Ammonium Nitrogen Deposition as a Dominant Source of Nitrogen in a Forested Watershed Experiencing Acid Rain in Central Japan

To clarify nitrogen (N) sources, the overall N budget in a forested watershed in Kanagawa Prefecture, Central Japan was estimated by measuring dissolved inorganic N (DIN; NH₄ ⁺ + NO₃ ^– + NO₂ ^–) from Nov 2004 through Oct 2005. The estimated N budget (–1.43 kg N ha^–1 year^–1) showed that the N output rate (stream water N) was higher than the N input rate (bulk deposition N) in the watershed. The annual NO₂ ^– and NO₃ ^– input rates were 0.02 and 1.99 kg N ha^–1 year^–1, respectively. NH₄ ⁺ was the predominant source in this forested watershed, accounting for 71% (4.99 kg N ha^–1 year^–1) of DIN input rate. In addition, this study estimated rainfall pH, air temperature, and wind direction, which were considered as controlling factors related to the atmospheric deposition rate of NH₄ ⁺. This study showed that the rainfall NH₄ ⁺ was inversely proportional to the initial pH of the rainfall, which was calculated by adding the amount of H⁺ consumed by the dissociation process of NH_3(aq) to the measured rainfall pH. This result implies that acid rain can elevate the solubility of NH_3(g) and the dissociation capacity of NH₄ ⁺ throughout the process of precipitation. Also, this study provides strong evidence that the high NH₄ ⁺ deposition rate is mainly derived from NH_3(g) emitted from livestock wastes under the NH₃ transport condition of warm summer and favorable wind direction.     

稻田土壤上控释氮肥的氮素利用率与硝态氮的淋溶损失

在稻田土壤上对水稻的高量施用氮肥常常造成硝态氮(NO3--N)淋溶损失和肥料氮利用率低下的问题。本研究采用土壤渗漏器、微区和田间小区试验,研究了15N标记控释氮肥在稻田土壤上的氮素利用率和硝态氮的淋溶损失。在两年早稻种植期间,一次性全量作基肥施用控释氮肥与尿素分二次施用的相比,两年的早稻产量分别平均提高7.7%和11.6%。在N90 kg hm-2用量下,由差值法测得的肥料氮利用率,按平均计,控释氮肥的N利用率(平均76.3%)比尿素分次施用的(平均37.4%)高出38.9%1。5N同位素法测得的控释氮肥的N利用率(平均67.1%)比尿素分次施用的(平均31.2%)高出35.9%。在早稻种植季节,施用尿素和控释氮肥的NO3--N淋失量分别为9.19 kg hm-2和6.7 kg hm-2,占施尿素N和控释氮肥氮的10.2%和7.4%。控释氮肥的氮淋失量比尿素分2次施用的降低27.1%。本研究结果表明,在稻田土壤上施用控释氮肥能减少氮的淋失量,提高氮素利用率和水稻产量。     

Tissue Nitrogen as a Base for Recommendations of Additional Nitrogen to Spring Wheat in Southern Finland

Abstract

Nitrogen (N) deficiency has become more common in the traditional wheat cultivation areas of southern Finland as yield potentials have increased. Based on data for the period studied (1968-88) a grain protein concentration below 11.2% in spring wheat (Triticun aestivum L.) is an indicator of N deficiency. The mean of maximum grain yield obtained was 4655 kg ha^?1 when grain protein concentration exceeded 11.2%. The estimation of plant tissue N content could be an effective diagnostic tool for identifying N status in the early growth stages of spring wheat. To address the feasibility of this test, the present study was conducted in 1990-91 to determine the critical plant tissue N concentrations of three plant parts at the early double-ridge stage (Stage 2), at the stage when stigmatic branches of the carpel begin to form (Stage 7) and at pollination (Stage 10). Nitrogen was applied at rates of 0 and 110 kg N ha^?1 as granular ammonium nitrate and granular slow-release-nitrogen fertilizers to establish a wide range of plant tissue N levels, grain yields and grain protein concentrations. Critical plant N levels were calculated for the different plant parts using the Cate-Nelson procedure. From this study it can be concluded that the critical N level recommended for Stage 2 is 43 g of N kg^?1 dry matter of the whole plant. Critical N levels recommended for Stage 7 are 28 g of N kg^?1 dry matter of the whole plant, 30 g of N kg^?1 of the leaves and 13 mg total N in dry matter. Critical N levels recommended for Stage 10 are 12 g of N kg^?1 of the whole plant, 23 g of N kg^?1 of the leaves and 15 mg total N in dry matter.     

Efficiency of Nitrogen Fertilizer for Potato under Fertigation Utilizing a Nitrogen Tracer Technique

Abstract

Efficient crop use of nitrogen (N) fertilizer is critical from economic and environmental viewpoints, especially under irrigated conditions. Nitrogen fertilizer (¹⁵N‐labeled urea) and irrigation methods (drip and furrow) were evaluated on spring and fall potato cultivars under Syrian Mediterranean climatic conditions. Field experiments were conducted in the El‐Ghab Valley near Hama in fall 2000 and spring 2001 on a heavy clay soil. Four N‐fertilizer applications (70, 140, 210, and 280 kg N/ha) were applied in five equally split treatments for both irrigation methods. Potato was irrigated when soil moisture in the specified active root depth reached 80% of the field capacity as indicated by the neutron probe.

Higher marketable tuber yield of spring potato was obtained by fertigation compared to furrow irrigation; the magnitude of tuber yield increases was 4, 2, 31, and 13%, whereas for fall potato the tuber yield increases were 13, 27, 20, and 35% for N fertilizer rates of 70, 140, 210, and 280 kg N/ha, respectively. Shoot dry matter and tuber yields at the bulking stage were not good parameters to estimate marketable tuber yield. The effect of N treatments on potato yield with furrow irrigation and fertigation was limited and not significant. Drip fertigation improved tuber yield of fall potato relative to national average yield. Nitrogen uptake increased with increasing N input under both irrigation methods. Reducing N input under both irrigation methods improved N recoveries. Increasing N input significantly increased total N content in plant tissues at the bulking stage. Spring potato yields were almost double those of fall potato under both irrigation methods and all N treatments.

Nitrate (NO₃) movement in the soil solution for fall potato was monitored using soil solution extractors. Furrow irrigation resulted in greater movements of NO₃‐N below the rooting zone than drip fertigation.

Harvest index did not follow a clear trend but tended to decrease upon increasing N fertilization rates beyond 140 kg N/ha under both irrigation methods. Drip fertigation improved field water‐use efficiencies at the bulking and harvest stages. Fertigation increased specific gravity of potato tubers relative to furrow irrigation. Higher N input decreased specific gravity of potato tubers under both irrigation methods.     

Nitrogen cycling involving non-exchangeable ammonium in a gray luvisol

 There is considerable interest in determining the bio-availability of non-exchangeable NH₄ ⁺ (NEA) because it constitutes nearly 10% of the total N in the top 1 m of soil. NEA is NH₄ ⁺ present in the soil that is not extractable with neutral K salt solutions, e.g. 1M KCl. This study was conducted in 1994 and 1995 to quantify the amount of NEA released by a gray luvisolic clay loam soil in Alberta, Canada, during the growing season. Replicated plots under: (1) continuous bromegrass, (2) continuous barley, and (3) barley since 1991 but previously under a continuous forage legume, were sampled four times through the growing season to a depth of 80 cm. The first sampling was done before seeding of barley. Cropping systems and their interaction with time of sampling had no effect on NEA. The NEA-N pool in the soil decreased significantly during grain-filling and maturing of barley, and had returned to approximately its initial level by the following spring. The maximum amount of NEA-N released was 15 g m^–2 at barley grain-filling in 1994, and 10 g m^–2 3 weeks after barley had matured in 1995. Approximately 24% of the released NEA accumulated as 1M-KCl-extractable NH₄ ⁺ in 1994, 20–30% was absorbed by the barley crop, and most of the remainder was probably assimilated by soil micro-organisms and immobilized in soil organic matter. The release of significant amounts of NEA during crop growth has implications for N cycling and measurements of mineralization/immobilization turnover rates. Received: 21 July 1997     

氮肥对不同耐低氮性玉米品种氮素吸收利用及氮素平衡的影响

以前期筛选的不同耐低氮性玉米品种正红311和先玉508为试验材料,通过田间裂区试验研究氮肥(0,90,180,270,360,450kg N/hm~2)对不同耐低氮性玉米品种氮素吸收利用及氮素平衡的影响。结果表明:施氮显著提高玉米的氮素积累、氮素转运和氮素表观损失,而收获指数、氮收获指数、氮素干物质生产效率、氮素产谷效率、氮素吸收效率、氮肥利用效率、氮肥生理效率、氮肥农学效率和氮肥偏生产力等随施氮量增加显著降低。与低氮敏感品种先玉508相比,耐低氮品种正红311氮素积累量、氮素转运量和产量更高,而氮素转运率、转运贡献率、收获指数及氮收获指数更低。正红311叶片较高的物质生产能力有利于其生育后期的氮素吸收和物质生产,使其氮肥吸收效率、氮肥利用效率、氮肥农学效率和氮肥偏生产力均显著高于先玉508,而氮素表观损失显著低于先玉508。川中丘陵山区土层瘠薄,土壤保肥保水能力差,随施氮量增加玉米氮素表观损失量和损失率均显著增加,耐低氮品种正红311具有较强的氮素吸收能力,能显著提高氮素的吸收利用效率从而有效减少氮素的表观损失。因此,在川中丘陵山区中低氮水平下推广种植耐低氮品种正红311既能充分发挥其产量优势,又能有效的控制氮素的表观损失。     

水氮调控对设施土壤有机氮组分、全氮和矿质氮的影响

为探讨水氮调控对设施土壤有机氮组分、全氮和矿质氮的影响,通过膜下滴灌设施番茄田间定位试验,采用灌水下限(W_1、W_2、W_3)和施氮量(N_1、N_2、N_3)的两因素三水平随机区组设计,研究水氮调控对休耕期0—30cm土层土壤有机氮组分、全氮和矿质氮的影响。结果表明,不同水氮调控下,设施土壤有机氮主要是以酸解态氮为主,总体表现酸解态氮大于非酸解态氮含量。土壤有机氮组分在酸解态氮和非酸解态氮中分配比例差异明显。土壤有机氮各组分含量及占全氮比例的大小顺序为氨基酸氮/氨态氮未知氮氨基糖氮。除氨基糖氮,其余酸解态氮各组分和酸解总氮含量及其占全氮比例均随着土层深度的增加而降低,不同土层含量差异显著(P0.05)。土壤全氮、矿质氮和总有机氮含量随土层深度的增加也呈降低趋势,且含量差异达到极显著水平(P0.01)。除氨基糖氮,全氮与其他有机氮各组分、酸解总氮间均达到极显著正相关(P0.01);矿质氮仅与酸解氨态氮及酸解总氮的影响达到极显著(P0.01)和显著正相关(P0.05)。灌水下限、施氮量及水氮交互对设施土壤全氮、矿质氮和总有机氮及有机氮组分影响均达到极显著水平(P0.01)。因此,设施土壤氮素含量的变化与水氮管理模式紧密相关。氨态氮和氨基酸氮是设施土壤中最主要的有机氮形态,是土壤活性氮中的主要组分,亦是土壤供氮潜力的表征。考虑土壤供氮潜力,灌水下限35kPa、施氮量300kg/hm~2为该设施生产下最优的水氮管理措施。     

亚热带米槠天然林土壤有机氮组分对模拟氮沉降的响应

随着人类活动向大气排放越来越多的氮化合物,生态系统中的氮含量逐渐呈现饱和状态,亚热带地区已成为全球氮沉降最严重的区域之一。土壤有机氮组分能直观反映土壤氮素有效性对氮沉降的响应。以福建三明格氏栲自然保护区内的米槠天然林为研究对象,探讨不同施氮水平对土壤有机氮组分的影响。结果表明:(1)高氮处理下土壤有机氮(SON)含量(1.23 g/kg)显著高于对照处理(0.89 g/kg),高氮处理的土壤活性氮组分(LP Ⅰ-N+LP Ⅱ-N)含量(0.28 g/kg)显著高于低氮(0.24 g/kg)和对照处理(0.22 g/kg),而土壤惰性氮组分(RP-N)含量在高氮(0.94 g/kg)和低氮(0.82 g/kg)处理中都显著高于对照处理(0.68 g/kg)。(2)与对照和低氮处理相比,高氮处理显著提高土壤全氮(TN)、微生物生物量氮 (MBN)、铵态氮(NH₄⁺-N)含量和β-N-乙酰氨基葡萄糖苷酶(NAG)活性(p<0.05),硝态氮(NO₃^--N)、可溶性有机氮(DON)含量和β-葡萄糖苷酶(βG)、纤维素水解酶(CBH)活性随着施氮量的增加均呈上升趋势。(3)冗余分析(RDA)表明,土壤TN、NAG酶与有机氮及其各组分呈显著正相关,而土壤MBN、NH₄⁺-N与土壤有机氮及其各组分的相关性也较强。可见该区域氮沉降提高土壤氮养分有效性和微生物活性,这有助于进一步了解全球气候变化背景下亚热带森林土壤养分转化与循环机制。     

Seed Nitrogen Mobilization in Soybean: Effects of Seed Nitrogen Content and External Nitrogen Fertility

Soybean breeding programs have developed genetic lines with relatively low seed protein, which could negatively impact early seedling growth in low fertility conditions commonly encountered in the field. In these experiments, seed protein mobilization and its regulation in situ in soybean lines with different seed protein levels was investigated. The results showed that rates of nitrogen (N) release from cotyledons were much lower with decreasing levels of N in seed. Patterns of proteolysis of the storage proteins glycinin and β -conglycinin and their subunits were not different, but breakdown rates were slower. Seed N release rates increased somewhat when external N was supplied to roots of the developing seedlings, suggesting the involvement of source/sink controls. The effect appeared to be down-stream from proteolysis, as rates of protein breakdown were not altered. The results indicate that low seed protein levels will lead to reduced seedling fitness in low fertility soil conditions unless fertilizer N is applied.     

Nitrogen transformations in a peaty soil improved for pastoral agriculture

Abstract. Microbial transformations and chemical distribution of N were compared in two upland stagnohumic gley soils at the same site. In 1981 one soil was improved for more intensive agriculture by lime and fertilizer applications and reseeding with a grass/clover mixture. The other soil (referred to here as unimproved) was also reseeded in 1981, but no lime was added and the sward has subsequently reverted to rough grazing land. Improvement resulted in greater soil microbial activity. The improved soil showed greater rates of denitrification, net N immobilization and N fixation (acetylene reduction) and contained more microbial biomass N than the unimproved soil. However, no major differences in the distribution of organic N fractions were detected. This indicates that a large amount of the soil N present before improvement did not undergo mineralization and remained unavailable to plants.     

长期处于植被条件下香港土壤中氮的矿化

This research examined nitrogen mineralization in the top 10 cm of soils with a vegetation gradient in Hong Kong at sites where fire has been absent for 0, 1, 3, 6 and 17 years (at the time of the study), and the relationships between N mineralization and successional development of vegetation in the absence of fire. The sites including a newly burnt area (S1), short grassland (S2), tall grassland (S3), mixed tall grassland and shrubland (S4), and woodland (S5) were selected, with the in situ core incubation method used to estimate nitrogen mineralization. Throughout the 60-day incubation in four periods, more nitrogen was mineralized at the S3 and S4 sites, the predominantly grassland sites, which contained the highest levels of soil organic matter (SOM) and total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), than the S1 site, while immobilization occurred at the S2 and S5 sites. Leaching loss decreased with successional development of the vegetation, in the order of S1 > S2 > S3 > S4 > S5. The pattern of nitrogen uptake with ecological succession was less conspicuous, being complicated by the immediate effect of fire and possibly the ability of the woodland species to extract nitrogen from the deeper ground. In the absence of fire for 3 to 6 years, the build-up of SOM and TKN was accompanied by active mineralization, thus paving the way for the invasion of shrub and tree species. A close relationship existed between nitrogen mineralization and ecological succession with this vegetation gradient. Inherent mechanisms to preserve nitrogen in a fire-prone environment including immobilization and uptake and the practical relevance of nitrogen mineralization to reforestation are discussed.     

湿地生态系统土壤氮素矿化过程研究动态

土壤氮素的矿化过程与土壤供氮能力及氮素损失密切相关,其对于氮素生物地球化学过程的生态意义重大。本文综述了当前湿地土壤氮素矿化过程的研究方法、模型表征以及影响因素的研究动态。氮素矿化过程的研究主要集中在净矿化作用方面,而其研究模型又主要包括矿化动力学模型、热力学模型和环境效应模型。影响湿地土壤氮素矿化过程的因素主要包括湿地气候条件、水文条件、土壤理化性质、枯落物性质、土壤生物区系及人类活动等。今后研究的重点应包括:(1)氮素矿化过程的驱动机制与驱动因素;(2)概念模型与应用模型的表征;(3)全球变暖、降水改变以及人为碳、氮输入对矿化过程的影响;(4)人类活动在湿地土壤氮素矿化过程中的作用。     

Nitrogen budget in a soil-plant system after brachiaria grass desiccation

Abstract

Brachiaria spp. have been grown in a variety of cropping systems and are often terminated with herbicides, which may cause nitrogen (N) loss from the soil-plant system. In this study ammonia (NH₃-N) loss by shoots and N balance in a soil-plant system were determined after desiccation of palisade grass (Brachiaria brizantha (Hochst. ex A. Rich) Stapf, cv. Marandu), signalgrass (Brachiaria decumbens Stapf), humidicola (Brachiaria humidicola (Rendle) Schweick) and Congo grass (Brachiaria ruziziensis Germain et Evrard). The grasses were grown in pots filled with an Oxisol in a greenhouse. Sixty days after planting, the plants were desiccated with glyphosate. Analyses were performed on plant and soil at desiccation and then at 7, 14, 21 and 28 days after desiccation in order to assess NH₃-N losses by shoots and to estimate the N balance in the system. Total nitrogen (Total-N) concentration in shoots and roots of brachiarias decreased after desiccation, thereby reducing the amount of N in plants of the four brachiaria species. However, as most of the N lost by plants was released into the soil, N losses from the soil-plant system were small compared with the total N in the system: 1.2, 0.5, 0.4 and 1.4% for palisade grass, signalgrass, humidicola and Congo grass, respectively. N losses as NH₃ from the soil-plant system after desiccation with glyphosate varied among brachiaria species, ranging from 0.8 to 2.0 g m^?2 kg^?1, and accounted for 30–80% of total loss.     

Plant Nitrogen Accumulation Dynamics in Rice in Response to Nitrogen Management

This study investigates the effect of rice nitrogen (N) management on the dynamics of plant nitrogen accumulation (PNA) during internodal elongation (IE) in relation to grain yield. Four field experiments were conducted in two soils with six preflood N treatments. The PNA was monitored for 3 weeks, starting at the beginning of IE (BIE). The PNA explained 54–72% of yield variability. The effect of midseason N application on yield varied with fields, indicating a need for assessing midseason N requirement for each field. One week after BIE was a better time to assess the N requirement of rice crop. The greatest grain yields in Cocodrie and Wells cultivars corresponded to PNA of 10.9 and 11.1 g m^?2 at BIE. A midseason application of 50 kg N ha^?1 as urea at 7–10 days after BIE increased the rice yield in the Glossaqualfs field when the PNA at BIE was less than 8.3 g m^?2.     

Nitrogen Leaching of Two Forest Ecosystems in a Karst Watershed

Karst watersheds are a major source of drinking water in the European Alps. These watersheds exhibit quick response times and low residence times, which might make karst aquifers more vulnerable to elevated nitrogen (N) deposition than non-karst watersheds. We summarize 13 years of monitoring NO ₃ ^? , NH ₄ ⁺ , and total N in two forest ecosystems, a Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) forest on Cambisols/Stagnosols (IP I) and a mixed beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) spruce forest on Leptosols (IP II). N fluxes are calculated by multiplying concentrations, measured in biweekly intervals, with hydrological fluxes predicted from a hydrological model. The total N deposition in the throughfall amounts to 26.8 and 21.1 kg/ha/year in IP I and IP II, respectively, which is high compared to depositions found in other European forest ecosystems. While the shallow Leptosols at IP II accumulated on average 9.2 kg/ha/year of N between 1999 and 2006, the N budgets of the Cambisols/Stagnosols at IP I were equaled over the study period but show high inter-annual variation. Between 1999 and 2006, on average, 9 kg/ha/year of DON and 20 kg/ha/year of DIN were output with seepage water of IP I but only 4.5 kg/ha/year of DON and 7.7 kg/ha/year of DIN at IP II. Despite high DIN leaching, neither IP I nor IP II showed further signs of N saturation in their organic layer C/N ratios, N mineralization, or leaf N content. The N budget over all years was dominated by a few extreme output events. Nitrate leaching rates at both forest ecosystems correlated the most with years of above average snow accumulation (but only for IP I this correlation is statistically significant). Both snow melt and total annual precipitation were most important drivers of DON leaching. IP I and IP II showed comparable temporal patterns of both concentrations and flux rates but exhibited differences in magnitudes: DON, NO ₃ ^? , and NH ₄ ⁺ inputs peak in spring, NH ₄ ⁺ showed an additional peak in autumn; the bulk of the annual NO ₃ ^? and DON output occurred in spring; DON, NO ₃ ^? , and NH ₄ ⁺ output rates during winter months were low. The high DIN leaching at IP I was related to snow cover effects on N mineralization and soil hydrology. From the year 2004 onwards, disproportional NO ₃ ^? leaching occurred at both plots. This was possibly caused by the exceptionally dry year 2003 and a small-scale bark beetle infestation (at IP I), in addition to snow cover effects. This study shows that both forest ecosystems at Zöbelboden are still N limited. N leaching pulses, particularly during spring, dictate not only annual but also the long-term N budgets. The overall magnitude of N leaching to the karst aquifer differs substantially between forest and soil types, which are found in close proximity in the karstified areas of the Northern Limestone Alps in Austria.     

滴灌点源施肥灌溉对土壤氮素分布影响的试验研究

利用室内试验,研究了点源施肥灌溉条件下硝态氮和铵态氮的分布规律。试验土壤为砂壤土,滴头流量的变化范围为0.6～7.8L/h、灌水量为6～15L、肥液(NH₄NO₃)浓度为100～700mg/L。销态氮在距滴头17.5cm范围内呈均匀分布,其浓度随肥液浓度的增加而增加;在湿润边界上硝态氮产生累积;肥液浓度是影响硝态氮分布的主要因子。在距滴头15cm范围内,滴头流量和灌水量对土壤中硝态氮分布的影响不明显,在此范围以外,随滴头流量的增大或灌水量的减小,硝态氮浓度增加。铵态氮浓度在滴头附近出现高锋值,肥液浓度越高,锋值越大,且施肥灌溉对铵态氮分布的影响范围较小,一般在距滴头10cm范围以内     

滴灌减氮对植烟土壤无机氮变化及烟株氮积累的影响

为明确滴灌施肥条件下减量施氮对土壤无机氮变化特征、烟株氮积累规律的影响,于2016年在登封进行了田间试验,试验共设置5个处理:T0:不施氮肥;T1:常规施肥;T2:减氮15%;T3:减氮30%;T4:减氮45%。分析了0~20、20~40、40~60 cm土层无机氮含量及烟株氮积累量变化,并对0~20 cm土层无机氮含量拟合曲线及烟株氮积累拟合曲线特征值进行分析。结果表明,滴灌施肥能够显著提高栽后40、50 d时0~20 cm土层无机氮含量,显著降低栽后50 d时40~60 cm土层无机氮含量;减氮15%~30%对烟叶产量、生育期内烟株氮素积累量均无显著影响,减氮45%烟叶产量、烟株氮积累量、烟叶氮积累量分别显著下降11.52%、10.53%、10.50%;氮肥农学效率(NAE)、氮肥偏生产力(NPFP)均以T4处理最高,且随施氮量增加逐渐下降,氮肥表观利用率(ARE)以T3处理最高,氮收获指数(NHI)、氮肥生理利用率(NPE)与施氮量间无明显关系。减施氮肥土壤无机氮下降持续时间及烟株氮素快速增长时间会延长,无机氮最大下降速率及烟株最大氮积累速率降低,不利于烟株氮素快速积累。因此,综合考虑认为,在该地区条件下,滴灌施肥减氮15%~30%有利于氮肥高效应用。     

Multi-Compartmental Modeling of Nitrogen Translocation in Sorghums Differing in Nitrogen Use Efficiency

Some cultivars of sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] are more efficient than others in using nitrogen (N) from the soil to produce grain. A study was conducted to test the hypothesis, that the processes involved in the translocation of N differed between two sorghum lines, China 17, a N-efficient genotype, and Tx623, a less efficient genotype, during their ontogenetic development. Both cultivars were grown in the field and periodically sampled to determine the amount of N in above-ground parts of the plants, i.e. stalk, leaves, and grain. Compartmental modeling, which is based on sets of differential equations that describe the flow of material through compartments, was used as the basis for analysis of the rates and rate constants of N which had moved among parts of the plant. Compartmental models are relatively simple, systematic mathematical representations that can be used to aid in understanding how different plant parts influence plant-N dynamics. China 17's rate constants between upper parts of the stalk and between the upper stalk and grain were larger in the earlier part of the season and became smaller toward the end than Tx623 meaning that China 17 was more capable of moving N to the upper parts of the plant earlier in the season than was Tx623. However, no differences in rate constants were detected for stalk to leaves and within leaves rate constants, meaning that the N-movement processes in the leaves were essentially the same between the two genotypes. The model also detected pseudo-compartments associated with the upper leaves in both genotypes which indicated that there are several processes or other rate-controlling factors associated with N flow in the leaves. A multi-compartmental model, based on rather simple assumptions and which only required N for each plant part over time, was used to describe N translocation between plant parts for two different sorghum genotypes. The model was able to detect fundamental differences between the genotypes in terms of N translocation processes, however more work is needed to understand the physiological processes underlying the results.