Transformation of calcium cyanamide and its inhibitory effect on urea nitrification in some tropical soils

Transformation of calcium cyanamide and its inhibitory effect on urea nitrification was studied in some tropical soils. Three soils, from Onne, Mokwa and Samaru, representing different agro-climatological zones of Nigeria were incubated with calcium cyanamide, urea or a mixture of both for eight weeks at 30 °C and at field capacity moisture content. The recovery of inorganic N (NH ₄ ⁺ plus NO ₂ ^- plus NO ₃ ^- )from calcium cyanamide varied from 64% to 87% in different soils. Most of the inorganic N accumulated was in NH ₄ ⁺ form. Nitrification of the accumulated NH ₄ ⁺ in all the soils was slow.Urea (75 mg N kg^–1 soil) was completely nitrified within a week in the Samaru and Mokwa soils whereas in the Onne soil the rate of nitrification was slow. Addition of CaCN₂ at the rate of 10 mg N kg^–1 soil generally delayed ammonification of urea and nitrification was severely inhibited in all the soils. Addition of CaCN₂ at the rate of 20 mg N kg^–1 soil further reduced the ammonification of urea and completely inhibited the nitrification. High recovery of inorganic N from calcium cyanamide and its effective reduction of nitrification of urea make it suitable source of N for plants in the tropics, provided it is managed to avoid phyto-toxicity.