施入~(15)N标记氮肥在长期不同培肥土壤的残留及其利用

采用盆栽试验和短期矿化培养相结合的方法,研究了施入15N标记氮肥(+N)及其与秸秆配施(+1/2N+1/2S)在3种长期(19年)不同培肥土壤(即:No-F,长期不施肥土壤;NPK,长期施用NPK化肥土壤;MNPK,长期有机无机肥配施土壤)中的残留及其矿化和作物吸收特性。结果表明,第一季小麦收获后,+1/2N+1/2S处理下三供试土壤和+N处理下的NPK和MNPK土壤残留肥料氮(残留15N)中有82.6%~95.1%以有机态存,而+N处理下No-F土壤残留15N有47.7%以矿质态存在。经过28 d矿化培养后,与NPK土壤相比,MNPK土壤氮素净矿化量显著增加,增幅为39%~49%;NPK和MNPK土壤残留肥料氮(残留15N)矿化量为1.23~1.90 mg kg-1,占总残留15N的2.78%~5.53%,均显著高于No-F土壤。与+N处理相比,+1/2N+1/2S处理显著提高了3供试土壤氮素净矿化量,但两施肥处理对NPK和MNPK土壤残留15N矿化量无显著影响。+N处理下No-F土壤残留15N的利用率为20%,显著高于NPK(9%)和MNPK(12%)土壤。两种施肥处理下,MNPK土壤残留15N的利用率均显著高于NPK土壤。短期培养期间土壤氮素矿化量和第二季小麦生育期作物吸氮量呈显著性正相关,而残留15N矿化量和第二季小麦吸收残留15N量间无显著性相关关系。长期有机无机配施可以提高土壤残留肥料氮的矿化量及有效性。     

Climatic conditions and crop‐residue quality differentially affect N,P, and S mineralization in soils with contrasting P status

The substitution of the widely practiced crop‐residue burning by residue incorporation in the subtropical zone requires a better understanding of factors determining nutrient mineralization. We examined the effect of three temperature (15°C, 30°C, and 45°C) and two moisture regimes (60% and 90% water‐filled pore space (WFPS)) on the mineralization‐immobilization of N, P, and S from groundnut (Arachis hypogae) and rapeseed (Brassica napus) residues (4 t ha^–1) in two soils with contrasting P fertility. Crop‐residue mineralization was differentially affected by incubation temperature, soil aeration status, and residue quality. Only the application of groundnut residues (low C : nutrient ratios) resulted in a positive net N and P mineralization within 30 days of incubation, while net N and P immobilization was observed with rapeseed residues. Highest N and P mineralization and lowest N and P immobilization occurred at 45°C under nearly saturated soil conditions. Especially net P mineralization was significantly higher in nearly saturated than in aerobic soils. In contrast, S mineralization was more from rapeseed than from groundnut residues and higher in aerobic than in nearly saturated soil. The initial soil P content influenced the mineralization of N and P, which was significantly higher in the soil with a high initial P fertility (18 mg P (kg soil)^–1) than in the soil with low P status (8 mg P (kg soil)^–1). Residue‐S mineralization was not affected by soil P fertility. The findings suggest that climatic conditions (temperature and rainfall‐induced changes in soil aeration status) and residue quality determine N‐ and S‐mineralization rates, while the initial soil P content affects the mineralization of added residue N and P. While the application of high‐quality groundnut residues is likely to improve the N supply to a subsequent summer crop (high temperature) under aerobic and the P supply under anaerobic soil condition, low‐quality residues (rapeseed) may show short‐term benefits only for the S nutrition of a following crop grown in aerobic soil.     

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.     

N mineralization process of the surface soils under shifting cultivation in northern Thailand

N mineralization process (ammonification plus nitrification) in the surface 0-5 cm soil layers under shifting cultivation in northern Thailand was studied. Labile pool of organic matter extracted with a K₂S0₄ solution at 1l0°C in an autoclave (fraction A) or by shaking at room temperature (fraction B) was used as factor to evaluate the N mineralization process which was examined in an incubation experiment. In the soils, in which the N mineralization pattern was fitted to a first order kinetics model, the content of (organic + NH₄ ⁺)-N in fraction B determined the initial rate of N mineralization. The soils, which showed a short lag time of less than 7 d both in the N mineralization and nitrification processes, had a high ratio of organic C to (organic + NH₄ ⁺)-N in fraction B, exceeding the value of 7. The soils, which showed a long lag time of more than 7 d only in the nitrification process, had a low pH(KCI) (less than 4.2). Thus, the rate of N mineralization was affected by the labile pool in fraction B or soil pH. On the other hand, there was a correlation between the N ₀ + N _max (inorganic N at 0 d + maximum amount of mineralizable N) value and the labile pool in the fraction A, suggesting that the N ₀ + N _max value depended on the contents of the labile pool.     

NITROGEN USE EFFICIENCY IN UPLAND RICE GENOTYPES

Nitrogen (N) deficiency is one of the most yield-limiting nutrients in upland rice growing regions word wide. A greenhouse experiment was conducted with the objective to evaluate nineteen upland rice (Oryza sativa. L.) genotypes for N use efficiency. The soil used in the experiment was an Oxisol and two N levels used were without N application (low level) and an application of 400 mg N kg^?1 of soil (high level). Grain yield and yield components and N uptake parameters were significantly affected by N and genotype treatments. Regression analysis showed that plant height, shoot dry weight, number of panicles per pot, number of grains per panicle, grain harvest index, N uptake in shoot and grain were having significant positive relation with grain yield. Nitrogen concentration of 6.4 g kg^?1 in the shoot is established as deficient level and 9.5 g kg^?1 as sufficient level at harvest. Agronomic efficiency of N (grain yield/unit of N applied) and N utilization efficiency (physiological efficiency X apparent recovery efficiency) were significantly different among genotypes. These two N use efficiencies were having significant quadratic relationship with grain yield. Soil pH, exchangeable soil Ca and base saturation were having significantly positive association with grain yield. However, soil extractable phosphorus (P), potassium (K), hydrogen (H⁺), aluminum (Al) and cation exchange capacity were having significantly negative association with grain yield.     

旱地土壤的供氮潜力

对潮土、黄褐土、黄棕壤和红壤旱地的供氮潜力进行研究的结果表明,矿化势(No)变化于60340mgkg-1之间,矿化速率常数(K)0.00556-0,01280d-1,矿化势(No)、矿化速率常数(K)和矿化量(Nt)与土壤供氮量均呈显著相关,说明No、Nt和K是土壤供氮潜力的重要参数。这些参数与土壤全氮、有机质、有机氮、易分解有机质、C/N等土壤组成性质密切相关。测定表明,供试土壤粘土矿物多以2:1型为主,土壤固定态铵多在100mgkg-1以上,有部分可重新释放出来,是研究土壤供氮潜力时不容忽视的因素。     

有机肥和化肥长期配合施用对土壤及不同粒级供氮特性的影响

通过间隙淋洗培养试验 ,研究水旱轮作下有机肥与化肥长期配合施用后土壤及不同粒级中氮的矿化特性。结果表明 ,经 14年 2 9茬连续施肥后土壤氮素矿化势明显增加 ,不同处理间的顺序为 :猪粪 化肥 (3 10mgkg- 1) >秸秆 化肥 (2 98mgkg- 1) >化肥 (2 76mgkg- 1) >对照 (2 0 4mgkg- 1)。长期施肥对土壤氮素矿化速率常数影响较小 ,反映了在相同土壤条件下有机氮矿化的共性。经 16周连续培养各处理土壤氮素的矿化率均在 17%左右。土壤不同粒级中氮的矿化量和矿化势均为 0～ 2 μm >2～ 10 μm >50～ 10 0 μm >10～ 50 μm ,有机肥与化肥长期配合施用显著增加了 0～ 2和 2～ 10 μm粒级氮的矿化势和矿化量。与盆栽试验结果相比 ,培养过程矿化释放的氮明显高于同期土壤的供氮量 ,表明在使用矿化氮评价土壤供氮能力时必须加以矫正。     

长期施肥对土壤氮矿化的影响

Two field experiments were conducted in Jiashan and Yuhang towns of Zhejiang Province, China, to study the feasibility of predicting N status of rice using canopy spectral reflectance. The canopy spectral reflectance of rice grown with different levels of N inputs was determined at several important growth stages. Statistical analyses showed that as a result of the different levels of N supply, there were significant differences in the N concentrations of canopy leaves at different growth stages. Since spectral reflectance measurements showed that the N status of rice was related to reflectance in the visible and NIR （near-infrared） ranges, observations for rice in 1 nm bandwidths were then converted to bandwidths in the visible and NIR spectral regions with IKONOS （space imaging） bandwidths and vegetation indices being used to predict the N status of rice. The results indicated that canopy reflectance measurements converted to ratio vegetation index （RVI） and normalized difference vegetation index （NDVI） for simulated IKONOS bands provided a better prediction of rice N status than the reflectance measurements in the simulated IKONOS bands themselves. The precision of the developed regression models using RVI and NDVI proved to be very high with R2 ranging from 0.82 to 0.94, and when validated with experimental data from a different site, the results were satisfactory with R2 ranging from 0.55 to 0.70. Thus, the results showed that theoretically it should be possible to monitor N status using remotely sensed data.     

Nitrogen and carbon mineralization of semi-arid shrubland soil exposed to long-term atmospheric nitrogen deposition

Anthropogenic N-deposition represents a significant input of N into semi-arid chaparral and coastal sage scrub (CSS) shrublands of southern California. High levels of atmospheric N deposition have the potential to increase soil C and N mineralization, and we hypothesize that semi-arid shrubland soil exposed to long-term (decades) high N deposition will have significantly higher C and N mineralization potentials. This hypothesis was tested in a laboratory incubation where the inorganic N (NH₄+NO₃) and CO₂ production of soils maintained at a constant temperature of 25°C and a soil moisture of 0.25 g H₂O/g (65% water-filled pore space) were sampled sequentially over a 50-week period. The temporal trend in cumulative C and N mineralization was well described by a first- and zero-order model, respectively. Long-term atmospheric N deposition significantly increased potential N mineralization but not C mineralization, and both the rate and total N mineralization were significantly positively correlated with the surface (0–10 cm) soil δ ¹⁵N natural abundance and negatively correlated with the surface soil C:N ratio. While the incubation techniques used here do not provide realistic estimates of in situ C or N mineralization, these assays indicate that atmospheric N deposition has significantly altered ecosystem N storage and cycling.     

Effect of plant material parameters on nitrogen mineralization in a mollisol

Abstract

The introduction of plant materials into a soil can impact the nitrogen (N) status and the fertilizer requirement for agronomic crop production. Consequently, an accurate estimate of N mineralization from soil organic matter and incorporated plant material is necessary to adequately make a N fertilizer recommendation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of plant parameters including type, size, incorporation rate, and time after incorporation on N mineralization and to derive localized values for parameters in a widely used potential N mineralization model. Soil from the Ap horizon of a Latahco silt loam was amended with alfalfa (Medicago saliva L.), spring pea (Pisum sativum L.), and winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) plant materials sized to either <1,1 to 2, or > 2 mm at rates of 0, 2, 4, and 6%. The soils were incubated at 35°C for 20 weeks. The inorganic N in soils was removed by leaching with 100 mL 0.001M CaCl₂ in 5‐ to 10‐mL intervals followed by 25 mL of a nutrient solution devoid of N (0.002M CaSO₄; 0.002M MgSC>₄; 0.005M Ca(H₂PO₄)2; and 0.0025M K₂SO₄) at 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, and 20 weeks. The main effects of plant material type (PM), size (S), incorporation rate (R), and incubation time (T) and many 2‐, 3‐, and 4‐factor interactions on N mineralization were statistically significant at P=0.05. Based on w ², incubation time (T), and incorporation rate (R) were the two most important factors affecting N mineralization. The amount of N mineralized increased exponentially with increasing time and linearly with the incorporation rate. In addition, the incorporation of plant material not only increased potentially mineralizable N by as much as 5.1 times but also accelerated N mineralization in soil by increasing the N mineralization rate constant 75%.     

Carbon and nitrogen mineralization dynamics in different soils of the tropics amended with legume residues and contrasting soil moisture contents

Seasonal drought in tropical agroecosystems may affect C and N mineralization of organic residues. To understand this effect, C and N mineralization dynamics in three tropical soils (Af, An₁, and An₂) amended with haricot bean (HB; Phaseolus vulgaris L.) and pigeon pea (PP; Cajanus cajan L.) residues (each at 5 mg g⁻¹ dry soil) at two contrasting soil moisture contents (pF2.5 and pF3.9) were investigated under laboratory incubation for 100–135 days. The legume residues markedly enhanced the net cumulative CO₂–C flux and its rate throughout the incubation period. The cumulative CO₂–C fluxes and their rates were lower at pF3.9 than at pF2.5 with control soils and also relatively lower with HB-treated than PP-treated soil samples. After 100 days of incubation, 32–42% of the amended C of residues was recovered as CO₂–C. In one of the three soils (An₁), the results revealed that the decomposition of the recalcitrant fraction was more inhibited by drought stress than easily degradable fraction, suggesting further studies of moisture stress and litter quality interactions. Significantly (p < 0.05) greater NH₄⁺–N and NO₃⁻–N were produced with PP-treated (C/N ratio, 20.4) than HB-treated (C/N ratio, 40.6) soil samples. Greater net N mineralization or lower immobilization was displayed at pF2.5 than at pF3.9 with all soil samples. Strikingly, N was immobilized equivocally in both NH₄⁺–N and NO₃⁻–N forms, challenging the paradigm that ammonium is the preferred N source for microorganisms. The results strongly exhibited altered C/N stoichiometry due to drought stress substantially affecting the active microbial functional groups, fungi being dominant over bacteria. Interestingly, the results showed that legume residues can be potential fertilizer sources for nutrient-depleted tropical soils. In addition, application of plant residue can help to counter the N loss caused by leaching. It can also synchronize crop N uptake and N release from soil by utilizing microbes as an ephemeral nutrient pool during the early crop growth period.     

YIELD AND YIELD COMPONENTS OF UPLAND RICE AS INFLUENCED BY NITROGEN SOURCES

Ammonium sulfate and urea are main sources of nitrogen (N) for annual crop production in developing countries. Two greenhouse experiments were conducted using ammonium sulfate and urea as N sources for upland rice grown on a Brazilian Oxisol. The N rates used were 0, 50, 100, 150, 3000, and 400 kg N kg^?1 of soil. Yield and yield components were significantly increased in a quadratic fashion with increasing N rate. Ammonium sulfate X urea interaction was significant for grain yield, shoot dry matter yield, panicle number, plant height and root dry weight, indicating a different response magnitude of these plant parameters to two sources of N. Based on regression equation, maximum grain yield was achieved with the application of 380 mg N kg^?1 by ammonium sulfate and 271 mg N kg^?1 by urea. Grain yield and yield components were reduced at higher rates of urea (>300 mg kg N) but these plant parameters’ responses to ammonium sulfate at higher rates was constant. In the intermediate N rate range (125 to 275 mg kg^?1), urea was slightly better compared to ammonium sulfate for grain yield. Grain yield was significantly related with plant height, shoot dry weight, panicle number, grain harvest index and root dry weight. Hence, improving these plant characteristics by using appropriate soil and plant management practices can improve upland rice yield.     

Winter cover cropping influence on nitrogen mineralization,presidedress soil nitrate test,and corn yields

The mineralization and availability of cover crop N to the succeeding crop are critical components in the management of soil N to reduce N leaching. The effects of several leguminous and non-leguminous cover crops on soil N availability, N mineralization potential, and corn (Zea mays L.) yield were examined. The cover crops had variable effects on soil N availability and corn yield and N uptake. Because of the rapid mineralization of the cover crops following incorporation, the inorganic N levels in the soil sampled in mid-May 1992 (4 weeks after incorporation of cover crops), rather than the potentially mineralizable N, rate constants, initial potential mineralization rate, or cumulative N mineralized over 14 weeks, correlated well with N concentrations, C:N ratios, or the N added in the cover crops. However, the inclusion of potentially mineralizable N with inorganic N in a multiple regression improved the variability in the corn yield and the N uptake accounted for. Since extensive mineralization had occurred before the 21 May sampling, the potentially mineralizable N was affected more by the soil organic N and C than by the N concentrations of the cover crops. The presidedress NO₃ ^--N test levels were well predicted by the inorganic and potentially mineralizable N (R ²=0.89, P<0.01), although the test levels were better in predicting corn yield and N uptake. If the available soil N test needs to be made earlier than recommended by the presidedress NO₃ ^--N test, both inorganic and potentially mineralizable N are needed to better predict the corn yield and N uptake in the soils.     

Comparative Study on Disturbed and Undisturbed Soil Sample Incubation for Estimating Soil Nitrogen-Supplying Capacity

Application of nitrogen (N) fertilizers without knowing the N-supplying capacity of soils may lead to low N use efficiency, uneconomical crop production, and pollution of the environment. Based on the results from pot experiments treated with soil initial nitrate leaching and native soil, long-term alternate leaching aerobic incubation was conducted to study the disturbed and undisturbed soil N-supplying capacity of surface soil samples in 11 sites with different fertilities on the Loess Plateau. The results indicated that the entire indexes and ryegrass (Lolium perenne) uptake N with soil initial nitrate leaching showed a better correlation than that without soil initial nitrate leaching. Except the correlation coefficients for soil initial nitrate (NO₃ ^?)-N and mineral N extracted by calcium chloride (CaCl₂) before aerobic incubation with ryegrass uptake without soil initial nitrate leaching, the correlation coefficients for soil initial NO₃ ^?-N and mineral N extracted by CaCl₂ before aerobic incubation with ryegrass uptake with soil initial nitrate leaching and those for mineralizable N extracted by aerobic incubation, soil initial mineral N and mineralizable N extracted by aerobic incubation, potentially mineralizable N (N₀) and soil initial mineral N + N₀ with ryegrass uptake N under the two cases in disturbed treatment were all higher than those in undisturbed treatment. We concluded that NO₃ ^?-N in soil extracted by CaCl₂ before aerobic incubation can reflect soil N-supplying capacity but cannot reflect soil potential N-supplying capacity. Without soil initial nitrate leaching, the effect of disturbed and undisturbed soil samples incubated under laboratory conditions for estimating soil N-supplying capacity was not good; however, with soil initial nitrate leaching, this method could give better results for soil N-supplying capacity. Based on the results from pot experiments treated with soil initial nitrate leaching and native soil, the mineralization of disturbed soil samples can give provide better results for predicting soil N-supplying capacity for in situ structure soil conditions on the Loess Plateau than undisturbed soil samples.     

Estimation of nitrogen and sulfur mineralization in soils amended with crop residues contributing to nitrogen and sulfur nutrition of crops in the North Central U.S

Predicting nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) mineralization of crop residues from the preceding crop might be a useful tool for forecasting soil N and S availability. Two soils from eastern North Dakota and three crop residues – corn, spring wheat, and soybean were used in an 8-week incubation study to estimate N and S mineralization from crop residues. The cumulative N and S mineralized were fit to a first-order kinetic model. Cumulative N mineralized ranged between 0.34 and 2.15 mg kg^?1 and 0.45 to 3.41 mg kg^?1 for the Glyndon and Fargo soils, respectively. Un-amended soils showed higher N mineralization than residue treated soils. For S, the highest mineralization occurred in un-amended Glyndon soil and in spring wheat-amended Fargo soil. This study indicates that crop residue additions can have a negative impact on plant available nutrients due to immobilization of N and S during the time when crops need the nutrients most.     

Mineralization of soil organic nitrogen solubilized by aqua ammonia fertilizer

Organic N solubilized by NH_3(aq) was extracted from ¹⁵N-labelled or unlabelled soil, concentrated and added to non-extracted soil, which was incubated under aerobic conditions at 27±1°C. Gross N mineralization, gross N immobilization, and nitrification in soils with or without addition of unlabelled soluble organic N were estimated by models based on the dilution of the NH ₄ ⁺ or NO _inf3 ^sup- pools, which were labelled with ¹⁵N at the beginning of incubation. Mineralization of labelled organic N was measured by the appearance of label in the mineral N pool. Although gross N mineralization and gross N immobilization were increased in two soils between day 0 and day 7 following addition of unlabelled organic N solubilized by NH_3(aq), there was no increase in net N mineralization. Solubilization of ¹⁵N-labelled organic N increased and the ¹⁵N enrichment of the soluble organic N decereased as the concentration of NH_3(aq) added increased. A constant proportion of approximately one-quarter of the labelled organic N added at different rates to non-extracted soil was recovered in the mineral N pool after an incubation period of 14 days, and the availability ratios calculated from net N mineralization data were 1.1:1 and 2.1:1 for 111 and 186 mg added organic-N kg^-1 soil, respectively, indicating that the mineralization of organic N was increased by solubilization.     

Mineralization and Nutrient Release of an Organic Fertilizer Made by Flour,Meat, and Crop Residues in Two Vineyard Soils with Different pH Levels

The mineralization and nutrient evolution of an organic fertilizer compost of flour, meat, and crop residues was evaluated in two vineyard soils. A lysimetric testing, using 2.2-L Büchner funnels, was carried out to study the evolution of pH, electrical conductivity, and nutrients during the 400-day experiment. The net mineralization for two different doses of the fertilizer mixed with the soils was compared with an unfertilized control. The pH value of the acidic soil decreased to values less than 4.5 because of the yield of hydrogen (H⁺) in the organic fertilizer mineralization, whereas the soluble aluminium (Al³⁺) increased quickly in the leachates. The mineralization process was quicker in the alkaline soil (with a maximum mineralization rate of 0.83 mg nitrogen (N) kg^?1 day^?1 for the 8 Mg ha^?1 dose and 0.43 mg N kg^?1 day^?1 for the 4 Mg ha^?1 dose) in comparison with the acidic soil, which reduced these rates up to 50%. The N-nitrate (NO₃) amounts yielded in a year were 150 and 79 kg N ha^?1 for the 8 and 4 Mg ha^?1 doses respectively in the alkaline soil, enough to cover the vineyard N demand. These values were reduced to 50% and 60% of N-NO₃ for the acidic soil, indicating the important effect of pH in the mineralization.     

Sulphur mineralization kinetics as influenced by soil properties

A 10-week laboratory study, using an open incubation technique, was carried out to determine net sulphur (S) mineralization potentials of soil samples obtained from some representative soils in Tuscany, Italy. The time-course of organic S mineralization in the soils was analyzed by fitting the experimental values to three kinetic models (first-order, first-order E, zero-order). The first-order model was found to be the most suitable because it provided the best fit to the experimental data and for its simplicity. Potentially mineralized S (S ₀) values ranged from a minimum of 13.6 to a maximum of 50.7 mg kg⁻¹ soil and the mineralization rate k varied from 0.111 to 0.615 week⁻¹. It was also positively related to organic C, N, and S, protease, arylsulphatase, and dehydrogenase activities. The mineralization rate did not show any significant relationship with soil properties.     

Response of rice to increasing nitrogen rates in five soils with different mineralizable nitrogen levels

Rice is one of the essential foods of the human diet and advances in agronomic crop management, such as nitrogen (N) rate management, can improve productivity and profitability and reduce adverse environmental impacts. Nitrogen fertilization rates in Chile are generally based on crop yield without considering the soil's capacity to supply it. Five rice soils of the Inceptisol, Alfisol, and Vertisol orders in central Chile were incubated at 20°C for 21 d in the 2011–2012 season, and their N mineralization capacity was determined before sowing the rice crop. These soils were cropped in field conditions with rice fertilized with 0, 80, and 160 kg N ha^?1; grain yield, harvest index, and grain sterility were determined. Mineralized N was associated with some chemical properties of each soil, and with the response to N rates in grain yield and grain sterility. Results indicated that the N rates to be used in rice must consider soil N mineralization capacity and crop yield potential. Finally, the best response to the N rates used in this study and the effect on both harvest index and grain sterility was achieved with 80 kg N ha^?1.     

Effect of soil characteristics on N mineralization capacity in 112 native and agricultural soils from the northwest of Spain

N mineralization capacity and its main controlling factors were studied in a large variety (n=112) of native (forest, bush) and agricultural (pasture, cultivated) soils from several climatic zones in Spain. The available inorganic N content, net N mineralization, and net N mineralization rate were determined after 6 weeks of aerobic incubation. NH _inf4 ^sup+ –N largely predominated over NO _inf3 ^sup- -N (ratio near 10:1) except in some agricultural soils. Net N mineralization predominated (83% of soils) over net N immobilization, which was more frequent in agricultural soils (25%) than in native soils (9%). In forest soils, both net N mineralization and the net N mineralization rate were significantly higher than in the other soil groups. The net N mineralization rate of pasture and cultivated soils was similar to that of bush soils, but available inorganic N was lower. The net N mineralization rate decreased in the order: soils over acid rocks>soils over sediments>soils over basic rocks or limestone; moreover, the highest net N mineralization and available inorganic N were found in soils over acid rocks. The highest N mineralization was found in soils with low C and N contents, particularly in the native soils, in which N mineralization increased as the C:N ratio increased. N mineralization was higher in soils with a low pH and base saturation than in soils with high pH and base saturation values, which sometimes favoured N immobilization. Soils with an Al gel content of >1% showed lower net N mineralization rates than soils with Al gel contents of <1%, although net N mineralization and available inorganic N did not differ between these groups. The net N mineralization rate in silty soils was significantly lower than in sandy and clayey soils, although soil texture only explained a low proportion of the differences in N mineralization between soils.