Crop response to sulfur-coated urea (SCU) and other N-carriers in sandy soils of Saudi Arabia

Nitrogen losses due to leaching, volatilization and denitrification result in low fertilizer efficiency. Slow-release N fertilizers are proposed to minimize these losses, and sulfur-coated urea (SCU) has been examined. A greenhouse study was conducted using two coarse textured: loamy sand and sandy loam soils from Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia to compare sulfur-coated urea (SCU) with urea, ammonium nitrate (AN) and ammonium sulfate (AS) and to determine the effectiveness of single appliction of SCU over split application of soluble N sources. Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.) and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) were grown as indicator crops. Dry matter yields showed a significant increase with SCU fertilizers over other sources applied single or split, particularly in loamy sand soil. SCU-22 resulted in a consistent increase of dry matter yield and N-uptake compared to SCU-30 and SCU-40. The potential benefit of using SCU in coarse textured soils appers to be promising for increasing N fertilizer efficiency. Producing these slow release N fertilizers seems feasible if a coating step is added to the manufacturing process of urea produced from some fertilizer plants in Saudi Arabia.Contribution from the Regional Agriculture and Water Research Center (RAWRC), Ministry of Agriculture and Water, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Presented in Div. S-8, Am. Soc. Agron. Meeting, Atlanta, GA, November 1981.     

Use of data from long-term fertilizer experiments to model plant nitrogen uptake

Correct values for plant N-uptake are particularly important when correctly modelling the dynamics of nitrate leaching from agricultural soils. The general abundance of grain yield statistics represent a potential source of information for modelling plant N-uptake, provided that grain yield dry weight can be used to predict the total plant N-uptake (Vold & Søreng, 1997). In this paper, a nonlinear relationship for plant N-content as a function of grain yield dry weight and fertilizer N-level is derived. Data from long-term field experiments of grain dry weight (g N m^-2) and N-content in grains plus straw (g N m^-2) at harvest was used with nonlinear regression to estimate the parameters of the function. The parameters of a linear function were estimated similarly. Both models obtained could equally well describe the harvested N as a function of fertilizer N-level and grain dry weight, but the year-to-year variation of each fertilizer level was best described by the nonlinear model. An independent dataset, consisting of series of dry weight and N-content of grain yield from farm level experiments conducted in the same region (southeast Norway), was used to validate the nonlinear model.     

我国需增加硝基肥产量,提升硝态氮施肥比例

论述了近年国内外生产和施用的氮肥中所含铵态氮和硝态氮的比例关系。硝态氮肥产量占全球氮肥总产量:世界约14%,欧盟约40%,而我国仅占2%。消费结构比例与产量比例相近。世界最大3家氮肥生产商Yara、Terra和PCS的主要产品为硝铵尿素溶液、硝酸盐等含硝态氮产品,产量和销售量占其氮肥总量的50%以上。加快发展我国硝基肥产业,提高硝态氮肥施用量,对优化我国施肥结构、提高肥料利用率有重要意义。     

肥料中硝态氮、铵态氮、总氮的研究

研究仅含硝态氮、铵态氮的肥料,结果表明,用GB/T8572-2010《复混肥料中总氮含量的测定蒸馏后滴定法》检测含有硝态氮、铵态氮的肥料中铵态氮含量、硝态氮含量(差减法总氮含量-铵态氮含量=硝态氮含量)(标准GB/T8572-2010《复混肥料中总氮含量的测定蒸馏后滴定法》中没有体现总氮含量-铵态氮含量=硝态氮含量,这是根据铵态氮与硝态氮性质总结研究出来的)与标准NY/T1116-2014《肥料硝态氮、铵态氮、酰胺态氮含量的测定》单独检测铵态氮含量、硝态氮含量结果无显著性差异。GB/T8572-2010检测总氮含量与SN/T0736.5-2010《进出口化肥检验方法第5部分:氮含量的测定》检测总氮含量无显著性差异。     

Efficiency and future potential of urea for temperate grassland

The efficacy of urea as a grassland fertilizer under temperate conditions has been assessed in a wide variety of comparisons with either ammonium nitrate or calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN). Data from the British Isles have been evaluated and compared to results mainly from continental Europe.In general urea is as good as CAN early in the growing season, but less-effective in summer. There is no evidence to indicate that urea is significantly more variable that CAN for spring grass production. Maximum yields with urea are lower than those with CAN.The principal reason for inefficiency of urea is volatilization loss of ammonia. Chemodenitrification is also likely to be important but has not been quantified satisfactorily. In contrast, leaching and denitrification are the principal loss processes with ammonium nitrate. The translation of nitrogen uptake into dry matter yield may be less effective with urea than with CAN.A wide variety of strategies have potential for improving the efficiency of urea and these have been reviewed. Recent developments with urease inhibitors offer the promise of an effective compound in the near future. Such a development could lead to urea displacing ammonium nitrate as the dominant N fertilizer on temperate grassland.     

Interaction of ammonium and nitrate nutrition with potassium in wheat

A greenhouse experiment with wheat in 3L pots filled with a sandy loam soil in a factorial design was conducted to determine the effect of potassium on nitrogen utilization. Nitrogen was applied in three NH₄-N/NO₃-N ratios, 0/100, 25/75 and 50/50, at three levels: 0.75, 1.50 and 3.00gN/pot, and potassium was applied at three levels: 0, 0.5 and 1.0gK/pot. The higher levels of nitrate nitrogen with or without potassium reduced dry matter yields drastically, while the same levels of a NH₄-N/NO₃-N mixture of 50/50 with applied potassium reduced yields only slightly. Highest grain yield and total yield were obtained with a 25/75 mixture of ammonium/nitrate nitrogen with added potassium. Potassium addition to soil increased the utilization of nitrogen fertilizers, particularly when the ratio of ammonium to nitrate was increased. The highest uptake of reduced nitrogen was at the highest level of the ammonium to nitrate nitrogen ratio (50/50) when potassium was applied. Tillering was enhanced by an increased ammonium ratio in the nitrogen mixture, and by potassium.     

Nitrogen fertilizer value of activated sewage derived protein: Effect of environment and nitrification inhibitor on NO 3 - release,soil microbial activity and yield of summer cabbage

Yield response of summer cabbage (Brassica oleracea varcapitata cv. Hispi F₁) to N applied as organic (activated sewage sludge derived protein [Protox] and dried blood) and inorganic (ammonium nitrate, ammonium sulphate, sodium nitrate and urea) fertilizers was compared in relation to the N availability characteristics of the materials. Effects of the nitrification inhibitor dicyandiamide (DCD) on N release, crop yield and N status were also assessed. In addition CO₂ efflux was measured from amended soil to determine effects of fertilizer application on soil microbial activity. The organic N sources were mineralized quickly on application to soil and exhibited similar patterns of NH₄-N depletion and NO₃-N accumulation as functions of thermal-time as with mineral fertilizers. However, the yield response to organic N was marginally smaller (though not significantly) compared with mineral forms; probably because less N was released to the crop. This was reflected in smaller total N concentrations and N recoveries in plants supplied with organic fertilizer. Applied DCD increased the thermal-time for complete nitrification of NH₄-N sources and raised the total N content of the crop, but had no overall effect on crop growth. In contrast to inorganic N sources which generally reduced CO₂ efflux from soil, application of protein-based fertilizers increased the rate of soil microbial activity directly by raising substrate availability. Sewage sludge derived protein provided an effective alternative to mineral fertilizers for the nutrition of summer cabbage whilst minimising stress of the soil environment which may occur following the application of conventional forms of inorganic N to the soil.     

Effects of type and amount of applied nitrogen fertilizer on nitrous oxide fluxes from intensively managed grassland

Five field experiments and one greenhouse experiment were carried out to assess the effects of nitrogen (N) fertilizer type and the amount of applied N fertilizer on nitrous oxide (N₂O) emission from grassland. During cold and dry conditions in early spring, emission of N₂O from both ammonium (NH ₄ ⁺ ) and nitrate (NO ₃ ^– ) containing fertilizers applied to a clay soil were relatively small, i.e. less than 0.1% of the N applied. Emission of N₂O and total denitrification losses from NO ₃ ^– containing fertilizers were large after application to a poorly drained sand soil during a wet spring. A total of 5–12% and 8–14% of the applied N was lost as N₂O and via denitrification, respectively. Emissions of N₂O and total denitrification losses from NH ₄ ⁺ fertilizers and cattle slurry were less than 2% of the N applied. Addition of the nitrification inhibitor dicyandiamide (DCD) reduced N₂O fluxes from ammonium sulphate (AS). However, the effect of DCD to reduce total N₂O emission from AS was much smaller than the effect of using NH ₄ ⁺ fertilizer instead of NO ₃ ^– fertilizer, during wet conditions. The greenhouse study showed that a high groundwater level favors production of N₂O from NO ₃ ^– fertilizers but not from NH ₄ ⁺ fertilizers. Inereasing calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN) application increased the emitted N₂O on grassland from 0.6% of the fertilizer application rate for a dressing of 50 kg N ha^–1 to 3.1% for a dressing of 300 kg N ha^–1. In another experiment, N₂O emission increased proportionally with increasing N rate. The results indicate that there is scope for reducing N₂O emission from grasslands by choosing the N fertilizer type depending on the soil moisture status. Avoiding excessive N application rates may also minimize N₂O emission from intensively managed grasslands.     

Obtaining NPK fertilizers using decomposition of phosphate rock by sulphuric acid

In this study a method for obtaining granular NPK fertilizers of various grades has been established. Kola apatite or Baltic phosphorites were dissolved in 57% H₂SO₄; the resulting slurries were then ammoniated, evaporated and mixed with urea or ammonium nitrate and potassium salts. In some experiments micronutrients (B, Cu, Mo, Co or Mn) were added. The mixtures were dried and granulated. When using urea, granulation was carried out by heating the mixture until partial melting occurred, but the mixtures with ammonium nitrate had to be granulated with the addition of water. The products contained 29–38% fertilizer nutrients (N soluble in water, P₂O₅ soluble in citric acid and K₂O soluble in water) and had a ratio of over 90% of P₂O₅ soluble in citric acid to the P₂O₅ total. The granules were hygroscopic, but little caking occurred. The urea-containing materials produced better granules. Adding micronutrients usually resulted in an improvement in the product quality (an increase in the granule hardness and phosphorus solubility).     

The effects of nitrogen fertilizer form on the plant availability of phosphate from soil,phosphate rock and mono-calcium phosphate

A glasshouse trial using lettuce as the test crop, and laboratory incubations were used to evaluate the influence of various nitrogen fertilizers on the availability of phosphate from an unfertilized loamy sand soil and from the same soil fertilized with Sechura phosphate rock or monocalcium phosphate. The order in which nitrogen fertilizer form increased plant yield and P uptake from soil alone and from soil fertilized with the rock was ammonium sulphate > sulphurised urea > ammonium nitrate > urea > potassium nitrate. For each rock application (both 30 and 60 mg/pot) and for soil alone, increased P uptake by the plant correlated well with decreased soil pH. In soil fertilized with the soluble P form, monocalcium phosphate, the form of the nitrogen fertilizer had little effect on plant P uptake. Subsequent laboratory incubation studies showed that increased dissolution of soil-P or Sechura phosphate rock did not occur until acidity, generated by nitrification or sulphur oxidation of the fertilizer materials, had lowered soil pH to below 5.5. A sequential phosphate fractionation procedure was used to show that in soils treated with the acidifying nitrogen fertilizers, ammonium sulphate and urea, there was considerable release of Sechura phosphate rock P to the soil, amounting to 42% and 27% of the original rock P added, respectively.     

The comparative effect of a mixed urea,ammonium nitrate,ammonium sulphate granular formulation on the efficiency of N recovery by perennial ryegrass

The¹⁵N isotope was used to study the mode of action of individual nitrogen sources in a 30% urea:30% ammonium nitrate: 10% ammonium sulphate:30% filler (w/w) granular fertilizer for perennial ryegrass in a greenhouse pot experiment. The fertilizer consisted of two types of granules, one containing 80% urea and 20% filler and the second containing 48% ammonium nitrate (AN), 16% ammonium sulphate (AS) and 36% filler. In addition the effect of dolomite compared with silica as the filler was investigated on nitrogen recovery from the 30:30:10:30 formulation.Dolomite adversely affected the recovery of nitrate N from the system and evidence suggested that MgCO₃ was the active component. Granules containing dolomite resulted in a lower dry-matter yield than those containing silica, however the difference was not significant as nitrate contributed only 20% of the N in the formulation. AN gave the greatest DM yield and urea the lowest with AS being intermediate. The¹⁵N budget in shoots, roots and soil indicated that only 65% of the N from urea was recovered at the end of the experiment compared with 86% for AN and 91% for AS. The dry-matter yield of the 30:30:10:30 formulation using silica as the filler was intermediate between urea and AN; however, the apparent N recovery was significantly higher than expected from the sum of the individual components. The use of¹⁵N labelling indicated that using separate granules for ammonium N and urea the recovery of urea was improved by 11% in the triple N mixture when both AN and AS were present in the second granule compared to the recovery on its own. The enhanced recovery of urea appeared to be a function of AN and AS acting together as neither source in double combination with urea had any effect on urea N recovery.Urea enhanced the recovery of nitrate N by 10% but decreased the recovery of AS by 6% (in the 30:30:10:30 formulation) in comparison with the single sources on their own. The results indicate that interactions can occur between N sources even when they are physically separated by being in different granules.     

The influence of rate and time of nitrate supply on nitrogen fixation and yield in pea (Pisum sativum L.)

The influence of nitrate N supply on dry matter production, N content and symbiotic nitrogen fixation in soil-grown pea (Pisum sativum L.) was studied in a pot experiment by means of¹⁵N fertilizer dilution. In pea receiving no fertilizer N symbiotic nitrogen fixation, soil and seed-borne N contributed with 82, 13 and 5% of total plant N, respectively. The supply of low rates of nitrate fertilizer at sowing (starter N) increased the vegetative dry matter production, but not the seed yield significantly. Nitrogen fixation was not significantly decreased by the lower rates of nitrate but higher rates supplied at sowing reduced the nitrogen fixation considerably. Applying nitrate N at the flat pod growth stage increased the yield of seed dry matter and N about 30% compared to pea receiving no nitrate fertilizer. Symbiotic nitrogen fixation was reduced only about 11%, compared with unfertilized pea, by the lowest rate of nitrate at this application time. The pea very efficiently took up and assimilated the nitrate N supplied. The average fertilizer N recovery was 82%. The later the N was supplied the more efficiently it was recovered. When nitrate was supplied at the flat pod growth stage 88% was recovered, and 90% of this N was located in the seeds.     

含硝态氮的国产化肥少了

我国生产的氮肥数量巨大,但含硝态氮的化肥所占比例很小,这不利于化肥的合理施用.铵态氮和硝态氮作为植物的氮源,两者基本上是等效的,要根据作物和土壤条件合理施用.我国应当适当增加含硝态氮化肥的生产.第一,要对硝酸铵进行改性,使之不能再制造炸药;第二,要消除认为用了硝态氮肥就不能生产绿色食品的错误认识.     

Fruit yield of Valencia sweet orange fertilized with different N sources and the loss of applied N

Nutrient management recommendations are needed to increase nitrogen uptake efficiency, minimize nutrient losses and reduce adverse effects on the environment. A study of the effects of nitrogen fertilization on N losses and fruit yield of 6-yr-old Valencia sweet orange (Citrus sinensis (L.) Osb.) on Rangpur lime rootstock (C. limonia Osb.) grove was conducted in an Alfisol in Brazil from 1996 to 2001. Urea (UR) or ammonium nitrate (AN) fertilizers were surface-applied annually at rates of 20, 100, 180, and 260 kg N ha^–1 split into three applications from mid-spring to early fall. A semi-open trapping system, using H₃PO₄ + glycerol-soaked plastic foams, was used for selected treatments in the field to evaluate NH₃ volatilized from applied N fertilizers. Ammonia volatilization reached 26 to 44% of the N applied as UR at the highest rate of N used. Ammonia volatilization losses with AN were lower (4% of the N applied). On the other hand, AN resulted in greater nitrate leaching and greater soil acidification than UR. A marked effect of AN fertilizer on soil pH (CaCl₂) in the 0–20 cm depth layer was observed with a decrease of up to 1.7 pH units at the highest N rate. Acidification was followed by a decrease in exchangeable Ca and Mg; consequently, after 5 yr of fertilization with AN, soil base saturation dropped from 77% in the plots treated with 20 kg N ha^–1 per year, to 24% in those that received 260 kg N ha^–1 per year. The effect of N sources on fruit yield varied from year to year. In 2001, for a calculated N application rate of 150 kg ha^–1, the fertilizer efficiency index of UR was 75% of that of AN.     

Crop yield, nitrogen uptake and nitrate-nitrogen accumulation in soil as affected by 23 annual applications of fertilizer and manure in the rainfed region of Northwestern China

Application of chemical fertilizers and farmyard manure affects crop productivity and improves nutrient cycling within soil–plant systems, but the magnitude varies with soil-climatic conditions. A long-term (1982–2004) field experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) fertilizers and farmyard swine manure (M) on seed and straw yield, protein concentration, and N uptake in the seed and straw of 19-year winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and four-year oilseed (three-year canola, Brassica napus L. in 1987, 2000 and 2003; one-year flax, Linum usitatisimum L. in 1991), accumulation of nitrate-N (NO₃-N) in the soil profile (0–210 cm), and N balance sheet on a Huangmian soil (calcaric cambisols, FAO) near Tianshui, Gansu, China. The two main plot treatments were without and with farmyard swine manure (M); sub-plot treatments were control (Ck), N, NP, and NPK.␣The average seed yield decreased in the order MNPK ≥ MNP > MN ≥ NPK ≥ NP > M > N > Ck. The average effect of manure and fertilizers on seed yield was in the order M > N > P > K. The seed yield increase was 20.5% for M, 17.8% for N, 14.2% for P, and 2.9 % for K treatment. Seed yield response to fertilizers was much greater for N and P than for K, and it was much greater for no manure than for manure treatment. The response of straw yield to fertilization treatments was usually similar to that of seed yield. The N fertilizer and manure significantly increased protein concentration and N uptake plant. From the standpoint of increasing crop yield and seed quality, MNPK was the best fertilization strategy. Annual applications of N fertilizer and manure for 23 successive years had a marked effect on NO₃-N accumulation in the 0–210 cm soil profile. Accumulation of NO₃-N in the deeper soil layers with application of N fertilizer and manure is regarded as a potential danger, because of pollution of the soil environment and of groundwater. Application of N fertilizer in combination with P and/or K fertilizers reduced residual soil NO₃-N significantly compared with N fertilizer alone in both no manure and manure plots. The findings suggest that integrated and balanced application of N, P, and K fertilizers and␣manure at proper rates is important for protecting soil and groundwater from potential NO₃-N pollution and for maintaining high crop productivity in the rainfed region of Northwestern China.     

The effect of soil pH and chemical form of nitrogen fertilizer on heavy-metal contents in ryegrass

Ryegrass was grown in pots containing metal-enriched soil which was adjusted to different pH levels with acid or lime, and supplied with either ammonium sulphate or calcium nitrate as the N fertilizer.Concentrations of heavy metals in the grass tops increased with decreasing soil pH to an extent diminishing in the order: Mn, Ni, Cd, Zn, Pb, Cu, Cr.Nitrate application was the more appropriate treatment for the production of lower concentrations of heavy metals in the grass because its use by the grass increased the pH of the soil, whereas added ammonium sulphate released acid to the soil during nitrification and plant uptake of ammonium. After three successive cuttings and repeated dressings, soil pH (H₂O) was 3 units higher with nitrate than with ammonium, resulting in a marked reduction in the uptake of the more pH-sensitive metals in soils where nitrate was applied     

关于我国推广液氨和氮溶液肥料之管窥

分析了液体氮肥———液氨、硝铵尿素溶液的分类、性质和施用优势;介绍了美国液体氮肥的产量、施用量以及管道输送的规模和费用;论述了我国液氨产品的发展历程、技术现状、施用面积和施用作物增产率;从示范基地、推荐品种、工艺技术和政策优惠等方面提出了我国应加快研发、推广和使用液体氮肥的建议,以更大程度地实现粮食的增产与能源的节约.     

高养分液体复合肥料的生产工艺

随着我国叶面喷施和灌溉技术特别是滴灌技术的应用,液体复合肥得到迅速发展。研究以聚磷酸铵、尿素-硝铵含氮溶液为配制液体复合肥料的基础肥料来源,添加钾肥、磷肥、除草剂、杀虫剂等生产高养分含量液体复合肥的原料选择、工艺流程及工艺指标。     

有机氮肥对马来西亚沙捞越州酸性土壤玉米干物质产量及铵态氮和硝态氮含量的影响

腐殖质中的腐植酸和黄腐酸可以提高土壤中可交换性铵（NH4＋）的回收率。这两种酸固定和保持NH4＋的能力已经在许多研究中得到了证实,二者通过提高植株的光合作用速率、促进根系发育影响植物的生长和养分吸收。因此,本研究调查了这两种酸（液态）对玉米干物质产量、土壤铵态氮和硝态氮（NO3-）含量的影响。根据液态有机氮肥的组成,采用标准方法分离提纯腐植酸。有机氮肥在玉米种植后第10天、第28天分别施入盆栽土壤,然后在种植后第54天或孕穗期采集植株和土壤样品。土壤样品分析PH、铵态氮和硝态氮含量,植株样品测定干物质产量。结果表明,在酸性条件下,液态有机氮肥（黄腐酸、腐植酸或二者同时施用）的施用可以提高土壤中NH4＋的累积量。随土壤活性碳储量的增加,腐植酸分子上羧基官能团对土壤NH4＋的吸附能力增强。然而,酸含量较低时对干物质产量的影响明显减小。各处理间硝态氮的有效性没有达到统计上的差异显著水平。较低的PH值能抑制土壤硝化作用进程,同时降低土壤NO3-含量。这表明液态腐植酸和／或黄腐酸在提高尿素利用效率方面发挥着重要作用。然而,与腐植酸分子特性有关的作用机理还需要进一步详细研究。本研究为液态和叶面有机肥料的发展提供一定的依据。     

The effect of N,P and KCl fertilizers on grain yield and Cd concentration of malting barley

A three-year field study, conducted on two Orthic Black Chernozemic soils, investigated the effects of application of N, P and KCl fertilizers on grain yield and Cd concentration of two cultivars of malting barley (Hordeum vulgare). Soil levels of N and P were good predictors of the likelihood of a yield response to fertilizer applications, while increases in yield with potassium chloride (KCl) application occurred in spite of high levels of soil K. Additions of ammonium nitrate increased Cd concentration in malting barley when soil nitrate levels were low, with increased Cd concentrations in the grain generally being associated with increasing crop yields. Applications of monoammonium phosphate or KCl tended to increase concentrations of Cd in malting barley, with the significance of the effect varying from year to year. Response of Cd concentration in the grain to P and KCl application was not related to levels of these nutrients in the soil. As the N and K fertilizer used in the study did not contain significant quantities of Cd, the increase in Cd concentration in the grain with fertilizer application was not solely a result of Cd addition as a fertilizer contaminant. The fertilizer salts may increase Cd concentration in the soil solution, increasing availability for crop uptake. Increased crop yield associated with N application may also increase Cd accumulation through increased root interception and enhanced mass flow.