Alkylated ureas: mineralization and evaluation as N sources

An incubation experiment was conducted for 11 weeks to study the mineralization of ten alkylated ureas and urea in soil. Six of the alkylated ureas viz. methylurea(MU), 1,3-dimethylurea(1,3DMU), 1,1-dimethylurea(1,1DMU), ethylurea(EU), 1,3-diethylurea(1,3DEU) and butylurea(BU) and urea mineralized during the experiment. Urea mineralized immediately, while alkylated ureas mineralized after an incubation period ranging from less than a week to four weeks (delay period of mineralization). The delay period increased in the following sequence MU < 1,3DMU < EU < BU < 1,1DMU < 1,3DEU, but after the delay period was over the compounds mineralized almost as rapidly as urea. The delay period varied according to the number of carbon atoms in the alkyl group and their position with respect to each other on the molecule. It appeared to be specific for each compound and was apparently not influenced by the presence of urea or other alkylated ureas. This character can be used to develop mixture of various alkylated ureas to obtain N mineralization at the desired time. Rapid evolution of CO₂ and N₂O was observed during the mineralization of urea as well as alkylated ureas. Increase in soil pH was also observed during this period. The simultaneous ocurrence of these events suggested the formation of urea as an intermediate during the mieralization of alkylated ureas. None of the alkylated ureas showed adverse affect on emergence of wheat seedlings and except DEU and BU at high concentration no other alkylated urea showed any adverse effect on initial growth of wheat seedlings.