Comparison of biological and chemical methods to predict nitrogen mineralization in animal wastes

Summary Biological and chemical methods to predict the level of plant-available N in animal manure were investigated under laboratory and growth-chamber conditions. Two biological methods (maize cultivation in pots and incubation of soil-waste mixtures) and four chemical methods (N extraction by autoclaving, 0.5 N KMnO₄, pepsin, and 6 N HCl) were compared for their accuracy in determining the availability of N in 10 samples of animal manure applied to soil. The autoclaving, permanganate, and pepsin methods were able to predict N availability in this group of wastes. Total N mineralized in a soil amended with different samples of animal manure ranged from 0 to 311 mg N kg^-1 soil. Expressed as a percentage of organic N added to the soil, mineralized N range from 0 to 39%. The poultry manure samples gave higher mineralization rates than the other types of manure tested. In general, mineralized N became immobilized during the incubation process, except for the second poultry manure sample, which showed an initially rapid then a a slow release of mineral N, and pig manure sample 2, which showed a slow initial rate, followed by a rapid increase, and then a slow rate of N release. The first-order exponential model used was able to describe the pattern of N mineralization in pig manure sample 2, poultry manure sample 2 but not the other samples.     

Comparison of chemical methods of assessing potentially available organic nitrogen in soil

Abstract

We recently developed two rapid and precise chemical methods of assessing potentially available organic N in soils. One method involves determination of the ammonia‐N produced by steam distillation of the soil sample with pH 11.2 phosphate‐borate buffer solution for 8 min. The other involves determination of the ammonium‐N produced by treatment of the soil sample with 2M KCl solution at 100°C for 4 hours. Studies using 33 Brazilian soils showed that the results obtained by these methods were highly correlated with those obtained by anaerobic and aerobic incubation methods of assessing potentially available organic N in soil.

The two methods were further evaluated by applying them to 30 Iowa soils and by comparing their results and those obtained by other chemical methods with the results of the incubation methods considered to be the best laboratory methods currently available for assessment of potentially available organic N in soil. The chemical methods used included the acid KMnO₄ method, the alkaline KMnO₄ method, the CaCl₂‐autoclave method, and the NaHCO₃ UV method. The incubation methods used involved determination of the ammonium‐N produced by incubation of the soil sample under anaerobic conditions for 1 week or determination of the (ammonium + nitrate + nitrite)‐N produced by incubation of the sample under aerobic conditions for 2 and 12 weeks. The data obtained showed that the results of the two chemical methods evaluated were highly correlated with those obtained by the incubation techniques used for comparison and that the correlations observed with these two methods were higher than those observed with the previously proposed chemical methods. It is concluded that these two rapid and simple methods are the best chemical methods thus far developed for laboratory assessment of potentially available organic N in soil.     

Chemical estimation of nitrogen mineralization in paddy rice soils: I. Comparison to laboratory indices

Abstract

A reliable, rapid procedure for estimating native soil nitrogen (N) mineralization potential in paddy rice (Orysa sativa L.) has eluded researchers. While several have been proposed, no technique has been sufficiently reproducible to be implemented in any soil testing program. Therefore, the objective was to develop a chemical extraction procedure as an index to estimate N mineralization in silt.loam rice soils of the Southern United States Rice Belt. Samples of silt loam soils were collected from strategic locations throughout the rice‐growing region of Arkansas during 1990 and 1991. Anaerobic incubations were performed as an index of potentially mineralisable N. Extraction with acidified potassium permanganate (KMnO₄), acidified potassium dichromate (K₂Cr₂O₇), hydrochloric acid (HCl), and oxalic acid [(COOH)₂], were evaluated at extractant:soil ratios ranging from 5:1 to 1:1. Also, distillation of centrifuged extracts (SUP) was compared to distilling the entire soil‐solution suspension (TOT). The acidified KMnO₄ and acidified K₂CnO₇ extractions gave the best overall indices of N availability. The acidifed KMnO₄ and acidified K₂Cr₂O₇ sucessfully predicted N mineralization at all ratios evaluated. A significant relationship with anaerobic incubation was observed for all HCl TOT ratios evaluated, except the 3:1 in 1991. The HCl SUP methods were not significant for all soils evaluated. The oxalic acid TOT extractable ammonium‐nitrogen (NH₄+‐N) was significantly related to anaerobic incubation. More N was extracted with the TOT methods than SUP methods, probably due to alkaline hydrolysis during distillation of TOT methods. Oxidation with KMnO₄ released the most N, while HCl and oxalic acid extracted the least.     

Comparison of Chemical Methods for Assessing Nitrogen Mineralization in Two Calcareous Soils Treated with Organic Materials

Reliable and quick methods for measuring nitrogen (N)–supplying capacities of soils (NSC) are a prerequisite for using N fertilizers. This study was conducted to develop a routine method for estimation of mineralizable N in two calcareous soils (sandy loam and clay soils) treated with municipal waste compost or sheep manure. The methods used were anaerobic biological N mineralization, mineral N released by 2 M potassium chloride (KCl), ammonium (NH₄ ⁺) N extracted by 1 N sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄), NH₄ ⁺-N extracted by acid potassium permanganate (KMnO₄), and NH₄ ⁺-N released by oxidation of soil organic matter using acidified potassium permanganate. The results showed that oxidizable N extracted by acid permanganate, a simple and rapid measure of soil N availability, was correlated with results of the anaerobic method. Oxidative 0.05 N KMnO₄ was the best method, accounting for 78.4% of variation in NSC. Also, the amount of mineralized N increased with increasing level of organic materials and was greater in clay soil than sandy loam soil.     

Assessing chemical soil tests for predicting nitrogen mineralization in paddy soils of the Dongting Lake region in China

Purpose

Developing routine methods that accurately predict soil nitrogen (N) mineralization is essential for fertilization recommendation; thus, chemical soil testing has received worldwide attention. However, the optimal chemical soil test for predicting soil N mineralization is region specific. This study aimed to determine suitable chemical soil tests for predicting N mineralization in paddy soils of the Dongting Lake region, China.

Materials and methods

Composite surface samples (0–20 cm) of soils (n?=?30) with diverse inherent properties were collected from representative paddy fields across the region. The benchmark indices for soil N mineralization were the net mineralization rate of soil N in a 112-day anaerobic incubation under waterlogged conditions (NMRN₁₁₂) and N mineralization potential (N _o ) estimated using a modified double exponential model. Laboratory-based measurements of soil labile organic N (SLON) were conducted using chemical fractionation methods including 0.01 M NaHCO₃ extraction, hot 2 M KCl hydrolysis, phosphate-borate (PB) buffer hydrolysis, acidic KMnO₄ oxidation, and alkaline KMnO₄ oxidation. These were compared with the benchmark indices to assess their suitability for use as indicators for N mineralization.

Results and discussion

Acidic KMnO₄-oxidative organic N (acidic KMnO₄-N) and PB buffer-hydrolysable organic N (PB_HYDR-N) correlated strongly with NMRN₁₁₂ and N _o (r?=?0.825–0.884, P?<?0.001, n?=?30). Grouping of soils based on soil texture generally provided no improvement in the relationships of chemical soil tests with NMRN₁₁₂ and N _o . Multiple stepwise regression analysis indicated that combining acidic KMnO₄-N and PB_HYDR-N yielded the best prediction of soil N mineralization, explaining 86.1 and 85.5 % of the variation in NMRN₁₁₂ and N _o , respectively, of the 30 tested paddy soils.

Conclusions

The results of acidic KMnO₄-N and PB_HYDR-N as indicators for soil N mineralization were promising, and the operations of acidic KMnO₄ oxidation and PB buffer hydrolysis procedures are simple and cost-effective. Therefore, a combination of acidic KMnO₄-N and PB_HYDR-N shows promise in predicting N mineralization in paddy soils of the Dongting Lake region. However, further calibration through field studies is required and the chemical characteristics of acidic KMnO₄-N and PB_HYDR-N needs to be further clarified.

     

Effects of organic and mineral amendments on available P and phosphatase activities in a degraded Mediterranean soil under short-term incubation experiment

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of mineral and organic-P-fertilizers on soil P availability, bacteria densities and phosphatase activities, in a degraded Mediterranean soil characterized by low level in soil organic matter and nutrients. A typical degraded Mediterranean soil, originating from a siliceous mineral parent material, was amended with different organic or mineral P-sources: aerobically digested sewage sludge (SS), with or without physico-chemical treatment by ferric chloride; sewage sludge compost (SSC); Na or K mineral P-salts (Pi-salts). All the amendments were carried out in order to provide soil with a P total quantity equivalent to 0.5 g P₂O₅/kg of soil. Bacterial density, phosphatase activities (i.e. acid (APH) and alkaline (BPH) phosphomonoesterases and phosphodiesterases), BPH/APH ratio, and available P (P Olsen) were measured after 25 and 87 days of incubation. Results showed that all the P-sources used to fertilize soil during this study resulted in significant increase in P concentration. However, different responses in phosphatase activities and bacterial densities were obtained with regards to the amendment applied to soil. Indeed, it appeared clearly that sewage sludge (SS) considerably stimulated soil biological activity, and more especially the different kinds of phosphatases involved in P mineralization and P turn-over. On the contrary, sewage sludge compost (SSC) as well as P-salts amendments did not affected these parameters in most cases. Results showed also that the incubation time influenced almost all the biological and chemical parameters investigated during this study. As a consequence, P availability was considerably improved in the amended soils between the two sampling dates.     

Nitrogen‐Supplying Capacity of Soils for Rice and Wheat and Nitrogen Availability Indices in Soils of Northwest India

Abstract

Quantitative assessment of soil nitrogen (N) that will become available is important for determining fertilizer needs of crops. Nitrogen‐supplying capacity of soil to rice and wheat was quantified by establishing zero‐N plots at on‐farm locations to which all nutrients except N were adequately supplied. Nitrogen uptake in zero‐N plots ranged from 41.4 to 110.3 kg N ha^?1 for rice and 33.7 to 123.4 kg N ha^?1 for wheat. Availability of soil N was also studied using oxidative, hydrolytic, and autoclaving indices, salt‐extraction indices, light‐absorption indices, and aerobic and anaerobic incubation indices. These were correlated with yield and N uptake by rice and wheat in zero‐N plots. Nitrogen extracted by alkaline KMnO₄ and phosphate borate buffer and nitrogen mineralized under aerobic incubation were satisfactory indices of soil N supply. For rice, 2 M KCl and alkaline KMnO₄ were the best N‐availability indices. Thus, alkaline KMnO₄ should prove a quick and reliable indicator of indigenous soil N supply in soils under a rice–wheat cropping system.     

Arginine ammonification and L‐glutaminase assays as rapid indices of corn nitrogen availability

Increasing use of N fertilizer for crop production necessitates more rapid estimates on N provided by the soil in order to prevent under‐ or overfertilization and their adverse effect on plant nutrition and environmental quality. A study was conducted to investigate the responses of arginine ammonification (AA), L‐glutaminase activity (LG), soil N–mineralization indices, corn (Zea mays L.) crop–yield estimation, and corn N uptake to application of organic amendments. The relationships between corn N uptake and the microbial and enzymatic processes which are basically related to N mineralization in soil were also studied. The soil samples were collected from 0–15 cm depth of a calcareous soil that was annually treated with 0, 25, or 100 Mg ha^–1 (dry‐weight basis) of sewage sludge and cow manure for 7 consecutive years. Soil total N (TN), potentially mineralizable N (N₀), and initial potential rates of N mineralization (kN₀) were significantly greater in sewage sludge–treated than in cow manure–treated soils. However, the amendment type did not influence soil organic C (SOC), AA, LG, and anaerobic index of N mineralization (N_ana). The application rates proportionally increased N‐availability indices in soil. Corn N concentration and uptake were correlated with indices of mineralizable N. A multiple stepwise model using AA and N_ana as parameters provided the best predictor of corn N concentration (R = 0.86, p < 0.001). Another model using only LG provided the best predictor of corn N uptake (R = 0.78, p < 0.001). This results showed that sewage‐sludge and cow‐manure application is readily reflected in certain soil biological properties and that the biological tests may be useful in predicting N mineralization and availability in soil.     

The effect of organic amendments on mineral phosphate fractions in calcareous soils

Organic amendments considerably affect nutrient balance and interfraction mobility of nutrients by influencing the chemical, physical, and biological environment in soils. In this study, the effects of five amendments including: two composts, farmyard manure, packaging‐industry by‐product, and olive‐mill waste on time‐dependent interfraction mobility of P among mineral P fractions in two semiarid‐region soils differing in carbonate content and texture were investigated. Organic materials were applied at the rate of 0, 25, 50, and 100 g (kg soil)^–1 soil thoroughly mixed and incubated at 27°C ± 2°C for 110 d. Phosphorus fractions were sequentially extracted by 0.1 M NaOH + 1 M NaCl (NaOH‐P), citrate‐bicarbonate‐dithionite (CBD‐P), and 0.5 M HCl (Ca‐P). Results showed that organic amendments especially farmyard manure significantly influenced NaOH‐P, CBD‐P, and Ca‐P. In addition, higher application rates of organic residues increased NaOH‐P fraction. NaOH‐P and CBD‐P fractions were increased after addition of organic residues and then converted to Ca‐P fraction within the end of incubation period. Increasing application rate of organic residues allowed P to be retained in more labile fractions for a longer period. The amount of Ca‐P was found to be related with carbonate content of soils. It can be concluded that organic residues applied to calcareous soils may enhance P nutrition of agricultural plants.     

Changes in sorghum production,soil P forms and P use efficiency following long-term application of manure,compost and straw in a Ferric Lixisol

Low phosphorus availability in cultivated soils limits sustainable crop production in sub‐Saharan Africa. This study aimed at evaluating the effect of long‐term application of different types of organic amendments on soil P forms, P use efficiency and sorghum yields. A long term experiment established in 1980 at Saria in Burkina Faso, comparing the effects of manure, compost and sorghum straw was used. Manure and compost significantly increased organic P and resin‐P by about 35% and 64%, respectively after 10 and 32 years of sorghum cultivation, and HCl‐P after 32 years of cultivation compared to the control. Manure significantly increased NaHCO₃-Pi and NaOH-Pi by 63% and 26%, respectively compared to the control. Sorghum straw had little effect on measured soil P forms. Manure and compost were the best in increasing sorghum grain yield, which effect were strongly correlated to soil pH, carbon and nitrogen. The partial factors productivities of P resulting from the application of studied organic amendments were similar and low, but significantly higher than that of the control treatment. Organic amendments with high P content, maintaining soil carbon and pH could be used to improve soil P availability, sorghum yield and reduce the demand for mineral phosphorus fertilizers.     

Phosphorus characterization of manure composts and combined organic fertilizers by a sequential‐fractionation method

Characterization of the forms of phosphorus (P) in organic soil amendments was conducted by sequential P fractionation. More than 60% of total P was inorganic P (P_i). The major P_i forms in the cattle‐manure composts were NaHCO₃‐ and HCl‐extractable P fractions. HCl‐extractable P_i was the predominant P form and a considerable proportion of the total P was present in the HCl‐extractable organic P fraction in the poultry manure composts and combined organic fertilizers.     

Nitrogen‐uptake by plants following soil incubation

Abstract

Many methods of evaluating organic soil nitrogen (N) mineralization and N availability indexes have been proposed. Chemical methods are more rapid but they do not measure the soil microorganisms and plant root activities. Incubation‐leaching procedure may remove some of the readily mineralizable soil organic N compounds. Continuous‐incubation procedure may sometimes increase soil acidity or cause toxins accumulation. The objective of this study was to determine, in a greenhouse experiment, the relative capabilities of 10 soils with organic matter (O.M.) content ranging from 2.38 to 8.63% to supply plant‐available N by combining two procedures, i.e., soil incubation and plant N‐uptake. In method one (M₁), N‐uptake by 3 successive oat crops of 8 weeks each, without soil preincubation was studied. Method two (M₂) involved a soil preincubation of 8 weeks, and the subsequent determination of N‐uptake by two successive crops of oats (Avena sativa L.) of 8 weeks each. No soil‐leaching was used. The results show that there was a large difference in plant N‐uptake according to soil organic matter. The highest correlation between soil O.M. and plant N‐uptake (r = 0.91**) was given by the first crop following incubation. The N‐uptake by the first crop in M₁ (without soil incubation) was much less correlated with soil O.M. (r = 0.74*) and was significantly influenced by soil initial NO₃ and NH₄‐N. The results of this study show that the preincubation of soil samples minimized the influence of soil initial mineral N and that a preincubation was necessary before the plant N‐uptake measurement, even on a 8‐week cropped soil period.     

Potential of Chemically Labile Fractions to Measure Mineralizable Soil Nitrogen

Nitrogen (N) in the soil is largely organic and is available to crops only after it is mineralized to inorganic N by microbial or enzyme action. To develop a soil test for guiding N applications, a method to predict the relative amount of organic N that will mineralize in a growing season is necessary. Several chemical analysis methods proposed in the literature to measure mineralizable N were examined for chemical interference, measurement precision, response to procedure modifications, and ability to distinguish differences among soils. The chemical analyses examined involved various acid or alkaline hydrolysis, with the resulting inorganic ammonium N measured by steam distillation and manual or automated diffusion. A gelatinous precipitate in the filtered and neutralized 6 M hydrochloric acid (HCl) hydrolysis solution interfered with magnesium oxide (MgO) diffusion traditionally used to measure inorganic ammonium N. Removing the precipitate appeared to circumvent the interference. The precipitate did not appear to interfere with the sodium hydroxide (NaOH) diffusion. The 6 M HCl hydrolysis extracted 34 to 103% of clay‐fixed ammonium in the soils. Steam distillation was shown to be an acceptable alternative to diffusion for measuring NaOH‐labile N. The vigor of NaOH measurement conditions caused differences in results, showing that precise and reproducible conditions are necessary. Several methods were closely correlated (r² > 0.62) with N mineralized during aerobic incubations and could be considered for further evaluation for soil N testing. This study showed that modifications are required to several proposed analytical methods to improve their potential to estimate mineralizable N for fetilizer or other amendment recommendations for crop production     

Changes in soil–biological quality indices after long‐term addition of shredded shrubs and biogenic waste compost

Long‐term effects on soil chemical and soil biological properties were analyzed after an 8 y period with addition of biogenic household‐waste compost and shredded shrubs with and without N fertilization to an arable field. The addition of compost and shredded shrubs to soil increased significantly all soil organic matter–related properties. The effects of compost addition on soil chemical properties were in most cases stronger than those of adding shredded shrubs, especially the effects on total N, 0.5 M K₂SO₄‐extractable C_org and 0.5 M NaHCO₃‐extractable phosphate. In the shredded‐shrubs treatments, basal respiration and the contents of soil microbial‐biomass C, biomass N, and fungal ergosterol were significantly increased by 40%, 45%, 67%, and 90%, respectively. In the compost treatment, only microbial‐biomass C and biomass N were significantly increased by 25% and 38%, respectively. Microbial‐biomass P remained unaffected by both organic‐amendment treatments. Nitrogen fertilization had significantly negative effects on the NaHCO₃‐extractable P fraction (–22%) and on the basal respiration (–31%), but positive effects on the ergosterol content (+17%).     

Predicting Nitrogen and Carbon Mineralization of Composted Manure and Sewage Sludge in Soil

The capability of organic wastes to release available N in soil varies largely, depending on their source and form of production, or rather on their composition and biodegradability. Our purpose was to predict mineralization rates of different materials using their analyses joined with a simulation model, and to evaluate the influence of soil type and application rate of the organic materials on N and C transformations in soil. Four organic materials, sewage sludge (SS), sewage sludge compost (SSC), cattle manure compost (CMC), hen and cattle manure compost (HCMC), were applied to two soils at rates of 2 and/or 4%. The soils were incubated aerobically for 168 days at 30°C, during which CO₂ evolution rates and mineral-N concentrations were measured periodically. Hot water extractable C and N of all organic amendments correlated well with short term C and N mineralization, except HCMC that immobilized N although its soluble N content was large. NCSOIL, a computer model that simulates C and N cycling in soil with organic amendments, predicted well C and N mineralization of SS, SSC and CMC when considered as three-pool materials that decomposed at specific rates of 0.4, 0.024 and 10^?4 d^?1, using hot water soluble C and N as the labile pool. N immobilization by HCMC could be simulated only if the distribution of N between the labile and resistant pools was derived by optimization of NCSOIL, while hot water soluble C was labile. Laboratory methods to determine an intermediate pool or components that contribute to immobilization are required for improving the predictions of C and N mineralization from organic amendments.     

Organic amendments differ in their effect on microbial biomass and activity and on P pools in alkaline soils

Organic amendments could be used as alternative to inorganic P fertilisers, but a clear understanding of the relationship among type of P amendment, microbial activity and changes in soil P fractions is required to optimise their use. Two P-deficient soils were amended with farmyard manure (FYM), poultry litter (PL) and biogenic waste compost (BWC) at 10 g?dw?kg^?1 soil and incubated for 72 days. Soil samples were collected at days 0, 14, 28, 56 and 72 and analysed for microbial biomass C, N and P, 0.5 M NaHCO₃ extractable P and activity of dehydrogenase and alkaline phosphomonoesterase. Soil P fractions were sequentially extracted in soil samples collected at days 0 and 72. All three amendments increased cumulative CO₂ release, microbial biomass C, N and P and activity of dehydrogenase and alkaline phosphomonoesterase compared to unamended soils. The increase in microbial biomass C and N was highest with PL, whereas the greatest increase in microbial biomass P was induced with FYM. All three biomass indices showed the same temporal pattern, with the highest values on day 14 and the lowest on day 72. All amendments increased 0.5 M NaHCO₃ extractable P concentrations with the smallest increase with BWC and the greatest with FYM, although more P was added with PL than with FYM. Available P concentrations decreased over time in the amended soils. Organic amendments increased the concentration of the labile P pools (resin and NaHCO₃-P) and of NaOH-P, but had little effect on the concentrations of acid-soluble P pools and residual P except for increasing the concentration of organic P in the concentrated HCl pool. Resin P and NaHCO₃-P_i pools decreased over time whereas NaOH-P_i and all organic P pools increased. It is concluded that organic amendments can provide P to plants and can stimulate the build-up of organic P forms in soils which may provide a long-term slow-release P source for plants and soil organisms.     

Response of labile organic C and N pools to plastic film removal from semiarid farmland soil

To examine the effects of plastic film removal on grain yield and soil organic matter (SOM), a spring maize (Zea may L.) field experiment was conducted for 5 yr at Changwu Agricultural and Ecological Experimental Station of Northwest China. Compared with traditional plastic film mulching during entire growing stages (FM), plastic film removal at the silking stage (RM) resulted in a 6.3% higher average maize yield. Under the RM treatment, soil organic carbon and total nitrogen significantly increased after the 5‐yr cultivation in the 0‐ to 20‐cm layer. Significant increases in extractable organic C (EOC), KMnO₄‐oxidizable C (KMnO₄‐C) and C management index (CMI) in the 0‐ to 20‐cm layer, and light fraction organic C and EOC in the 20‐ to 40‐cm layer were observed in response to plastic film removal after the 1‐yr treatment; the responses were more significant after 5 yr. Under the RM treatment, significant increases in microbial biomass C, light fraction organic N, extractable organic N, KMnO₄‐C and CMI were also observed after five years in the 20‐ to 40‐cm layer. Moreover, KMnO₄‐C and EOC were much more sensitive than other labile SOM fractions to the application of RM, even after only 1 yr of cultivation. Therefore, compared with mulching for the whole growing season, plastic film removal at the maize silking stage is an effective option for increasing yields and enhancing SOM concentration and soil sustainability in the regions with semiarid monsoon climates that have sufficient rainfall during maize reproductive stages.     

Peanut Straw Decomposition Products Promoted by Chemical Additives and Their Effect on Enzymatic Activity and Microbial Functional Diversity in Red Soil

ABSTRACT

The objectives of the present study were to determine the promotional effect of chemical additives on quality of peanut straw decomposition products and to evaluate the influence of the resulting products on soil biological properties. Straw was mixed with or without chemical additives, such as iron(II) sulfate (FeSO₄), alkali slag, or FeSO₄ combined with alkali slag, and decomposed for 50 days. The decomposition products were used as organic fertilizer and added to red soil for an incubation experiment. The chemical additives increased total organic carbon (C), total nitrogen (N), and available N content but decreased the C:N ratios in decomposition products compared to controls. Adding FeSO₄ gave the highest humic acid content (HA, 30.34 g kg^?1) and ratio of humic to fulvic acid (HA/FA, 0.53) and the lowest ratio of HA absorption value at 465 nm to that at 665 nm (E₄/E₆, 6.05), suggesting high humification of decomposition products. Application of the resulting products to soil increased soil urease and invertase activities. BIOLOG analysis showed that microbial C utilization ability, Shannon–Weaver diversity, and McIntosh evenness indexes were improved by the organic fertilizer promoted by chemical additives. Principal component analysis indicated that microbial community structures were also influenced by different amendments in decomposition products. Our study provides a reference point for acquiring high quality straw compost and improving soil biological functions by organic fertilizer.     

Nonhydrolyzable forms of soil organic nitrogen: Extractability and composition

The chemical identity of organic nitrogen (N) containing compounds in soils is only partially known, because 20—35% of soil N can not be hydrolyzed and identified by wet‐chemical methods. Therefore a new methodology for investigations of the extractability and composition of nonhydrolyzed N was developed using a combination of selective extraction, wet‐chemical analyses and pyrolysis‐mass spectrometry. Residues of organic matter hydrolysis with 6 M HCl from particle‐size separates and whole soils of five sites in Thyrow, 2 × Halle, Lauterbach and Bad Lauchstädt (Germany) were treated with dithionite/citrate/bicarbonate (DCB) to remove pedogenic oxides and bound N‐containing compounds. Between 13 and 61% (mean 34 ± 13%) of nonhydrolyzed N (N_nhydr) was extracted with DCB. For all particle‐size separates, there was a close positive correlation between the contents of nonhydrolyzed N and DCB extractable Al and Fe, respectively. Univariate analysis of variance and Pearson correlation coefficients showed that the specific surface areas of samples were the major factor determining the contents of N_nhydr. About 30—50% of the variation in N_nhydr could be explained by the variation in the contents of pedogenic oxides. In the DCB extraction residues an additional portion of 12 to 66% of N was hydrolyzed by 6 M HCl. About 75% of total N in the DCB extracts was hydrolyzed, and 29% was identified as α‐amino‐N. Amino acid analysis showed that the DCB extracts from clay and fine silt contained all amino acids characteristic of soils. Pyrolysis‐field ionization mass spectrometry (Py‐FIMS) of a freeze‐dried DCB extract indicated the presence of peptides (about 5% of total ion intensity) and heterocyclic N‐containing compounds (about 3% of total ion intensity). In summary, these results provide evidence that organic‐mineral bonds at reactive surfaces (silicates, pedogenic oxides, alkali‐extractable organic substances) are the main factors for the nonhydrolyzability of significant amounts of organic N, including peptides. It is concluded that the processes of trapping and binding of proteinaceous compounds proceed as postulated for recent models of soil organic matter (SOM) and soil particles. Molecular mechanics calculations show large gaps between SOM and the mineral matrix and as well as fine pores and voids in SOM which have a strong potential to occlude and bind peptides (hydrogen bonds).     

Comparison of Chemical Methods of Assessing Potentially Available Organic Nitrogen from Organic Residues Applied to a Sandy Soil

Abstract

More than 90% of the nitrogen (N) in soils is bond as organic N compounds. The available N can be estimated on the mineral N released during time‐consuming incubations of soil. Several chemical methods have been developed as substitutes for incubations. On the other hand, there has been an increase in waste production. Residues could potentially offset the need for mineral fertilizers, being both an economic and environmental benefit. Thus, the development of a routine method for prediction of N supply both from soil organic matter (SOM) and the application of organic residues is of great interest. An incubation experiment was performed in a Cambic Arenosol to evaluate different chemical methods. Air‐dried soil was mixed with increasing amounts of composted solid municipal waste, secondary pulp‐mill sludge, hornmeal, poultry manure, the solid phase from pig slurry, and composted pig manure. Samples were incubated for 244 days under a controlled environment. Among the chemical extractants studied, hot 2 M potassium chloride (KCl) and hot 0.01 M calcium chloride (CaCl₂) showed promise in indicating values of N₀ (potentially available nitrogen), and these simple methods are suitable for use in routine laboratory conditions.