Nitrogen losses by volatilization in a corn crop with two tillage systems in the Argentine Pampa

Abstract

Ammonia volatilization from soils is a complex process generally associated with surface applied nitrogen (N) fertilizer. The effect of conventional tillage and no tillage on NH₃ volatilization was evaluated on cultivated corn (Zea maize L.) field in Pampa Húmeda, Argentina. The objectives of this study were a) to determine the amount of N loss by volatilization (NH₃) from urea fertilized soils under two different tillage systems (conventional and no tillage) and two different fertilizer application methods (surface and incorporated application) and b) to relate volatilization losses with environmental factors and biochemical and microbiological properties. This experiment was conducted on a Vertic Argiudoll with a silty clay loam texture in the Argentine Pampa. The site has been in natural grassland for 8 years prior was planted to corn. Following the fertilizer application for conventional tillage and no tillage systems, the daily volatilization loss of NH₃ on the fertilized plots was highest during the first three days. Higher losses of NH₃ occurred in the no‐tillage treatments, with 11.5% and 6.2% of N‐urea lost when the fertilizer was surface applied and incorporated, respectively. For conventional tillage, 8.6 % of the N was lost when the fertilizer was surface applied and 5.4% when the fertilizer was incorporated. Surface application of urea stimulated urease enzyme activity. An opposite effect was observed when the urea was incorporated. Environmental changes conditioned the availability of energy substrates for microorganisms, which resulted in different rates of intensity of biochemical reactions in the soil. Multiple regression equations showed differences between surface applied urea and incorporated urea treatments due to the latter avoiding the direct exposure of the fertilizer to atmospheric conditions.