Recovery of 15N‐Labeled Nitrate Injected into Deep Subsoil by Maize in a Calcareous Alluvial Soil on the North China Plain

Abstract

Recovery of residual nitrogen (N) from the subsoil by maize (Zea mays L.) was studied by injecting ¹⁵N‐labeled nitrate at 110 cm for treatments with and without N fertilizer in a calcareous soil on the North China Plain. The results show that the recovery of ¹⁵N‐labeled nitrate diffusing in the 90‐ to 130‐cm soil horizon was 11.9% with N fertilizer application and 6.7% without N application in maize. Nitrogen fertilizer applied to topsoil stimulated growth of maize roots in the subsoil, thus increasing the recovery of ¹⁵N‐labeled nitrate. In the relatively dry growing season in this experiment, the ¹⁵N‐labeled nitrate did not move downward because there was no downward water flow at 110 cm. Hence, under dry weather conditions, the maize crop can re‐utilize a small part of the residual soil nitrate in deep soil layers. Most of the nitrogen uptake was in the 0‐ to 80‐cm layer during the experiment.     

Excessive nitrogen application decreases grain yield and increases nitrogen loss in a wheat–soil system

Abstract

Excessive use of nitrogen (N) fertilizers in wheat fields has led to elevated NO₃-N concentrations in groundwater and reduced N use efficiency. Three-year field and ¹⁵N tracing experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of N application rates on N uptake from basal and topdressing ¹⁵N, N use efficiency, and grain yield in winter wheat plants; and determine the dynamics of N derived from both basal and topdressing ¹⁵N in soil in high-yielding fields. The results showed that 69.5–84.5% of N accumulated in wheat plants derived from soil, while 6.0–12.5%and 9.2–18.1% derived from basal ¹⁵N and top ¹⁵N fertilizer, respectively. The basal N fertilizer recovery averaged 33.9% in plants, residual averaged 59.2% in 0–200 cm depth soil; the topdressing N fertilizer recovery averaged 50.5% in plants, residual averaged 48.2% in 0–200 cm soil. More top ¹⁵N was accumulated in plants and more remained in 0–100 cm soil rather than in 100–200 cm soil at maturity, compared with the basal ¹⁵N. However, during the period from pre-sowing to pre-wintering, the soil nitrate moved down to deeper layers, and most accumulated in the layers below 140 cm. With an increase of N fertilizer rate, the proportion of the N derived from soil in plants decreased, but that derived from basal and topdressing fertilizer increased; the proportion of basal and top ¹⁵N recovery in plants decreased, and that of residual in soil increased. A moderate application rate of 96–168 kg N ha^?1 led to increases in nitrate content in 0–60 cm soil layer, N uptake amount, grain yield and apparent recovery fraction of applied fertilizer N in wheat. Applying above 240 kg N ha^?1 promoted the downward movement of basal and top ¹⁵N and soil nitrate, but had no significant effect on N uptake amount; the excessive N application also obviously decreased the grain yield, N uptake efficiency, apparent recovery fraction of applied fertilizer N, physiological efficiency and internal N use efficiency. It is suggested that the appropriate application rate of nitrogen on a high-yielding wheat field was 96–168 kg N ha^?1.     

Comparison of wheat yield under uniform and variable rates of fertilizer on spatially‐eroded land

Abstract

Field studies were made to determine the yield and quality of wheat at different landscape positions managed with uniform vs. variable rates of nitrogen (N). A moderately‐eroded wheat farm near Thana (Swat) was divided into four parallel transects which were further divided into two strips each. On one strip, fertilizer was applied at a uniform rate of 120 kg N ha^‐1, and along the other strip, three different rates of N (80, 110, and 125 kg N ha^‐1) were applied to match the crop productivity patterns. A basal dose of 90 kg P₂O₅ and 60 kg K₂O ha^‐1 was applied to the whole field. Soil profiles were described for the three different zones, i.e., low, medium, and high productivity zones. Soil in Zone I was Pirsabak, moderately deep variant, and in Zones II and III, Badwan soil series. Although uniformly fertilized strip (120 kg N ha^‐1) received 40 and 10 kg N ha¹ more than Zone I and Zone II (variable management strategy), there were no significant differences in yield. The differences in three fertilizer management zones were due to differences in moisture content at sowing, infiltration rate, lime content, steepness, and soil depth. Test weight of wheat grains was not significantly affected. Protein content of wheat was significantly higher in variably fertilized strips than in uniformly treated strips. Based on these results, it is suggested that farms with spatially‐variable soils should be fertilized according to the crop productivity and soil fertility patterns.     

DEVELOPMENT OF A SOIL N TEST FOR FERTILIZER REQUIREMENTS FOR WHEAT

Optimal fertilizer nitrogen (N) rates result in economic yield levels and reduced pollution. A soil test for determining optimal fertilizer N rates for wheat has not been developed for Quebec, Canada, or many other parts of the world. Therefore, the objectives were to determine: 1) the relationship among soil nitrate (NO^? ₃)- N, soil ammonium (NH ⁺ ₄)- N and N fertilizer on wheat yields; and 2) the soil sampling times and depths most highly correlated with yield response to soil NO^? ₃-N and NH ⁺ ₄-N. In a three year research work, wet and dried soil samples of 0- to 30- and 30- to 60-cm depths from 20 wheat fields that received four rates of N fertilizer at seeding and postseeding (plants 15 cm tall) were analyzed for NH ⁺ ₄-N and NO^? ₃ -N using a quick-test (N-Trak) and a standard laboratory method. Wheat yield response to N fertilizer was limited, but strong to soil NO^? ₃-N.     

Alternatives for Nitrogen Diagnosis for Wheat with Different Yield Potentials in the Humid Pampas of Argentina

A correct determination of nitrogen (N) fertilization thresholds in wheat that is based on objective yield produces efficient use of this nutrient. Nitrogen fertilization recommendations for traditional wheat require determination of nitrate (NO₃ ^?)-N availability at 60 cm deep at planting time. However, this methodology is complicated, expensive, and time-consuming; thus, the determination of NO₃ ^?-N level at a lesser depth and at a different time would be desirable. The goals of this work were to determine available N in soil thresholds for traditional and French germplasm wheats and the feasibility of diagnosing N requirements by measuring NO₃ ^?-N at 40 cm deep, at planting or tillering times, in the southeastern Pampas. The experiments were factorial combinations of N rates and fertilization times (planting and tillering) at different sites and years during 2002–2006. Nitrogen fertilization significantly increased grain yield and protein content. French varieties presented greater grain yield (23%), lower protein content (11%), and greater yield per N unit, indicating greater N-use efficiency (NUE) than traditional varieties. A similar relationship was determined between grain yield and available N at both sampling depths. This might be explained by the strong association between NO₃ ^?-N content at 60 and 40 cm deep at both sampling dates. Maximum yield and available N determined at 60 or 40 cm soil deep showed that thresholds were lower for tillering than for planting, regardless of the genotype (152 and 174 kg of available N, respectively). Available N thresholds for 95% of maximum yield were less at 0–40 cm deep than at 0–60 cm deep (10 and 14 kg N ha^?1 for traditional and French genotypes, respectively). The results of this experiment suggest the possibility of diagnosing N requirements for wheat by measuring NO₃ ^?-N content at 40 cm deep, instead of the usual 60 cm, for both traditional and French genotypes.     

Nitrogen management for zero‐till spring wheat: Disposition in plant and utilization efficiency

Abstract

Sustaining agricultural productivity and environmental quality requires efficient use of nitrogen (N) fertilizer by crops. A zero‐tillage study was conducted over a 9‐yr period in southwestern Saskatchewan to determine the influences of snow trapping and N fertilizer management, on efficiencies of N uptake and of N utilization for annually grown spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). We assessed the effects of rates (0–100 kg/ha), placement (deep banding, broadcast), and time of application of N (fall, spring). Multiple regression, was used to relate the N in grain, straw, and plant (above‐ground), the efficiencies of N uptake and N utilization, and N harvest index (NHI) to water use by the crop (WU), soil nitrate‐N (NO₃‐N) in 0–60 cm depth measured in fall (SN), rate of fertilizer N(FN), and years of study (Yr). The relationships for N in grain and plant were highly significant (R² = 0.85***); those for straw N (R² = 0.68 ***) and N utilization efficiency (R² = 0.60***) were significant but less precise, while that for NHI (R² = 0.40***) had poor precision. Plant N was greater for springthan for fall‐applied N, and for deep‐banded than for broadcast‐N. Nitrogen utilization efficiency ranged between 20–42 kg grain/kg plant N, was inversely related to FN, and lower for spring‐applied than fall‐ applied N, but placement had little effect. Available water and FN had greater influence on characteristics studied than placement or timing of N application. Uptake efficiency of N increased with SN but decreased with FN, probably indicating more efficient uptake of SN in this zero‐tillage continuous wheat study. The relationships developed should be useful to modellers for estimating the characteristics studied, on medium‐textured, aridic and typic borolls.     

Effects of solid phase from pig slurry on soil chemical characteristics,nitrate leaching,composition, and yield of wheat

A two years lysimeter experiment was carried out using wheat plants (Triticum aestivum L. cv. Lotti) on two texturally contrasting soils. The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of increasing applications (5,10, 15,20, and 25 t.ha^‐1) of solid phase (SP) from pig slurry on soil nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and sodium (Na) content, nitrate‐N (NO₃‐N) leaching as well as on wheat composition and yield. As the control, a basic dressing of NPK fertilizer was applied. Results showed that plant growth was stimulated by increasing amounts of SP, yet the additions of 15 to 20 t SP ha^‐1 led to similar effects on yield as that for the control. An accumulation of P on both soils was observed as well as a significant increase on NO₃‐N leaching due to increasing rates of SP added to the soils. The N and P content in wheat plants (straw and grain) increased with increasing rates of applied SP.     

An evaluation of anion exchange resin used to measure nitrate movement through soil

Abstract

The attribute that ion‐exchange resins remove ions from solutions moving through them can be used to measure nitrate transport through soils. The characteristics of nitrate adsorption by resins must be known to interpret nitrate accumulation on ion‐exchange resins embedded in soil. The extent to which anion exchange resins retain NO₃‐ from soil leachate was measured in 15.9 cm diam.by 60 cm long intact cores of Nolin (fine silty mixed mesic Dystric Fluventic Eutrochroept) soil. A NC₃ ^‐‐selective resin and a non‐selective resin were tested. Columns were fertilized at a rate of 300 kg N/ha and 150 kg Br/ha and leached with 50 cm of water. Under these conditions, both resins retained approximately 80% of the NO₃‐ and Br^‐ leached through the soil. This compared with greater than 95% retention in laboratory columns containing only resin. The difference in retention was attributed to different flow through the resin associated with the method of resin emplacement.     

Increased Dryland Winter Wheat Yields by Nitrogen Fertilizer Topdressing and its Relationship to Soil Moisture,Available N,P and K in Northwestern China

Winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production in northwestern China as a monoculture is hampered by unfertile soil and drought. With the fast-developing Chinese chemical fertilizer industry, many farmers now use more nitrogen (N) fertilizer as topdressing for winter wheat in early spring, in addition to a basal dose of N fertilizer applied in the previous autumn at seeding time. The objective of this study was to evaluate the increase in grain yield of dryland winter wheat by early spring N fertilizer topdressing, and its relationship to soil moisture, available N, phosphorus (P) and potassium (K). Field experiments with no N fertilizer topdressing (F_b) and N fertilizer topdressing (F_b+t) treatments were carried out over two growing seasons at 54 site-years to assess the relationship between increase in winter wheat grain yield by early spring N fertilizer topdressing and soil moisture, available N, P and K in Changwu county, Shaanxi province, China. Compared to F_b treatment, the F_b+t treatment produced grain yields lower at 10 site-years, and increased by <10% at 21 site-years and by >10% at 23 site-years. The results indicated that topdressing N fertilizer could increase wheat grain yield when soil nitrate-N accumulation in the 0–20, 20–40 and 40–60 cm depths was less than 121.7, 36.4 and 24.1 kg N ha^?1, and soil moisture content in the 40–60, 60–80 and 80–100 cm depths was more than 15.7%, 16.7% and 16.9%, respectively. The findings also suggested that it is not necessary to analyze soil for ammonium-N, available P and K before topdressing N fertilizer. It is necessary to analyze 0–60 cm soil profile for nitrate-N and 40–100 cm depth for soil moisture before topdressing N fertilizer for winter wheat in dryland areas of northwestern China.     

华北潮土冬小麦-夏玉米轮作包气带氮素淋溶机制

合理水氮管理可以实现作物目标产量和品质、维持土壤肥力和降低环境污染。然而,自20世纪90年代以来,我国农田过量施氮和大水漫灌等问题突出,引起农业面源污染日趋加重,地下水硝酸盐污染成为一个普遍现象。本文以华北潮土区冬小麦-夏玉米体系为研究对象,采用数据整合和文献分析的方法,阐明了典型农田硝态氮淋溶的时空特征及影响因素,研究了地表裂隙和土壤大孔隙对硝态氮淋溶的影响,定量了氮素在地表-根层-深层包气带-地下水的垂直迁移通量及过程。结果表明,农户常规管理的冬小麦-夏玉米轮作体系氮素盈余较高(299～358kg·hm~(-2)·a~(-1)),导致土壤根区和深层包气带累积了大量的硝态氮。冬小麦季硝态氮的迁移主要受灌溉影响,以非饱和流为主,且迁移距离较短;春季单次灌溉量低于60 mm,可以有效控制水和硝态氮淋溶出根区。冬小麦耕作和灌溉引起的地表裂隙对水氮运移的贡献不大。雨热同期的夏玉米季,土壤水分经常处于饱和状态,再降雨就可以导致硝态氮淋溶出根层进入深层包气带。夏玉米季极易发生硝态氮淋溶事件(占全年总淋溶事件的81%左右),硝态氮淋溶量占全年总淋溶量的80%左右,且单次淋溶事件的淋溶量较高。大孔隙优先流对夏玉米季根区硝态氮淋溶的贡献率在71%左右,这些硝态氮脱离了作物根系吸收范围,反硝化作用对硝态氮去除具有一定作用。在华北气候-土壤条件下,特别应注意冬小麦收获后土壤不应残留过多硝态氮,以避免夏玉米季降雨发生大量淋溶;夏玉米季需要注意施氮与作物需氮的匹配。由于夏玉米追肥困难,生产上提倡一次性施肥措施,控释肥应该能够发挥更大作用。未来气候变化,导致夏季极端高强度降雨事件的频率增加,将会加剧包气带累积硝态氮通过饱和流或优先流向地下水的迁移。合理的水氮管理是从源头上减少硝态氮向深层包气带和地下水迁移的主要措施。     

Irrigation and Nitrogen Fertilization Effects on Soil Chemical Properties and Cotton Yield

A 2-year field experiment was conducted in central Greece (Platykampos, Larissa) to investigate productivity parameters of cotton under conditions of water stress. A Latin square split-plot design with three replications was used to evaluate the effect of three irrigation levels (250, 350, and 450 mm) and three fertilization rates (60, 110, and 160 kg N ha^–1), where irrigation level was the whole-plot factor and the fertilizer was the split-plot factor. The results showed that irrigation level had no significant effect on soil chemical properties, but these only changed with fertilizer application. Concentration of soil nitrates increased in proportion to the amount of applied fertilizer in early July. The associated rise in electrical conductivity (EC) was not sufficiently high as to adversely affect salt-tolerant cotton. The soil acidity produced during formation of nitrate was evident by a soil pH decrease of 0.2 units in the high fertilizer application. A great decline of nitrate N and EC and a rise of pH in all treatments in early August indicated rapid N uptake by the crop during the late stage of vegetative growth. In contrast, cotton yield was not affected by the rate of fertilizer application but by the level of irrigation. This is the reason that correlations between soil properties and yield were insignificant in early July and August. It appears that there was sufficient N available to the crop from sources other than fertilizer N (soil-derived N and irrigation N). Preplant soil nitrates were greater than residual nitrates in the second growing season and indicated depletion of soil mineral N pools of the order of 36 kg N ha^–1 in the 0- to 25-cm depth. Significant negative correlations between soil properties and cotton yield appeared only at the end of the season and indicated that depletion of soil mineral N increased with increasing crop N requirement or irrigation level.     

N肥深施深度对小麦吸收利用N的影响

本文应用＾１５Ｎ示踪技术，在川中紫色土上进行了聚土的表层施肥（施肥深度１－２ｃｍ）、中层施肥（深施２５ｃｍ）、底层施肥（深施４５ｃｍ）和平作表层施肥不同处理小麦吸Ｎ特性等的研究。结果表明：Ｎ肥利用率是“平＋表施”〉“聚＋底施”〉“聚＋中施”〉“聚＋表施”，处理间Ｎ肥利用率最高是２３．７８％，小麦一生有３８．７－４４．１％的Ｎ来自肥料。小麦拔节以前无论是聚土还是平作，其表层施肥地上部分ＮＤＦＦ值极显     

Influence of inorganic soil N,yield potential,and market class on irrigated spring wheat response to N

Abstract

Fertilizer N recommendations for small grains are frequently based on soil test N but data is limited for irrigated spring wheat. The relative grain yield response of irrigated spring wheat to N as affected by inorganic soil N (NO₃‐N and NH₄‐N), yield potential and market class was evaluated in thirteen Southern Idaho field experiments involving N rates. Experiments were conducted on silt loam soils from 1978 to 1986. Preplant soil NO₃‐N and NH₄‐N to a depth of 60 cm and ranging from 27 to 142 kg/ha accounted for approximately 73% of the relative yield variability. NO₃‐N and NH₄‐N were significantly correlated (r=.72). NH₄‐N with NO₃‐N did not account for more of the relative yield variability than using NO₃‐N alone.

Inorganic N in the first 30 cm and the second 30 cm were significantly correlated (r=.69) but N in the first depth increment accounted for more of the relative yield variability. The linear regression coefficient relating inorganic N in the first 30 cm to relative yield of unfertilized spring wheat was almost twice as high as the coefficient for the second 30 cm increment (.50 vs .27). Results indicate that inorganic N below 30 cm should be weighted differently than N in the first 30 cm when determining the N requirements of irrigated spring wheat.

Yield potential significantly affected the relative yield response to N. The response to N was not significantly affected by spring wheat market class (hard red vs soft white).

For estimating fertilizer N requirements, the results provide little justification for the current widespread practices of (1) using the combined NH₄‐N and NO₃‐N inorganic soil test N values when NO₃‐N alone has as much predictive value and (2) assigning equal weight to inorganic soil N at all sampling depths.     

Seasonal soil nitrogen dynamics in rice‐wheat cropping systems of Nepal

The rice‐wheat annual double cropping system occupies some 0.5 million ha in the Himalayan foothills of Nepal. Alternating soil drying and wetting cycles characterize the 6–10 weeks long dry‐to‐wet season transition period (DWT) after wheat harvesting and before wetland rice transplanting. Mineral fertilizer use in the predominant smallholder agriculture is low and crops rely largely on native soil N for their nutrition. Changes in soil aeration status during DWT are likely to stimulate soil N losses. The effect of management options that avoid the nitrate build‐up in soils during DWT by N immobilization in plant or microbial biomass was studied under controlled conditions in a greenhouse (2001/2002) and validated under field conditions in Nepal in 2002. In potted soil in the greenhouse, the gradual increase in soil moisture resulted in a nitrate N peak of 20 mg (kg soil)^–1 that rapidly declined as soil moisture levels exceeded 40 % water‐filled pore space (equiv. 75 % field capacity). Similarly, the maximum soil nitrate build‐up of 40 kg N ha^–1 under field conditions was followed by its near complete disappearance with soil moisture levels exceeding 46 % water‐filled pore space at the onset of the monsoon rains. Incorporation of wheat straw and/or N uptake by green manure crops reduced nitrate accumulation in the soil to < 5 mg N kg^–1 in pots and < 30 kg N ha^–1 in the field (temporary N immobilization), thus reducing the risk for N losses to occur. This “saved” N benefited the subsequent crop of lowland rice with increases in N accumulation from 130 mg pot^–1 (bare soil) to 185 mg pot^–1 (green manure plus wheat straw) and corresponding grain yield increases from 1.7 Mg ha^–1 to 3.6 Mg ha^–1 in the field. While benefits from improved soil N management on lowland rice are obvious, possible carry‐over effects on wheat and the feasibility of proposed options at the farm level require further studies.     

Relationships between nitrogen rate,plant nitrogen concentration,yield and residual soil nitrate‐nitrogen in silage corn

Abstract

Nitrogen (N) fertilizer is a key factor of yield increase but also an environmental pollution hazard. The sustainable agriculture system should have an acceptable level of productivity and profitability and an adequate environmental protection. The objectives of this study were to determine the relationships between N rate, DM yield, plant N concentration (NC) and residual soil nitrate‐nitrogen in order to improve the predicted N rate in corn (Zea mays L.) silage. The experiment was conducted over a period of three years in the province of Quebec on three soil series in a continuous corn crop sequence. Treatments consisted of six rates of N: O, 40, 80, 120, 160, and 200 kg N ha^‐1 as ammonium nitrate applied at planting: broadcast and side banded. Four optimum N rates were calculated using different models: (i) economic rate base on fertilizer and corn price using the quadratic model (E); (ii) economic rate based on fertilizer and corn price using the quadratic‐plus‐plateau model (QP); (iii) critical rate based on linear‐plus‐plateau model (P); (iv) lower than maximum rate (L) corresponding to 95% of maximum yield. The optimum plant NC at all growing stages and the N uptake at harvest were calculated depending on these N rates and yields.

The NC of whole plant at 8‐leaf stage (25–30 cm plant height) of ear leaf at tasselling and of whole plant at harvest stage, the N rate, the N uptake at harvest and the DM yield were all significantly intercorrelated and affected by soils and years, but not affected by N fertilizer application method. The DM yield was linearly and significantly related to NC of whole plant at 8‐leaf stage (rv = 0.932**). At this stage, the average NC corresponding to the optimum N rate and yield was of 3.71, 3.68, and 3.66% as calculated with E, L, and P model, respectively. Our data suggest that the NC of whole plant at 8‐leaf stage may be used to evaluate the N nutrition status of plant and the required optimum N fertilizer rate. The NC of ear leaf at tassel stage was also significantly correlated to corn yield (r = 0.994**). It may be used as an indicator to evaluate the near‐optimum N rate in the subsequent years.

The N uptake by whole above‐ground plant at harvest was quadratically related to corn yield. Data show that at high fertilizer N rate, the N uptake still increased without significantly increasing yield. The N uptake was of 176.5, 163.0, and 155.0 kg N ha^‐1 using the E, L and P rates of 146, 126, and 115 kg N applied ha^‐1, respectively. The optimum N rate and yield were affected by soil type and year, but not by the method of N fertilizer application. The yield increased rapidly up to a N rate of about 120 kg N ha^‐1 and then quite slightly to a maximum N rate of 192 kg N ha^‐1. The optimum N rate was of 115 and 126 kg N ha^‐1 using the P and L model respectively and as high as 146.8 kg N ha^‐1 using the E model. The L model, using a much smaller N rate, gave a reasonably high yield compared to E rate (12.2 and 12.5 Mg ha^‐1, respectively). The data show that a relatively much lower N rate than maximum did not proportionally diminish the yield. Thus, for a difference of 40.4% between maximum N rate and P rate a difference of only 7.4% in yield was observed. Using the L model the differences in rate and yield were of 34.4% and 4.7%, respectively. The QP model gave no significant difference compared to E model.

At harvest the residual soil NO₃‐N increased significantly with increasing N fertilizer rate in whole of the 100 cm soil profile, but mainly in the top 40 cm soil layer. The total NO₃‐N found in 0–100 cm profile at rate of 0, 120 and 200 kg applied N ha^‐1 at planting was as high as 33.7, 60.5, and 74.5 kg N ha^‐1 respectively in a light soil and 37.5, 97.5, and 145.5 kg N ha^‐1 in a heavy clay soil. The difference in NO₃‐N content in the 60–100 cm layer between different applied N rate suggests that at harvest, part of fertilizer N applied at planting was already leached below the 100 cm soil layer. Results, thus, show that reasonably high corn yields can be obtained using more adequate N fertilizer rates which avoid the overfertilization and are likely to reduce the air and ground water pollution.     

Anammox bacterial abundance and biodiversity in greenhouse vegetable soil are influenced by high nitrate content

The anaerobic ammonium oxidizing(anammox) process has been found to play an important role in terrestrial ecosystems in recent years. However,the diversity and abundance of anammox bacteria in nitrogen(N)-rich agricultural soils under high fertilizer greenhouse conditions are still unclear. Two greenhouse fields with different N fertilizer input levels were chosen, and their soil profiles were studied with molecular technologies, including quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay, a clone library, and phylogenetic analysis based on hzsB(encoding anammox hydrazine synthase β-subunit) gene. Molecular analyses suggested that anammox bacteria were at their highest density at 10–20 cm soil depth, and that the anammox bacterial abundance was significantly lower at high N than at low N. Candidatus Brocadia was the sole anammox bacterial genus throughout the soil depth profiles. The highest diversity of anammox bacteria was found at 30–40 cm soil depth, and different phylotypic clusters of Candidatus Brocadia were associated with specific soil environmental factors, such as nitrates, soil depth, and total N. Correlation analyses and redundancy analyses confirmed that high nitrate content associated with high N fertilizer input had a significant negative influence on the abundance and biodiversity of anammox bacteria. These results imply that excessive use of N fertilizer would affect arid land soil N loss to the atmosphere by the anammox pathway.     

Availability of soil and fertilizer nitrogen to wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) following rice-straw amendment

Summary A pot experiment was conducted to study the N availability to wheat and the loss of ¹⁵N-labelled fertilizer N as affected by the rate of rice-straw applied. The availability of soil N was also studied. The straw was incorporated in the soil 2 or 4 weeks before a sowing of wheat and allowed to decompose at a moisture content of 60% or 200% of the water-holding capacity. The wheat plants were harvested at maturity and the roots, straw, and grains were analysed for total N and ¹⁵N. The soil was analysed for total N and ¹⁵N after the harvest to determine the recovery of fertilizer N in the soil-plant system and assess its loss. The dry matter and N yields of wheat were significantly retarded in the soil amended with rice straw. The availability of soil N to wheat was significantly reduced due to the straw application, particularly at high moisture levels during pre-incubation, and was assumed to cause a reduction in the dry matter and N yields of wheat. A significant correlation (r=0.89) was observed between the uptake of soil N and the dry matter yield of wheat with different treatments. In unamended soil 31.44% of the fertilizer N was taken up by the wheat plants while 41.08% of fertilizer N was lost. The plant recovery of fertilizer N from the amended soil averaged 30.78% and the losses averaged 45.55%     

Starter fertilizer to spring barley and spring wheat in south-east Norway: Effects on growth and nutrient uptake

Abstract

Field experiments were carried out on three representative soils, to evaluate the effect of various starter fertilizers, together with different rates of band placed phosphorus (P), on nutrient uptake and yield of spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). The starter fertilizers were placed in the immediate vicinity of the seed, while the band placed P was placed at about 5 cm below the seeds and spaced at 25 cm between alternate seed rows. As starter fertilizer, monoammonium phosphate (MAP), calcium nitrate (CAN), ammonium nitrate (AN) and triple superphosphate (P20) were compared. In both species, effects of starter fertilizer on P uptake were most marked early in the growing season. At GS 13 application of 20 kg P ha^?1 as MAP increased the P uptake by 50% in barley and by 35% in wheat, compared to no seed-placed nutrients. For grain, the increase in P content was 8% for both species. The higher P uptake at GS 13 was supported by observations of higher plant vigour in the treatments with either P20 or MAP as starter fertilizer. The use of N only as starter fertilizer did not increase the vigour of the plants. Band placement of P also gave more vigorous plants in spring barley. The grain yield increased on the silty clay loam and on the silt soil when starter fertilizer was applied, especially with the use of MAP. Smaller and non-significant yield differences were found when starter fertilizer was used on the loam soil. No delay or reduction of emergence was observed with starter fertilizer. Therefore, on soils where root growth or nutrient uptake becomes limited during the first weeks after sowing, application of starter fertilizer is recommended in Norway for both spring barley and spring wheat. Crops grown on silty soils seem to have an especially high demand for easily available P given as starter fertilizer.     

Interaction of 15N-labelled ammonium nitrate,urea and ammonium sulphate with soil N during growth of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under field conditions

The effects of ¹⁵N-labelled ammonium nitrate, urea and ammonium sulphate on yield and uptake of labelled and unlabelled N by wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv. Mexi-Pak-65) were studied in a field experiment. The dry matter and N yields were significantly increased with fertilizer N application compared to those from unfertilized soil. The wheat crop used 64.0–74.8%, 61.5–64.7% and 61.7–63.4% of the N from ammonium nitrate, urea and ammonium sulphate, respectively. The fertilizer N uptake showed that ammonium nitrate was a more available source of N for wheat than urea and ammonium sulphate. The effective use of fertilizer N (ratio of fertilizer N in grain to fertilizer N in whole plant) was statistically similar for the three N fertilizers. The application of fertilizer N increased the uptake of unlabelled soil N by wheat, a result attributed to a positive added N interaction, which varied with the method of application of fertilizer N. Ammonium nitrate, urea and ammonium sulphate gave 59.3%, 42.8% and 26.3% more added N interaction, respectively, when applied by the broadcast/worked-in method than with band placement. A highly significant correlation between soil N and grain yield, dry matter and added N interaction showed that soil N was more important than fertilizer N in wheat production. A values were not significantly correlated with added N interaction (r=0.719). The observed added N interaction may have been the result of pool substitution, whereby added labelled fertilizer N stood proxy for unlabelled soil N.     

Nitrogen accumulation efficiency: Relationship between excess fertilizer and soil‐plant biological activity in winter wheat

The point at which nitrogen (N) applied approaches 100% recovery in the soil once plant and microbial sinks have been saturated has not been determined in winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production systems. In dryland winter wheat, subsoil accumulation has not been found to occur until N rates exceed that required for maximum yield. Many conventional N rate experiments have not properly evaluated subsoil N accumulation due to the lack of equally spaced N rates at the high end of the spectrum over which accumulation is expected to occur. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to (i) determine when soil profile accumulation efficiencies reach 100% in continuous winter wheat production and (ii) to evaluate the potential for nitrate‐nitrogen (NO₃ ^‐N) leaching in continuous winter wheat when extremely high rates of fertilizer N are used. Two field experiments (T505 and T222) were conducted for two years using ten N rates (preplant‐incorporated) ranging from 0 to 5376 kg N ha¹. No additional preplant fertilizer was applied in the second year. Following the first and second year wheat harvest, soil cores were taken to 2.4 m and bulk density, ammonium‐nitrogen (NH₄‐N) and NO₃‐N were determined. Crop N‐use efficiency (NUE) (N uptake treated ‐ N uptake check/rate applied) and soil profile inorganic N accumulation efficiencies (NAE) [net inorganic N accumulation in the soil profile/(fertilizer applied ‐ net N removed in the crop)] changed with fertilizer rate and were inversely related. Priming (increased net mineralization of organic N pools when low rates of fertilizer N are applied) may have occurred since increased NUE was observed at low N rates. The highest N‐accumulation efficiencies were at N rates of 168 and 448 kg ha^‐1 in experiments T505 and T222, respectively. At both T222 and T505, no subsoil accumulation of NH₄‐N or NO₃‐N beyond 100 cm was observed for any of the N treatments when compared to the 0‐N check, even when N rates exceeded 448 kg ha^‐1.