scholarly journals Estimating Nitrogen Availability of Heat-Dried Biosolids

2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Craig G. Cogger ◽  
Andy I. Bary ◽  
Elizabeth A. Myhre
Keyword(s):  
Pacific Northwest ◽  
Festuca Arundinacea ◽  
Nitrogen Availability ◽  
N Uptake ◽  
Forage Yield ◽  
Fertilizer Efficiency ◽  
N Availability ◽  
Total N ◽  
Available N ◽  
Growing Seasons

As heat-dried biosolids become more widely produced and marketed, it is important to improve estimates of N availability from these materials. Objectives were to compare plant-available N among three different heat-dried biosolids and determine if current guidelines were adequate for estimating application rates. Heat-dried biosolids were surface applied to tall fescue (Festuca arundinaceaSchreb.) in Washington State, USA, and forage yield and N uptake measured for two growing seasons following application. Three rates of urea and a zero-N control were used to calculate N fertilizer efficiency regressions. Application year plant-available N (estimated as urea N equivalent) for two biosolids exceeded 60% of total N applied, while urea N equivalent for the third biosolids was 45%. Residual (second-year) urea N equivalent ranged from 5 to 10%. Guidelines for the Pacific Northwest USA recommend mineralization estimates of 35 to 40% for heat-dried biosolids, but this research shows that some heat-dried materials fall well above that range.

scholarly journals Evaluation of nitrogen availability indices and their relationship with plant response on acidic soils of India

2013 ◽  
Vol 59 (No. 6) ◽  
pp. 235-240 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bordoloi LJ ◽  
Singh AK ◽  
Manoj-Kumar ◽  
Patiram ◽  
S. Hazarika
Keyword(s):  
Nitrogen Availability ◽  
N Uptake ◽  
Reliable Estimate ◽  
Plant Responses ◽  
N Availability ◽  
Soil N ◽  
Acidic Soils ◽  
Total N ◽  
Large Variability ◽  
Available N

Plant&rsquo;s nitrogen (N) requirement that is not fulfilled by available N in soil has to be supplied externally through chemical fertilizers. A reliable estimate of soil N-supplying capacity (NSC) is therefore essential for efficient fertilizer use. In this study involving a pot experiment with twenty acidic soils varying widely in properties, we evaluated six chemical indices of soil N-availability viz. organic carbon (C<sub>org</sub>), total N (N<sub>tot</sub>), acid and alkaline-KMnO<sub>4</sub> extractable-N, hot KCl extractable-N (KCl-N) and phosphate-borate buffer extractable-N (PBB-N), based on their strength of correlation with available-N values obtained through aerobic incubation (AI-N) and anaerobic incubation (ANI-N), and also with the dry matter yield (DMY), N percentage and plant (maize) N uptake (PNU). In general, the soils showed large variability in NSC as indicated by variability in PNU which ranged from 598 to 1026 mg/pot. Correlations of the N-availability indices with AI-N and ANI-N decreased in the order: PBB-N (r = 0.784** and 0.901**) &gt; KCl-N (r = 0.773** and 0.743**) &gt; acid KMnO<sub>4</sub>-N (r = 0.575** and 0.651**) &ge; C<sub>org</sub> (r = 0.591** and 0.531**) &ge; alkaline KMnO<sub>4</sub>-N (r = 0.394** and 0.548**) &gt; N<sub>tot</sub> (r = 0.297** and 0.273*). Of all the indices evaluated, PBB-N showed the best correlations with plant parameters as well (r = 0.790** and 0.793** for DMY and PNU, respectively). Based on the highest correlations of PBB-N with biological indices as well as plant responses, we propose PBB-N as an appropriate index of N-availability in the acidic soils of India and other regions with similar soils.

Indices of soil nitrogen availability in five Tasmanian Eucalyptus nitens plantations

Soil Research ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 42 (7) ◽  
pp. 719 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. T. Moroni ◽  
P. J. Smethurst ◽  
G. K. Holz
Keyword(s):  
Soil Solution ◽  
Nitrogen Availability ◽  
Native Forest ◽  
N Availability ◽  
Eucalyptus Nitens ◽  
Soil Nitrogen Availability ◽  
Mineral N ◽  
Total N ◽  
Available N ◽  
Total P

Several soil analyses were used to estimate available N in surface soils (0–10 cm) over a 2-year period at 5 sites that supported 1- to 4-year-old Eucalyptus nitens plantations, and once in subsoils (10–120 cm) at 3 of these sites. Soils were derived from basalt (1 site previously pasture, 1 Pinus radiate, and 2 native forest) or siltstone (previously native forest). Soil analyses examined were total N, total P, total C, anaerobically mineralisable N (AMN), hot KCl-extractable N (hot KCl-N), and NH4+ and NO3– in soil solution and KCl extracts. AMN, KCl-extractable NH4+ and NO3–, and soil solution NH4+ and NO3– varied considerably with time, whereas hot KCl-N, total N, total P, and total C were temporally stable except for a gradual decline in total C with time at one site. Only total P was correlated with net N mineralisation (NNM) across all sites (r2 = 0.91, P < 0.05, n = 5). At 2–3 years after planting, soil solution and KCl-extractable NO3– dropped below 0.1 mm N and 1 μg N/g soil, respectively, at sites with NNM ≤24 kg N/ha.year (n = 3). Sites with NNM ≤24 kg N/ha.year also had ≤0.8 Mg P/ha. Although concentrations of indices of soil N availability decreased with depth, the contribution of subsoil (10–120 cm depth) to total profile N availability was estimated to be at least twice that of the top 10 cm. At an ex-pasture site, high concentrations of mineral N were found at 75–105 cm depths (KCl-extractable N, 289.3 μg N/g soil; 2.8 mm mineral N in soil solution), which may have become available to plantations as their root systems developed.

Organic amendment effects on tuber yield, plant N uptake and soil mineral N under organic potato production

2008 ◽  
Vol 23 (03) ◽  
pp. 250-259 ◽  
Author(s):  
Derek H. Lynch ◽  
Zhiming Zheng ◽  
Bernie J. Zebarth ◽  
Ralph C. Martin
Keyword(s):  
N Uptake ◽  
N Availability ◽  
Residual Soil ◽  
Soil Mineral ◽  
Soil Mineral Nitrogen ◽  
Mineral N ◽  
Total N ◽  
Available N ◽  
Organic Potato ◽  
Certified Organic

AbstractThe market for certified organic potatoes in Canada is growing rapidly, but the productivity and dynamics of soil N under commercial organic potato systems remain largely unknown. This study examined, at two sites in Atlantic Canada (Winslow, PEI, and Brookside, NS), the impacts of organic amendments on Shepody potato yield, quality and soil mineral nitrogen dynamics under organic management. Treatments included a commercial hog manure–sawdust compost (CP) and pelletized poultry manure (NW) applied at 300 and 600 kg total N ha−1, plus an un-amended control (CT). Wireworm damage reduced plant stands at Brookside in 2003 and those results are not presented. Relatively high tuber yields (~30 Mg ha−1) and crop N uptake (112 kg N ha−1) were achieved for un-amended soil in those site-years (Winslow 2003 and 2004) when soil moisture was non-limiting. Compost resulted in higher total yields than CT in one of three site-years. Apparent recovery of N from CP was negligible; therefore CP yield benefits were attributed to factors other than N availability. At Winslow, NW300, but not NW600, significantly increased total and marketable yields by an average of 5.8 and 7.0 Mg ha−1. Plant available N averaged 39 and 33% for NW300 and NW600, respectively. Soil (0–30 cm) NO3−-N at harvest was low (&lt;25 kg N ha−1) for CT and CP, but increased substantially both in season and at harvest (61–141 kg N ha−1) when NW was applied. Most leaching losses of NO3−-N occur between seasons and excessive levels of residual soil NO3-N at harvest, as obtained for NW600, must be avoided. Given current premiums for certified organic potatoes, improving yields through application of amendments supplying moderate rates of N or organic matter appears warranted.

scholarly journals Spatial Variability of Nitrogen Uptake and Net Removal and Actual Evapotranspiration in the California Desert Carrot Production System

Agriculture ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 752
Author(s):  
Aliasghar Montazar ◽  
Daniel Geisseler ◽  
Michael Cahn
Keyword(s):  
Field Experiments ◽  
N Uptake ◽  
Actual Evapotranspiration ◽  
Yield Response ◽  
N Availability ◽  
Fresh Market ◽  
N Application ◽  
Total N ◽  
Growing Seasons ◽  
Wide Range

Nitrogen (N) and irrigation water must be effectively used in mineral soils to produce carrots with high yield and minimal environmental impact. This study attempts to identify optimal N and irrigation management practices for low desert carrot production in California by investigating consumptive water use and N uptake and removal rates in fresh market and processing carrots. Field experiments were conducted at the University of California Desert Research and Extension Center and nine farmer fields during two growing seasons. The actual evapotranspiration (ETa) was measured using the residual energy balance method with a combination of surface renewal and eddy covariance equipment. Crop canopy coverage, actual soil nitrate-N from multiple depths as well as total N percentage, dry matter, and fresh biomass in roots and tops were measured over the growing seasons. The length of the crop season had a wide range amongst the experimental sites: from a 128-day period in a processing carrot field to as long as 193 days in a fresh market carrot field. The seasonal ETa varied between 305.8 mm at a silty loam furrow irrigated processing carrot field and 486.2 mm at a sandy clay loam sprinkler irrigated fresh market field. The total N accumulated at harvest ranged between 205.4 kg ha−1 (nearly 52% in roots) and 350.5 kg ha−1 (nearly 64% in roots). While the mean value of nitrogen removed by carrot roots varied from 1.24 to 1.73 kg N/Mg carrot roots, it appears that more N was applied than was removed by carrot roots at all sites. Within the range of N application rates examined at the experimental sites, there was no significant relationship between carrot fresh root yield and N application rate, although the results suggested a positive effect of N application on carrot yield. Sufficient soil N availability over the growing season and the lack of significant yield response to N application illuminated that optimal N rates are likely less than the total amounts of N applied at most sites.

scholarly journals Efficacy of Supplemental Irrigation and Nitrogen Management on Enhancing Nitrogen Availability and Urease Activity in Soils with Sorghum Production

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (20) ◽  
pp. 8358
Author(s):  
Gilbert C. Sigua ◽  
Kenneth C. Stone ◽  
Phil J. Bauer ◽  
Ariel A. Szogi
Keyword(s):  
South Carolina ◽  
Urease Activity ◽  
Nitrogen Availability ◽  
Soil Depth ◽  
N Uptake ◽  
Biomass Productivity ◽  
N Availability ◽  
Supplemental Irrigation ◽  
Total N ◽  
The Impact

The soil nitrogen (N) availability and urease activity (UA) in a humid ecosystem with variable rainfall distribution and poor soil fertility are not well understood. A complete appreciation of N cycling in the soil–water–plant continuum is needed to better manage N and water in regions that will be strongly affected by climate change. A sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) study located in Florence, South Carolina, USA, was conducted using a variable-rate pivot system. We hypothesized that supplemental irrigation (SI) and N would enhance UA and N uptake while minimizing the concentration of N in porewater (TINW). The aim of the study was to assess the impact of SI (0, 50, and 100%) and N fertilization (0, 85, and 170 kg N ha−1) on: UA; total N (TNS); total inorganic N (TINS); TINW; and N uptake of sorghum. Results support our research hypothesis. The greatest UA was from 0% SI and 170 kg ha−1 (18.7 µg N g−1 ha−1). Porewater N (mg L−1), when averaged across SI and N showed a significantly lower concentration at lower soil depth (9.9 ± 0.7) than the upper depth (26.1 ± 2.4). The 100% SI had the greatest biomass N uptake (NUPB) of 67.9 ± 31.1 kg ha−1 and grain N uptake (NUG) of 52.7 ± 20.5 kg ha−1. The greatest NUPB (70.9 ± 30.3 kg ha−1) and NUG (55.3 ± 16.5 kg ha−1) was from the application of 170 kg N ha−1. Overall, results showed that proper use of water and N enhanced soil N dynamics, and improved biomass productivity and N uptake of sorghum.

scholarly journals Nutrient supply from organic amendments applied to unvegetated soil, lettuce and orchardgrass

2006 ◽  
Vol 86 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. M. Hammermeister ◽  
T. Astatkie ◽  
E. A. Jeliazkova ◽  
P. R. Warman ◽  
R. C. Martin
Keyword(s):  
N Uptake ◽  
Poultry Manure ◽  
Nutrient Supply ◽  
Organic Production ◽  
N Availability ◽  
Feather Meal ◽  
Total N ◽  
Available N ◽  
Manure Compost ◽  
Alfalfa Meal

Organic sources of nutrients are increasingly being used in horticultural and certified organic production. The nutrient-supplying potentials of poultry manure compost (PM), feather meal (FM), alfalfa meal (AA) and vermicastings (VC) and an unamended control were measured in a growth room experiment. The amendments were applied at rates equivalent to 200, 400 and 800 kg total N ha-1 to a soil of low fertility. Nitrogen supply rates and concentrations were measured over 6 mo in unvegetated pots using PRS™ probes and KCl extraction, respectively. Biomass of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) and orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) and N uptake of orchardgrass were measured. Repeated measures analysis revealed significant amendment × rate × time interaction effects for N supply rate and concentration. Of total N applied, available N was 50 to 70% in the FM and PM treatments, 10 to 40% in the AA treatments, and 10% in the VC treatments. High rates of FM and PM were toxic to lettuce but produced good orchard grass yields. VC was safe for lettuce but low N availability limited long-term orchardgrass growth. Higher application rates did not result in corresponding increases in nutrient supply. Consideration should be given to balancing the ratio of available nutrients in amendments with plant requirements. Key words: Apparent nitrogen recovery, plant N uptake, feather meal, alfalfa meal, vermicastings, poultry manure compost

Availability of nitrogen from municipal biosolids for dryland forage grass

2000 ◽  
Vol 80 (3) ◽  
pp. 575-582 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. J. Zebarth ◽  
R. McDougall ◽  
G. Neilsen ◽  
D. Neilsen
Keyword(s):  
N Uptake ◽  
Forage Yield ◽  
Nitrate Content ◽  
First Year ◽  
Forage Grass ◽  
N Mineralisation ◽  
Soil N ◽  
Total N ◽  
Available N ◽  
Municipal Biosolids

A 3-yr study, initiated in 1996, evaluated the availability of N from applied biosolids for dryland forage grass production under the cool, continental climatic conditions in central British Columbia. Treatments included 600 (LB), 1200 (MB) and 1800 (HB) kg total N ha−1 applied as municipal biosolids, a single application of 150 kg N ha−1 as urea in the first year of the experiment (SF), a multiple application of 150, 60 and 30 kg N ha−1 as urea in the first, second, and third years of the experiment (MF), and a control that received no biosolids or urea. All treatments were roto-tilled to 15-cm depth and seeded to a mixture of four grasses. The LB treatment was predicted to supply a similar quantity of plant-available N as the MF treatment, assuming 25, 10, and 5% of biosolids N is available in the first, second, and third year, respectively. Soil N fertility was poor as indicated by the very low forage yield and N uptake in the control, and minimal apparent net soil N mineralisation. Recovery of urea N in the crop over 3 yr averaged only 27%, likely reflecting net immobilisation in this recently broken site and accumulation of N in non-harvested portions of the crop. Cumulative recovery of N from biosolids in the harvested forage averaged only 11%. However, the fertiliser N equivalency of the biosolids N (ratio of recovery of biosolids N to urea N) was estimated at 41%, close to the predicted value of 40%. Forage yield and N uptake were similar for the LB and MF treatments, suggesting that actual biosolids N availability was similar to that predicted. Limited forage yield increase for the HB compared with the MB treatment early in the experiment, and high forage nitrate content for the HB treatment in the first year, suggest that the HB treatment initially supplied an excessive quantity of N. Both urea and biosolids applications increased cumulative uptake of other macro- and micro-nutrients, with forage Cu concentrations reaching values in the establishment year that may be of concern for some animal species. Monitoring of forage NO3 and Cu concentrations is advisable where biosolids are applied. Key words: Phleum pratense L., Dactylis glomerata, Bromus inermis, Bromus biebersteinii, soil N mineralisation, NO3 toxicity

Nitrogen availability and nitrate leaching from organo-mineral fertilizers

1993 ◽  
Vol 73 (2) ◽  
pp. 197-208 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. E. Richards ◽  
J.-Y. Daigle ◽  
P. LeBlanc ◽  
R. Paulin ◽  
I. Ghanem
Keyword(s):  
Nitrate Leaching ◽  
Nitrogen Availability ◽  
N Uptake ◽  
Field Trials ◽  
Mineral Fertilizers ◽  
N Availability ◽  
Pellet Size ◽  
Total N ◽  
Leaching Losses ◽  
Effective Source

Greenhouse, field and laboratory studies were conducted to determine if N availability to corn (Zea mays L.) and NO3 leaching were affected by encapsulating conventional granular fertilizer within peat pellets (organo-mineral fertilizers or OMF). In the greenhouse, total N uptake by three 6-wk crops of corn from soil fertilized with NH4NO3 was 9.1% higher than the mean from soils fertilized with OMF made with urea (OMF-urea) or with NH4NO3 (OMF-AN). Total N uptake was 5.1% higher from soils fertilized with OMF-AN than OMF-urea. Differences in total N uptake among the fertilizers were constant across crops. In two field trials, total N uptake was slightly higher (4%) from soil fertilized with commercial NH4NO3 than with OMF-AN. In a laboratory experiment, NO3 from commercial NH4NO3 fertilizer leached more readily from soil than NO3 from OMF-AN. Approximately 95% of the NO3 from commercial NH4NO3 fertilizer leached from 3-cm soil cores in the first 50 mL of leachate whereas only 26% of the NO3 contained in OMF-AN leached. In another trial, NO3 from commercial NH4NO3 fertilizer leached more deeply than NO3 from OMF-AN after application of 2.5 cm irrigation water to soil in 63-cm leaching columns. Virtually no NO3 was retained within the OMF-AN pellet after leaching, suggesting that the retention of NO3 by OMF-AN used in our work is of limited duration. The OMF is an effective source of N to crops and is less prone to NO3 leaching losses than commercial NH4NO3 fertilizer when rain occurs soon after application. More work is required to determine the effect of pellet size and composition on NO3 retention, NO3 leaching losses and crop availability of N. Key words: Nitrate leaching, corn, organo-mineral fertilizers

Piggery pond sludge as a nitrogen source for crops 2. Assay of wet and stockpiled piggery pond sludge by successive cereal crops or direct measurement of soil available N

2005 ◽  
Vol 56 (5) ◽  
pp. 517 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Kliese ◽  
W. M. Strong ◽  
R. C. Dalal ◽  
N. W. Menzies
Keyword(s):  
Sandy Soil ◽  
Field Experiments ◽  
Clay Soil ◽  
Sandy Loam ◽  
N Uptake ◽  
N Availability ◽  
Total N ◽  
Available N ◽  
Variation Explained ◽  
Crop N Uptake

The appropriate use of wastes is a significant issue for the pig industry due to increasing pressure from regulatory authorities to protect the environment from pollution. Nitrogen contained in piggery pond sludge (PPS) is a potential source of supplementary nutrient for crop production. Nitrogen contribution following the application of PPS to soil was obtained from 2 field experiments on the Darling Downs in southern Queensland on contrasting soil types, a cracking clay (Vertosol) and a hardsetting sandy loam (Sodosol), and related to potentially mineralisable N from laboratory incubations conducted under controlled conditions and NO3– accumulation in the field. Piggery pond sludge was applied as-collected (wet PPS) and following stockpiling to dry (stockpiled PPS). Soil NO3– levels increased with increased application rates of wet and stockpiled PPS. Supplementary N supply from PPS estimated by fertiliser equivalence was generally unsatisfactory due to poor precision with this method, and also due to a high level of NO3– in the clay soil before the first assay crop. Also low recoveries of N by subsequent sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) and wheat (Triticum aestivum) assay crops at the 2 sites due to low in-crop rainfall in 1999 resulted in low apparent N availability. Over all, 29% (range 12–47%) of total N from the wet PPS and 19% (range 0–50%) from the stockpiled PPS were estimated to be plant-available N during the assay period. The high concentration of NO3- for the wet PPS application on sandy soil after the first assay crop (1998 barley, Hordeum vulgare) suggests that leaching of NO3– could be of concern when high rates of wet PPS are applied before infrequent periods of high precipitation, due primarily to the mineral N contained in wet PPS. Low yields, grain protein concentrations, and crop N uptake of the sorghum crop following the barley crop grown on the clay soil demonstrated a low residual value of N applied in PPS. NO3– in the sandy soil before sowing accounted for 79% of the variation in plant N uptake and was a better index than anaerobically mineralisable N (19% of variation explained). In clay soil, better prediction of crop N uptake was obtained when both anaerobically mineralisable N (39% of variation explained) and soil profile NO3– were used in combination (R2 = 0.49).

Impact of tillage and landscape position on nitrogen availability and yield of spring wheat in the Brown soil zone in southwestern Saskatchewan

1998 ◽  
Vol 78 (3) ◽  
pp. 563-572 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Jowkin ◽  
J. J. Schoenau
Keyword(s):  
Spring Wheat ◽  
Nitrogen Availability ◽  
N Uptake ◽  
Wheat Crop ◽  
N Availability ◽  
Inorganic N ◽  
Brown Soil ◽  
Soil Zone ◽  
No Till ◽  
Crop N Uptake

Nitrogen availability to a spring wheat crop was examined in the cropping season in a side-by-side comparison of no-till (first year) and tillage fallow in an undulating farm field in the Brown soil zone in southwestern Saskatchewan. Thirty different sampling points along a grid in each tillage landscape were randomly selected, representing 10 each of shoulder, footslope and level landscape positions. Nitrogen availability was studied i) by profile inorganic N content ii) by crop N uptake and yield of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and iii) by 15N tracer technique and in situ burial of anion exchange resin membranes (AEM).Pre-seeding available moisture content of the surface soil samples was significantly higher under no-till compared with tillage fallow. However, no significant differences in pre-seeding profile total inorganic N, crop N uptake and yield were observed between the treatments. At the landform scale, shoulder positions of the respective tillage systems had lower profile inorganic N, crop N uptake and yield compared with other slope positions. Soil N supply power, as determined by 15N tracer and AEM techniques, was not significantly different between the tillage treatments, indicating that N availability is not likely to be greatly affected in initial years by switching to no-till fallow in these soils under normal moisture conditions. Key words: Summerfallow, landscape, nitrogen, wheat

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