂肪酸(PLFA)法,研究了添加硝化抑制剂和秸秆条件下,潮棕壤碳氮矿化和微生物群落组成变化特征。结果表明,与施氮量N 0.1 g·kg~(-1)的单施氮肥处理(NF)相比,氮肥配施1%硝化抑制剂(NFI)的土壤铵态氮提高32%,而硝态氮降低53%。氮肥与施用量为5 g·kg~(-1)的秸秆配施(NS),土壤氮素总矿化速率增加36%,微生物生物量碳提高51%,β-葡萄糖苷酶活性提高36%,同时显著增加了土壤总PLFA以及细菌、真菌、真菌/细菌和革兰式阴性菌(P0.05),土壤呼吸熵降低50%。与氮肥配施秸秆处理(NS)相比,氮肥、秸秆和硝化抑制剂配施处理(NSI),土壤铵态氮提高33%,硝态氮下降47%。综上所述,氮肥和秸秆配施可以提高土壤微生物生物量,改变土壤微生物群落组成,配施1%(N)硝化抑制剂后降低土壤硝化速率,增加土壤供氮能力。     

两种水分含量下生物质炭对黑土N2O排放及硝化反硝化基因丰度的影响

生物质炭对土壤结构改良、土壤肥力提升和农田温室气体排放具有重要意义。本研究以吉林省梨树县典型黑土为研究对象，通过培育实验，研究不同土壤水分含量（40%WHC和100%WHC）下，生物质炭种类（玉米秸秆生物质炭和稻壳生物质炭）和施加量（0%、1%和4%（w/w））对黑土N2O排放及硝化反硝化功能基因丰度的影响。结果表明，随着秸秆生物质炭施加量的增加，土壤N2O排放呈下降趋势，4%高量秸秆生物质炭添加下，土壤N2O排放量仅为1%低量秸秆生物质炭添加下的33.9%。同时土壤NO- 3-N也表现出一致性规律，4%高量生物质炭添加下土壤NO- 3-N含量显著低于1%低量生物质炭。在100%WHC土壤水分状况下，玉米秸秆生物质炭显著增加了土壤N2O排放，而稻壳生物质炭则显著降低了土壤N2O排放。高土壤水分显著促进了土壤N2O排放，进一步为实时荧光定量PCR结果所证实，高土壤水分通过增加nirS基因丰度进而促进了土壤反硝化作用过程，而4%高量稻壳生物质炭添加下nosZ基因丰度显著高于玉米秸秆生物质炭添加，表现出更强的N2O还原潜力。尽管amoA-AOA基因丰度在不同生物质炭添加量下并未发生显著变化，但amoA-AOB基因丰度在高量玉米秸秆生物质炭添加下显著下降。结果说明，土壤水分和生物质炭通过影响土壤硝化反硝化微生物的营养底物和代谢过程，进而影响土壤N2O排放特征。     

硝化抑制剂与尿素配施对旱地土壤温室气体排放及硝化微生物的影响

为明确施肥措施对旱地土壤温室气体排放的综合效应及微生物机理,采集典型麦田土壤进行室内微宇宙培养,研究了双氰胺(DCD)和烯丙基硫脲(ATU)分别与尿素配施对旱地土壤氮素转化及N_2O、CO_2和CH_4排放的影响,同时监测了不同类型微生物群落的动态变化。结果表明氨氧化细菌(AOB)主导了施氮麦田土壤硝化过程及N_2O排放。单施尿素促进AOB迅速繁殖,使N_2O排放总量提高235%,同时促进了细菌生长,CO_2排放量增加18.5%。DCD与尿素配施极大程度抑制了AOB的生长,显著降低了N_2O排放(59.4%),但促进了细菌的生长并提高了CO_2的排放总量(50.6%)。而ATU与尿素配施同时抑制了真菌、细菌和AOB的生长,对反硝化细菌的影响则相反,使CO_2和N2O排放分别下降28.4%和35.2%。与不施肥相比,氮肥及与两种硝化抑制剂配施均显著降低了CH4的排放量。3种温室气体的综合温室效应在处理间差异显著:Urea+DCDUreaCKUrea+ATU。CO_2排放对综合温室效应的贡献最大,CO_2和N_2O的贡献之和大于98.4%。该研究为深刻理解农田土壤中的微生物行为及生态学效应,合理使用硝化抑制剂以及减缓温室气体排放提供科学依据。     

中国农田秸秆还田土壤N_2O排放及其影响因素的Meta分析

农田N2O排放是全球人为温室气体主要的来源之一,了解农作措施对其排放的影响对中国农田减排具有重要的意义。该研究采用Meta分析方法,定量分析了秸秆还田对中国农田土壤N2O排放的影响,并对其影响因素进行解析。研究结果表明,在中国不同区域秸秆还田对土壤N2O排放有一定的差异,其中华东地区显著减排18.61%(P0.05),而华中和华北地区则分别显著增加排放62.3%和27.73%(P0.05)。同时,施氮量介于0~240 kg/hm2(以N计,下同)时,随着施氮量的增加,秸秆还田对土壤N2O影响的效应值逐渐由负值增加为正值;当施氮量介于241~300 kg/hm2时,秸秆还田有显著降低土壤N2O排放的趋势。当土壤p H值介于6.5~7.5时,秸秆还田对N2O排放影响的效应值为正值;当黏粒质量分数为15%~25%时,秸秆还田对N2O排放影响的效应值为正值,当黏粒质量分数15%时,秸秆还田显著降低土壤N2O排放。秸秆的碳氮比与秸秆还田量对N2O的排放也有不同程度的影响,另外,秸秆还田下不同的种植制度间N2O的排放也有差异。因此,秸秆还田下实施农田N2O减排措施应综合考虑区域农业资源特点、种植制度、土壤类型和水肥管理因素。研究可为科学管理秸秆与减少农田N2O排放提出理论支撑。     

生物质炭与氮肥配施降低水稻重金属含量的盆栽试验

针对重金属污染严重的土壤,探索施用氮肥和生物质炭减少水稻重金属吸收的可行性。该研究采用盆栽试验,选用生物质炭、硫硝铵氮肥(简称普通氮肥)和含硝化抑制剂3,4-二甲基吡唑磷酸盐的硫硝铵氮肥(简称3,4-dimethylpyrazolephosphate,DMPP氮肥),设置了5种处理包括对照即未添加氮肥和生物质炭、普通氮肥添加、DMPP氮肥添加、生物质炭+普通氮肥添加和生物质炭+DMPP氮肥添加,研究了不同处理对水稻华航丝苗(Oryza sativa L.)生长和重金属Cu、Zn和Cd吸收特性的影响。结果表明,不配施生物质炭时,DMPP氮肥对水稻籽粒产量无显著(P0.05)影响;生物质炭与普通氮肥或DMPP氮肥配施均能增加水稻籽粒产量:与单施普通氮肥相比,生物质炭与普通氮肥配施水稻籽粒产量显著(P0.05)增加20.3%;与单施DMPP氮肥相比,生物质炭与DMPP氮肥配施水稻籽粒产量显著(P0.05)增加49.3%。与不施肥对照相比,生物质炭与DMPP氮肥配施能降低籽粒Cu、Zn和Cd含量,其籽粒Cu、Zn和Cd质量分数分别显著降低20.0%、21.4%和11.6%。未配施生物质炭时DMPP促进Cu从秸秆向籽粒的转移,配施生物质炭时DMPP促进Cu和Cd从根向秸秆的转移;生物质炭与不同氮肥配施对水稻籽粒/秸秆和秸秆/根Cu、Zn和Cd转运系数的影响因配施氮肥品种不同而存在差异。综上,生物质炭与DMPP氮肥配施可降低籽粒中重金属Cu、Zn和Cd质量分数,促进水稻生长,增加水稻籽粒产量,适宜在多重金属污染稻田施用。     

菜地氮肥用量与N2O排放的关系及硝化抑制剂效果

通过连续种植四季蔬菜近一年的大田试验,探究高施氮水平和低氮肥利用率的蔬菜生产系统中,N2O排放量与氮肥施用量之间的定量关系及其机理,并研究硝化抑制剂减少菜地N2O排放的效果.结果表明,在氮肥施用水平为N 0～1 733 kg hm-2a-1间,无论氮肥中是否添加硝化抑制剂,N2O总排放量与氮肥施用量均呈指数函数关系,即氮肥施用量高时,N2O排放率也高.在各氮肥水平处理下,硝化抑制剂均能降低N2O排放,抑制率为8.75％ ～ 25.28％,且这种减排效果随着施氮量增加而增加.在氮肥施用量为N 300或400 kg hm-2季-1时,施用硝化抑制剂减少N2O排放所带来的效益略高于其成本,因此,即使不考虑氮肥利用率的提高等因素,施用硝化抑制剂仍是一种有利的选择.     

Effects of 3,4-dimethylpyrazole phosphate (DMPP) on the abundance of ammonia oxidizers and denitrifiers in two different intensive vegetable cultivation soils

Purpose

Nitrification and denitrification in the N cycle are affected by various ammonia oxidizers and denitrifying microbes in intensive vegetable cultivation soils, but our current understanding of the effect these microbes have on N₂O emissions is limited. The nitrification inhibitor, 3,4-dimethylpyrazole phosphate (DMPP), acts by slowing nitrification and is used to improve fertilizer use efficiency and reduce N losses from agricultural systems; however, its effects on nitrifier and denitrifier activities in intensive vegetable cultivation soils are unknown.

Materials and methods

In this study, we measured the impacts of DMPP on N₂O emissions, ammonia oxidizers, and denitrifying microbes in two intensive vegetable cultivation soils: one that had been cultivated for a short term (1 year) and one that had been cultivated over a longer term (29 years). The quantitative PCR technique was used in this study. Three treatments, including control (no fertilizer), urea alone, and urea with DMPP, were included for each soil. The application rates of urea and DMPP were 1800 kg ha^?1 and 0.5% of the urea-N application rate.

Results and discussion

The application of N significantly increased N₂O emissions in both soils. The abundance of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) increased significantly with high rate of N fertilizer application in both soils. Conversely, there was no change in the growth rate of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) in response to the applied urea despite the presence of larger numbers of AOA in these soils. This suggests AOB may play a greater role than AOA in the nitrification process, and N₂O emission in intensive vegetable cultivation soils. The application of DMPP significantly reduced soil NO₃^?-N content and N₂O emission, and delayed ammonia oxidation. It greatly reduced AOB abundance, but not AOA abundance. Moreover, the presence of DMPP was correlated with a significant decrease in the abundance of nitrite reductase (nirS and nirK) genes.

Conclusions

Long-term intensive vegetable cultivation with heavy N fertilization altered AOB and nirS abundance. In vegetable cultivation soils with high N levels, DMPP can be effective in mitigating N₂O emissions by directly inhibiting both ammonia oxidizing and denitrifying microbes.

     

Effects of urease and nitrification inhibitors added to urea on nitrous oxide emissions from a loess soil

Urea fertilizer‐induced N₂O emissions from soils might be reduced by the addition of urease and nitrification inhibitors. Here, we investigated the effect of urea granule (2–3 mm) added with a new urease inhibitor, a nitrification inhibitor, and with a combined urease inhibitor and nitrification inhibitor on N₂O emissions. For comparison, the urea granules supplied with or without inhibitors were also used to prepare corresponding supergranules. The pot experiments without vegetation were conducted with a loess soil at (20 ± 2)°C and 67% water‐filled pore space. Urea was added at a dose of 86 kg N ha^–1 by surface application, by soil mixing of prills (<1 mm) and granules, and by point‐placement of supergranules (10 mm) at 5 cm soil depth. A second experiment was conducted with spring wheat grown for 70 d in a greenhouse. The second experiment included the application of urea prills and granules mixed with soil, the point‐placement of supergranules and the addition of the urease inhibitor, and the combined urease plus nitrification inhibitors at 88 kg N ha^–1. In both experiments, maximum emissions of N₂O appeared within 2 weeks after fertilization. In the pot experiments, N₂O emissions after surface application of urea were less (0.45% to 0.48% of total fertilization) than from the application followed by mixing of the soil (0.54% to 1.14%). The N₂O emissions from the point‐placed‐supergranule treatment amounted to 0.64% of total fertilization. In the pot experiment, the addition of the combined urease plus nitrification inhibitors, nitrification inhibitor, and urease inhibitor reduced N₂O emissions by 79% to 87%, 81% to 83%, and 15% to 46%, respectively, at any size of urea application. Also, the N₂O emissions from the surface application of the urease‐inhibitor treatment exceeded those of the granules mixed with soil and the point‐placed‐supergranule treatments receiving no inhibitors by 32% to 40%. In the wheat growth experiment, the N₂O losses were generally smaller, ranging from 0.16% to 0.27% of the total fertilization, than in the pot experiment, and the application of the urease inhibitor and the combined urease plus nitrification inhibitors decreased N₂O emissions by 23% to 59%. The point‐placed urea supergranule without inhibitors delayed N₂O emissions up to 7 weeks but resulted in slightly higher emissions than application of the urease inhibitor and the urease plus nitrification inhibitors under cropped conditions. Our results imply that the application of urea fertilizer added with the combined urease and nitrification inhibitors can substantially reduce N₂O emissions.     

Impact of urease and nitrification inhibitors on nitrous oxide emissions from fluvo-aquic soil in the North China Plain

Little information is available on the effects of urease inhibitor, N-(n-butyl)thiophosphoric triamide (NBPT), and nitrification inhibitor, dicyandiamide (DCD), on nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions from fluvo-aquic soil in the North China Plain. A field experiment was conducted at the Fengqiu State Key Agro-Ecological Experimental Station, Henan Province, China, to study the influence of urea added with NBPT, DCD, and combination of both NBPT and DCD on N₂O emissions during the maize growing season in 2009. Two peaks of N₂O fluxes occurred during the maize growing season: the small one following irrigation and the big one after nitrogen (N) fertilizer application. There was a significant positive relationship between ln [N₂O flux] and soil moisture during the maize growing season excluding the 11-day datasets after N fertilizer application, indicating that N₂O flux was affected by soil moisture. Mean N₂O flux was the highest in the control with urea alone, while the application of urea together with NBPT, DCD, and NBPT + DCD significantly lowered the mean N₂O flux. Total N₂O emission in the NBPT + DCD, DCD, NBPT, and urea alone treatments during the experimental period was 0.41, 0.47, 0.48, and 0.77 kg N₂O–N ha⁻¹, respectively. Application of urea with NBPT, DCD, and NBPT + DCD reduced N₂O emission by 37.7%, 39.0%, and 46.8%, respectively, over urea alone. Based on our findings, the combination of DCD and NBPT together with urea may reduce N₂O emission and improve the maize yield from fluvo-aquic soil in the North China Plain.     

Effects of biochar and 3,4-dimethylpyrazole phosphate (DMPP) on soil ammonia-oxidizing bacteria and nosZ-N2O reducers in the mitigation of N2O emissions from paddy soils

Purpose

Paddy fields are an important source of nitrous oxide (N₂O) emission. The application of biochar or the nitrification inhibitor 3,4-dimethylpyrazole phosphate (DMPP) to paddy soils have been proposed as technologies to mitigate N₂O emissions, but their mechanisms remain poorly understood.

Methods

An experiment was undertaken to study the combined and individual effects of biochar and DMPP on N₂O emission from a paddy field. Changes in soil microbial community composition were investigated. Four fertilized treatments were established as follows: fertilizer only, biochar, DMPP, and biochar combined with DMPP; along with an unfertilized control.

Results

The application of biochar and/or DMPP decreased N₂O emission by 18.9–39.6% compared with fertilizer only. The combination of biochar and DMPP exhibited higher efficiency at suppressing N₂O emission than biochar alone but not as effective as DMPP alone. Biochar promoted the growth of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB), while DMPP suppressed AOB and increased AOA. Applying biochar with DMPP reduced the impact of DMPP on AOB. The nirS-/nirK- denitrifiers were decreased and nosZ-N₂O reducers were increased by DMPP and the combination of DMPP and biochar. The abundance of the nirK gene was increased by biochar at the elongation and heading stages of rice development. Compared with fertilizer only, the application of biochar and/or DMPP promoted the abundance of nosZ genes.

Conclusion

These results suggest that applying biochar and/or DMPP to rice paddy fields is a promising strategy to reduce N₂O emissions by regulating the dynamics of ammonia oxidizers and N₂O reducers.

     

Nitrification, ammonia-oxidizing communities, and N2O and CH4 fluxes in an imperfectly drained agricultural field fertilized with coated urea with and without dicyandiamide

Agricultural soil is a major source of nitrous oxide (N₂O), and the application of nitrogen and soil drainage are important factors affecting N₂O emissions. This study tested the use of polymer-coated urea (PCU) and polymer-coated urea with the nitrification inhibitor dicyandiamide (PCUD) as potential mitigation options for N₂O emissions in an imperfectly drained, upland converted paddy field. Fluxes of N₂O and methane (CH₄), ammonia oxidation potential, and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) abundances were monitored after the application of PCU, PCUD, and urea to upland soil. The results showed that urea application increased the ammonia oxidation potential and AOB and AOA abundances; however, the increase rate of AOB (4.6 times) was much greater than that of AOA (1.8 times). These results suggested that both AOB and AOA contributed to ammonia oxidation after fertilizer application, but the response of AOB was greater than AOA. Although PCU and PCUD had lower ammonia oxidation potential compared to urea treatment, they were not effective in reducing N₂O emissions. Large episodic N₂O emissions (up to 1.59 kg N ha^?1 day^?1) were observed following heavy rainfall 2 months after basal fertilizer application. The episodic N₂O emissions accounted for 55–80 % of total N₂O emissions over the entire monitoring period. The episodic N₂O emissions following heavy rainfall would be a major source of N₂O in poorly drained agricultural fields. Cumulative CH₄ emissions ranged from ?0.017 to ?0.07 kg CH₄ ha^?1, and fertilizer and nitrification inhibitor application did not affect CH₄ oxidation.     

氢醌、双氰胺组合影响稻田甲烷和氧化亚氮排放研究进展

稻田是大气中CH4和N2O的重要来源。大量氮肥的施入不仅影响稻田CH4和N2O排放,且易造成NH3挥发、NO2-和NO3-淋溶及N2O、N2等形式的氮损失。脲酶抑制剂和硝化抑制剂通过缓解尿素水解及抑制硝化反硝化反应减少稻田N2O排放量,但对稻田CH4产生排放的影响报道不一。脲酶抑制剂氢醌(HQ)和硝化抑制剂双氰胺(DCD)是近年来研究较多的组合。本文试图在前人研究的基础上,综述HQ和DCD的基本性质及作用机理,总结HQ/DCD组合在稻田生态系统的应用状况、使用效果及存在问题,并特别讨论了HQ/DCD施用对稻田CH4排放的影响机理,旨在为合理使用脲酶/硝化抑制剂、有效减缓稻田温室气体排放和提高氮肥利用率等方面提供理论依据。     

Greenhouse gas emissions after application of digestate: short-term effects of nitrification inhibitor and application technique effects

Nitrogen-use efficiency in arable agriculture after organic fertilization can be improved by the incorporation of digestate into soil and through the use of nitrification inhibitors. To test the efficiency and the interaction of these measures, a laboratory microcosm study was conducted with undisturbed samples from two arable soils – a Gleysol and a Plaggic Anthrosol. Treatments were digestate application by injection to 15 or 20 cm depths or by trailing hose with subsequent incorporation. Half of the replicates of each application treatment were treated with the nitrification inhibitor 3,4-dimethyl pyrazole phosphate (DMPP). Emissions of the greenhouse gases (GHGs) CO₂, N₂O and CH₄ were monitored during 51 days of incubation. Deeper injection (20 cm) did not lead to different GHG emissions compared with a shallow injection (15 cm). Application of DMPP decreased cumulative N₂O emissions significantly by 17–70%. DMPP inhibited N₂O fluxes and NO₃- production, suggesting a positive effect of DMPP on the mitigation of direct GHG emission and nitrate leaching at least during several weeks after digestate fertilization. The effect of DMPP is independent of the application technique.     

Efficiency of nitrification inhibitor DMPP to reduce nitrous oxide emissions under different temperature and moisture conditions

Agricultural intensification has led to the use of very high inputs of nitrogen fertilizers into cultivated land. As a consequence of this, nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions have increased significantly. Nowadays, the challenge is to mitigate these emissions in order to reduce global warming. Addition of nitrification inhibitors (NI) to fertilizers can reduce the losses of N₂O to the atmosphere, but field studies have shown that their efficiency varies depending greatly on the environmental conditions. Soil water content and temperature are key factors controlling N₂O emissions from soils and they seem to be also key parameters responsible for the variation in nitrification inhibitors efficiency. We present a laboratory study aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of the nitrification inhibitor 3,4-dimethylpyrazol phosphate (DMPP) at three different temperatures (10, 15 and 20 °C) and three soil water contents (40%, 60% and 80% of WFPS) on N₂O emissions following the application of 1.2 mg N kg⁻¹ dry soil (equivalent to 140 kg N ha⁻¹). Also the CO₂ and CH₄ emissions were followed to see the possible side effects of DMPP on the overall microbial activities. Nitrogen was applied either as ammonium sulfate nitrate (ASN) or as ENTEC 26 (ASN + DMPP). The application of ENTEC 26 was effective reducing N₂O losses up to the levels of an unfertilized control treatment in all conditions. Nevertheless, the percentage of reduction induced by DMPP in the ENTEC treatment with respect to the ASN varied from 3% to 45% depending on temperature and soil water content conditions. At 40% of WFPS, when nitrification is expected to be the main process producing N₂O, the increase of N₂O emissions in ASN together with temperature provoked an increase in DMPP efficiency reducing these emissions from 17% up to 42%. Contrarily, at 80% of WFPS, when denitrification is expected to be the main source of N₂O, emissions after ASN application decreased with temperature, which induced a decrease from 45% to 23% in the efficiency of DMPP reducing N₂O losses. Overall, the results obtained in this study suggest that DMPP performance regarding N₂O emissions reduction would be the best in cold and wet conditions. Neither CO₂ emissions nor CH₄ emissions were affected by the use of DMPP at the different soil water contents and temperatures.     

Laboratory study of the effects of two nitrification inhibitors on greenhouse gas emissions from a slurry-treated arable soil: impact of diurnal temperature cycle

An automated laboratory soil incubation system enabled the effects on gaseous emissions from a soil to be quantified accurately, when amended with slurry plus a nitrification inhibitor: dicyandiamide (DCD), or 3,4-dimethylpyrazole phosphate (DMPP). Nitrification inhibitors applied with slurry under simulated Portuguese conditions were very efficient in reducing N₂O emission, and did not increase CH₄ emissions significantly, when the soil was predominantly aerobic. The inhibitors were also indirectly effective in reducing N₂O emissions due to denitrification during a subsequent anaerobic phase. All gaseous emissions followed strong diurnal patterns that were positively correlated with soil temperature and obeyed a Q₁₀=2 relationship. The widespread use of DCD and DMPP inhibitors with slurry applied to Portuguese soils could have the potential to reduce N₂O emissions from this source by ten- to 20-fold.     

Nitrogen dynamics in soils amended with slurry treated by acid or DMPP addition

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the impact of the treatment of slurry liquid fraction (LF) acidified to pH 5.5 (ALF) on nitrification and denitrification processes after soil application. The impact of such treatment was compared with that of untreated LF, LF treated with a nitrification inhibitor (3,4-Dimethylpyrazole phosphate (DMPP)) (LF + DMPP). An incubation was conducted using the denitrification incubation system (DENIS/gas-flow-core technique) at a constant temperature of 20 °C and lasted for 32 days in order to follow nitrogen dynamics and gaseous emissions (N₂O, NO, CO₂) from soil. Inhibition of ammonium nitrification and nitrate accumulation was evident in both LF + DMPP and ALF at the top soil (0–3.75 cm) and those effects were stronger in the LF + DMPP. Denitrification was the main source of N₂O emissions from soils amended with treated and untreated LF. Compared to the untreated LF, the ALF significantly reduced the total N lost as N₂O from 0.10% to 0.05% of the applied N whereas the DMPP reduced the total N lost as N₂O from 0.10% to 0.07%. Relative to the untreated LF, the ALF reduced the total N lost as NO emissions from 0.03% to 0.02% of the applied N whereas DMPP addition led to a stronger decrease from 0.03% to 0.01%. Both, ALF and LF + DMPP had no impact on CO₂ emissions relative to the untreated LF. The ALF reduced CO₂ emissions by 19% relative to the LF + DMPP. Our results demonstrate that slurry acidification affect not only nitrification but also the denitrification process. This suggests that slurry acidification is a valid technique to minimize N emissions.