Controlling ammonia volatilization from urea surface applied to sugar beet on a calcareous soil

Abstract

The extent of ammonia (NH₃) volatilization from surface‐applied urea to sugar beet and effects of NBPT [N‐(n‐butyl) thiophosphoric triamide] PG (phosphogypsum), PR (by‐product‐pyrite) and KCl (potassium chloride) on NH₃ volatilization, nitrogen (N) content of leaf blades and petioles, sugar, amine N, and refined sugar contents, and root and refined sugar yields were determined in the field. Total NH₃ loss varied from 7.0% to 23.6% depending on the compounds incorporated with urea and rate of addition. With respect to unamended urea, 540 kg KCl/ha, 1000 kg phosphogypsum/ha, and 1000 kg pyrite/ha increased NH₃ loss by 86.7%, 40.1%, and 36.2%, respectively, but the other treatments decreased the loss. The highest reduction of NH₃ loss was found with 0.5% of NBPT by 44.5%. The NBPT, KCl, and PG treatments increased both root and refined sugar yields compared with urea alone. The highest refined sugar yield and lowest NH₃ volatilization loss was obtained with 0.5 % of NBPT treatment.     

太湖水稻土麦季尿素氨挥发损失

Ammonia volatilization losses from urea applied as a basal fertilizer and a top dressing at tillering stage in a wheat field of Taihu Region, China, were measured with a micrometeorological technique. Urea as fertilizer was surface broadcast at 81 (low N) and 135 (high N) kg N ha-1 as basal at the 3-leaf stage of the wheat seedling on December 2002, and 54 (low N) and 90 (high N) kg N ha-1 as top dressing on February 2003. Ammonia volatilization losses occurred mainly in the first week after applying N fertilizer and mainly during the period after basal fertilizer application, which accounted for more than 80% of the total ammonia volatilization over the entire wheat growth period. Regression analysis showed that ammonia volatilization was affected mainly by pH and NH4^ -N concentration of the surface soil and air temperature.Ammonia volatilization flux was significantly correlated with pH and NH4^ -N concentration of the surface soil and with daily air average temperature and highest temperature. Thus, application of urea N fertilizer to wheat should consider the characteristics of ammonia volatilization in different periods of N application so as to reduce ammonia losses.     

表施尿素的冬小麦土壤氨挥发损失

Ammonia volatilization was measured with a continuous air flow enclosure method from a winter wheat field in the Experimental Farm of Jurong Agricultural School to investigate its main influencing factors. The experiment with five treatments in triplicate, no N (control), 100, 200 and 300 kg N ha^-1 with rice straw cover at a rate of 1 500 kg ha^-1 and 200 kg N ha^-1 without rice straw, started when the winter wheat was sown in 1994. Sixty percent of the total amount of N applied was basal and 40% was top-dressed. The measurement of ammonia volatilization was immediately conducted after urea was top-dressed on soil surface at wheat elongation stage in spring of 1996 and 1997. The results showed that there was a diurnal variation of ammonia volatilization rate from the winter wheat field, which synchronized with air temperature. N losses through ammonia volatilization increased with increasing N application rate, but the ratio of N lost through ammonia volatilization to applied N was not significantly affected by N application rate. The coverage of rice straw had no significant effect on ammonia volatilization. Soil moisture and rain events after urea was top-dressed affected ammonia volatilization significantly.     

Diffusion of urea, ammonium and soil alkalinity from surface applied urea

A model for predicting the concentration profiles of urea, ammonium and soil pH in a soil column following diffusion from a surface application of urea is developed, using independently derived parameters, and tested experimentally. The following processes within the model were studied separately under the same conditions as those in the diffusion run. The rate of urea hydrolysis as a function of substrate concentration and pH in the soil solution, and the sorption of urea and ammonium by the soil from solution. A theory for the propagation of changes of pH in soils was applied to describe the diffusion of soil alkalinity arising from urea hydrolysis. These processes were linked by three diffusion equations—for urea, NH₄ and soil alkalinity, which were solved numerically using finite difference methods. There was good agreement between experimental and predicted concentrations of urea and NH₄, and soil pH values at the two times tested.     

Ammonia loss following surface application of urea fertilizers to a calcareous soil

Abstract

N loss by volatilization was measured for surface‐applied granular urea and ammonium nitrate, liquid urea‐ammonium nitrate and liquid acid urea in closed containers. Urea‐containing fertilizers lost between 10 and 451 of the N added within 10 days. The presence of a straw mulch accentuated the losses. N volatilization losses from acid urea solutions were significantly less than from granular urea. Addition of water following surface application of granular urea significantly reduced the loss of N as ammonia from the soil. The results of this laboratory study indicate that use of acid urea for surface application of N fertilizers may reduce N volatilization losses relative to granular urea, but losses still exceed those from ammonium nitrate.     

基于文献分析的北方冬麦田氨挥发特性

中国北方地区是冬小麦-夏玉米种植体系的主要集约化农业区,过去30多年间化学氮肥投入量大和肥料利用率低的现象较为普遍,氨挥发等农业面源污染严重,需要对冬小麦生长过程中的氨挥发规律及测定方法等进行系统研究。该研究对1980年至2018年的华北平原冬小麦氨挥发文献进行研究总结,采用回归方程和T检验等统计学方法分析了不同施氮水平、施肥时期和测定方法对冬小麦氨挥发的影响。研究发现,随着化肥施氮量的增加,冬小麦氨挥发累积量呈现指数函数增加趋势(y=2.64e0.006 6x),净氨挥发量呈现幂函数增加特征(y=0.004 8x1.358 9)。不考虑激发效应的净氨挥发量比考虑激发效应的高估约21.8%。冬小麦生产中,基追比为1∶1的情况下,基肥期氨挥发量显著高于追肥期氨挥发量(P<0.05),占整个生育期氨挥发量分别为58.7%和41.3%。在180 kg/hm2氮肥水平时,海绵吸收法与真空抽气法测定的氨挥发数量无显著性差异。冬小麦季的氨挥发控制,应该重点通过优化氮肥施用数量,主要在基肥期进行控制。田间生产中,采用海绵吸收法和真空抽气法监测氨挥发应考虑不同施肥水平下的高估。     

冬小麦对铵态氮和硝态氮的响应

在陕西省永寿县和河南省洛阳市分别设置了11和7处大田试验,分5层采集0~100 cm土壤样品并测定其起始硝态氮含量。永寿试验设7个处理,分别为不施氮,硝态氮、铵态氮品种、硝态氮与铵态氮2∶1组合各2个处理;洛阳试验设6个处理(硝态氮肥只有1个品种),施氮处理均施N 150 kg hm-2,研究小麦对铵态氮和硝态氮肥响应的差异及其与不同深度土层硝态氮累积量的关系。试验表明,同一形态不同氮肥品种之间的增产差异显著低于不同形态之间的差异。比较不同形态氮肥的小麦产量、增产量和增产率的平均值,硝态氮肥最高,硝态氮、铵态氮组合次之,铵态氮最低。氮肥增产量和增产率随土壤累积硝态氮量增加而显著下降;累积量越低,氮肥增产效果越突出,硝态氮的效果也越显著。由此可见,土壤累积的硝态氮量是决定氮肥肥效的主要因子,也是决定不同形态氮素效果的主要因子。只有在硝态氮累积量低的土壤上,氮肥才能充分发挥作用,硝态氮也才能表现出明显的优势。     

氮肥增效剂对石灰性潮土氨挥发及冬小麦产量的影响

石灰性土壤由于偏碱性的特点容易发生氨挥发,严重的氨挥发会导致氮肥资源的浪费,而且会污染大气环境。在河南省许昌市的石灰性潮土上开展小麦季氮肥增效剂应用效果试验,氮肥用量180 kg/hm2,研究4个肥料处理：无化肥氮（CK）、常规尿素（U）、脲酶抑制剂尿素（URI）和硝化抑制剂尿素（NIF）对华北典型石灰性潮土冬小麦整个生育期氨挥发及小麦产量的影响。结果表明,各处理土壤氨挥发速率峰值均出现在小麦播种施肥后第3周,其大小顺序为：U>NIF>URI>CK。U处理下的土壤氨挥发速率峰值比NIF处理和URI处理分别高2.27%和21.84%,NIF处理比URI处理土壤氨挥发速率峰值高19.13%;而小麦整个生育期氨挥发累积量的大小顺序为：NIF>U>URI>CK。整个小麦生育期,3个施氮处理氨挥发损失量均较低,仅为施氮量的1.18%～1.58%。与常规尿素U处理相比,URI处理与NIF处理氨挥发均无显著降低或增加,但NIF比URI显著增加了氨挥发量。与U处理相比,URI处理和NIF处理显著提高小麦的穗数、千粒重和产量,其中URI处理比U处理产量和氮肥利用率分别...     

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.     

改性尿素硝酸铵溶液调控氮素挥发和淋溶的研究

为了提高肥料的利用率,以尿素硝酸铵溶液为原料、聚氨酸为保护剂,复合抑制剂NBPT(N-丁基硫代磷酰三胺)和DMPP(3,4-二甲基吡唑磷酸盐)为材料,开发出改性尿素硝酸铵溶液(YUL1和YUL2),研究其对华北平原夏玉米追肥过程中的氨挥发和淋溶损失的调控效果。田间试验设置6个处理:不施氮肥(CK)、农民习惯追施尿素(CN)、优化追施尿素(CNU)、优化追施尿素硝酸铵溶液(UAN)、优化追施改性尿素硝酸铵溶液(YUL1)和优化追施改性尿素硝酸铵溶液(YUL2)。采用扫描电镜和能谱仪分析相关指标变化,在夏玉米喇叭口期追施氮肥后15d内进行田间原位连续动态观测氨挥发和土壤铵态氮和硝态氮变化,并在玉米成熟期测定产量,计算经济效益。结果表明,改性尿素硝酸铵溶液清澈无杂质,流延后成膜表面光滑、致密,抑制剂在膜表面分布均匀;能谱测试膜层表面磷硫含量增高,证明复合抑制剂与尿素硝酸铵溶液达到有效融合。在同等优化施氮量下:与CNU相比, YUL1氨挥发总量显著降低19.3%, YUL2增加9.6%;与UAN相比, YUL1、YUL2分别显著降低57.3%和42.0%。与其他施氮处理相比, YUL1和YUL2夏玉米季生长中后期0～20 cm土层依然保持相对较高的氮素含量水平,夏玉米收获后土壤硝态氮含量分别比CNU高46.0%和43.4%,比UAN高45.6%和44.7%;180～200cm土层硝态氮含量显著低于其他处理。在保证产量和净收益的同时,改性尿素硝酸铵肥料显著降低了氮素的氨挥发和淋溶损失浓度,尿酶抑制剂含量相对较高的YUL1抑制氨挥发的效果更好,硝化抑制剂含量相对高的YUL2硝态氮向下淋失的风险更小。     

Reactions of urea phosphate in calcareous and alkaline soils: I. Ammonia volatilization

Abstract

Nitrogen (N) loss in the form of volatilized ammonia (NH₃) is a considerable problem when ammonium (NH₄ ⁺⁾ forming fertilizers are applied to calcareous or alkaline soils. The volatilization of NH₃ from urea phosphate (UP) and urea (U) was studied on three selected soils (Hayhook SL, Laveen L, and Latene L) with the use of a laboratory aeration system. Urea phosphate and U were each applied at rates of 0, 50, 100, and 200 mg N kg^‐1 soil, either to the surface dry or in solution or mixed with the soil. The volatilized NH₃ was trapped in sulfuric acid, sampled periodically, and analyzed for N with the semi microkjeldahl distillation apparatus.

The highest N loss in the form of NH₃ occurred when U was applied to Hayhook soil (neutral to acidic, coarse textured, and low CaCO₃ content). However, UP applied to Hayhook soil resulted in the lowest NH₃‐N loss. Less NH₃‐N loss was found from U application to Laveen and Latene soils (fine textured with higher CaCO₃ content) than with Hayhook soil. The general trend was higher N loss when a surface application was made, either dry or in solution, than when the fertilizer was mixed with the soil. This trend showed an increase in the amount of volatilized NH₃ with increasing N application rates.

Generally, UP is a potential fertilizer for supplying N and phosphorus (P) as plant nutrients with a low potential for losses due to NH₃ volatilization.     

Effect of timing of simulated rainfall on ammonia volatilization from urea, applied to soil of varyingmoisture content

Ammonia volatilization from granular urea applied at 10gNm⁻² to pasture was investigated using an enclosure method. Misting 0, 4 or 16 mm of water on to the soil at field capacity within 3 h of urea application resulted in total NH₃ losses of 2.81, 0.92 and 0.18 g N m⁻² respectively. Further delaying the watering reduced this effect until at 48 h, volatilization was lowered from 3.33 to only 3.09gNm⁻² with 16mm of water. Hydrolysis and NH₃ loss were rapid. Similar trends occurred at a lower initial soil moisture content.
On air-dry soil (0.06 g H₂O/g soil), hydrolysis was slow (73 ± 14% of the urea remained after 30 days) and volatilization, while gradual, accounted for 33% of applied urea-N after 30 days. Addition of 16 mm of water 48 and 96 h after urea application was followed by a period of rapid hydrolysis and volatilization, resulting in a total loss of 2.59 and 2.40gNm⁻² respectively. Repeated addition of 2mm of water produced bursts of hydrolysis and NH₃ loss until completion of hydrolysis when additional water had no effect. A total loss after 30 days of 3.94 g N m⁻² occurred in this 2 mm treatment.     

典型双季稻田基施碳酸氢铵和尿素的氨挥发损失研究

采用密闭室连续抽气法研究了湖南典型双季稻田,尿素和碳酸氢铵基施后的氨挥发特征。结果表明,基施碳酸氢铵(NC)稻田初始氨挥发强度和氨挥发总量大于基施尿素(UR)稻田。早稻季NC处理稻田氨挥发排放量为45.19 kg·hm-2,损失率达30.12%,UR处理氨挥发排放量为32.93 kg·hm-2,损失率达21.95%;晚稻季NC处理稻田氨挥发排放量为70.91 kg·hm-2,损失率达31.93%,UR处理氨挥发排放量为61.78 kg·hm-2,损失率达27.04%。基施尿素能够显著降低稻田氨挥发排放,减少氮素损失。     

Effect of ammonium fertilizer on NH3 loss and Ca,Mg, ammonium and nitrate content in a calcareous soil solution

Summary This study examined the effects of NH _inf4 ⁺ fertilizers [(NH₄)₂SO₄, (NH₄)₂HPO₄, CO(NH₂)₂, NH₄OH, and NH₄NO₃] on NH₃ loss and the quantity of Ca + Mg, NH _inf4 ⁺ and NO _inf3 ^sup– in the solution of a calcareous soil (Harkey sicl, Typic Torrifluvent). Various NH₄ fertilizers applied at a depth of 5 cm in the soil produced differing NH₃ loss characteristics. Applying (NH₄)₂SO₄ (AS) resulted in high volatile NH₃ losses as compared with NH₄OH (AH) and (NH₄)₂CO₃ (AC). The AS treatment formed an equal molar amount of CaSO₄, which increased the mobility of ammonium, while AH and AC treatments caused Ca precipitation and decreased ammonium mobility. Leaching the AS system before NH₃ loss could occur resulted in the most rapid nitrification rate. Lower nitrification rates were found with AH and AC than AS under the same conditions. Surface placement of NH₄ fertilizers resulted in variable leachate contents of Ca + Mg. Ammonium sulfate reacted with CaCO₃ either to solubilize some Ca + Mg or simply to replace exchangeable Ca + Mg with NH₄, while AH, AC, and (NH₄)₂HPO₄ (DAP) precipitated essentially an equivalent molar amount of soluble and adsorbed Ca + Mg. Use of NH₄NO₃, which does not form an insoluble calcium precipitate, resulted in the leaching of an equivalent molar amount of exchangeable Ca + Mg from the Harkey soil.The authors are Professor and former laboratory technician, respectively, at Texas A&M Research Center at El Paso, 1380 A&M Circle, El Paso, TX 79927, USA     

典型红壤区稻田树脂包膜控释氮肥氨挥发研究

本文研究了红壤水稻土上,树脂包膜尿素(控释N肥)和普通尿素施用后氨挥发损失的过程及数量。结果表明:①基施后2～4天内和追施后的1～2天内,控释N肥氨挥发通量相对普通尿素处理均有下降,下降幅度分别为28.57%和25.00%;控释N肥氨挥发峰值分别于基肥后第5天和追肥后第4天出现,均滞后于普通尿素处理。②追肥2天后,控释N肥氨挥发通量极显著高于普通尿素处理。因此,只有采取合理的基施方式,控释N肥才能比普通尿素发挥更大的环境效益。     

尿素硝铵溶液对冬小麦产量及土壤无机氮含量的影响

采用田间试验,研究了尿素硝铵溶液(UAN)对河北省中低产田冬小麦产量、氮肥利用率及氮素平衡的影响。研究结果表明:施用氮肥能够显著增加冬小麦的穗粒数,进而显著提高本区域冬小麦籽粒产量;等氮量的UAN和尿素处理下,小麦籽粒产量无明显差异;UAN减氮20%(80%OPT-UAN)处理下,冬小麦产量略有降低,但未达到显著水平;等氮量处理间冬小麦各氮肥利用率均无明显差异;80%OPT-UAN处理下的冬小麦氮肥农学效率、氮肥偏生产力和氮肥利用率均表现为最高,且氮肥偏生产力较OPT-UAN处理显著提高20.6%;同等氮素施用量下,与尿素相比,UAN处理的土壤氮素残留量较低,而植株吸氮量没有显著差异,由此推断整个土壤-作物系统的氮素损失量较高。综上,尿素硝铵溶液在本研究区的应用效果同尿素相近,本研究结果为河北平原区中低产麦田优化施肥及UAN的科学施用提供理论依据。     

Nitrification in forest soil of different pH as affected by urea,ammonium sulphate and potassium sulphate

Nitrification was inhibited by ammonium sulphate and potassium sulphate added to soil from the organic horizon (pH 4.7) of a Myrtillus-type pine forest. Urea did not inhibit nitrification. Soil pH was slightly decreased by the salts but increased by urea. The salts increased soil electrical conductivity more than urea did. The inhibition of nitrification following salt treatments was probably due to a decrease in soil pH and not to osmotic effects. In acid conditions, the salts had a less inhibitory effect on CO₂ production than on nitrification, indicating that nitrifying bacteria were more sensitive than other organisms to the salts.     

Ammonia volatilization following surface application of urea to tilled and no-till soils: A laboratory comparison

Broadcasting of urea to agricultural soils can result in considerable losses by NH₃ volatilization. However, it is unclear if the impact of this practice on NH₃ emissions is further enhanced when performed on no-till (NT) soils. The objective of this study was to compare NH₃ volatilization following broadcasting of urea to NT and moldboard plowed (MP) soils. Intact soil cores were taken shortly after harvest from NT and MP plots of three long-term tillage experiments in Québec (Canada) and stored for 4.5 months prior to incubation. Urea (14 g N m⁻²) was applied at the soil surface and NH₃ volatilization was measured for 30 d using an open incubation system. Mean cumulative NH₃ losses were greater (P < 0.001) in NT (3.00 g N m⁻²) than in MP (0.52 g N m⁻²). Several factors may have contributed to the higher emissions from the NT soils. Urease activity in the top 1 cm of soils was on average 4.2 times higher in NT than in MP soils. As a result, hydrolysis of urea occurred very rapidly in NT soils as indicated by enhanced NH₃ emissions 4 h after application of urea. The presence of crop residues at the surface of NT soils also decreased contact of the urea granules with the soil, possibly reducing adsorption of NH₄⁺ on soil particles. Lower volatilization on the MP soils may also have partly resulted from a fraction of urea granules falling into shallow cracks. Field trials are needed to confirm our finding that NT soils bear greater potential for NH₃ volatilization following surface application of urea than MP soils.     

灌溉与非灌溉条件下黄淮冬麦区不同追氮时期农田土壤氨挥发损失研究

采用通气法研究了灌溉与非灌溉条件下黄淮冬麦区农田氨挥发损失.结果表明,非灌溉条件下,麦田追肥氮的氨挥发主要发生在施肥后的5～25d内,追氮时期由起身期(SE,GS30)推迟到拔节期(JT,GS32),追肥氮的氨挥发速率峰值增大且出现时间提前;继续推迟至孕穗期(BT,GS41),氨挥发速率峰值减小.SE、JT和BT三个追氮时期的氨挥发损失量分别占追肥氮的24.84％～25.32％、25.42％～25.50％和14.77％～16.62％.灌溉(60mm)条件,不论何时追氮,麦田追肥氮氨挥发速率均变化较小,氨挥发损失量在N 0.40～0.55 kg/hm2之间,仅占追肥氮的0.36％～0.49％.非灌溉条件,氨挥发速率与0-10 cm土层土壤铵态氮浓度呈极显著的正相关关系;灌溉条件,氨挥发速率与10-20 cm土壤浓度呈极显著的正相关关系.土壤温度和降水是影响氨挥发的重要因素.此外,氨挥发还与农田土壤表面的通气状况有关,多穗型小麦品种更有利于减少麦田氨挥发的损失.