Nitrogen dynamics of oats, sorghum, black gram, green panic and lucerne on a clay soil in south-eastern Queensland

1992 ◽  
Vol 32 (8) ◽  
pp. 1113 ◽  
Author(s):  
VR Catchpole
Keyword(s):  
Clay Soil ◽  
Nitrate Nitrogen ◽  
Reduced Tillage ◽  
Panicum Maximum ◽  
Black Gram ◽  
Nitrate N ◽  
N Yield ◽  
Cropping Season ◽  
Winter Crop ◽  
Plant Shoots

Changes in the distribution of nitrate-nitrogen (N) in a clay soil (Pellustert) under oats (Avena sativa cv. Minhafer), sorghum (Sorghum bicolor cv. E57), black gram (Vigna mungo cv. Regur), green panic (Panicum maximum cv. Petrie), and lucerne (Medicago sativa cv. Hunter River), and the uptake of N into plant shoots, were measured at Narayen on the brigalow (Acacia harpophylla) lands of south-eastem Queensland over each cropping season in 1975-85. Nitrate-N accumulated in the subsoil (30-150 cm) under sorghum and black gram, but not under oats. Green panic depleted nitrate-N after 2 years, and lucerne after 1 year. Losses of nitrate-N during 2 wet years reached 300 kg/ha under sorghum and black gram, and 57 kg/ha under oats, but were negligible under green panic and lucerne. Leaching to below 150 cm in the soil was the probable cause. The supply of soil N to oats, sorghum, and black gram was adequate during the 10 years, but the N yield of green panic decreased from 239 kg/ha to 150 kg/ha after 5 years. Accumulation of nitrate-N under sorghum and black gram could be utilised by rotating these crops with green panic or lucerne. This would also improve the productivity of green panic pastures. Rotating the summer crops with oats (winter crop) or with deeprooted crops (e.g. sunflowers) should also be tested. Alternatively, reduction of production of nitrate-N in the soil could be attempted. Zero or reduced tillage could do this, but it may also increase leaching by increasing the entry and movement of water in the soil.

Plant and animal constraints to voluntary feed intake associated with fibre characteristics and particle breakdown and passage in ruminants

1996 ◽  
Vol 47 (2) ◽  
pp. 199 ◽  
Author(s):  
JR Wilson ◽  
PM Kennedy
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Shoot Growth ◽  
Surface Soil ◽  
Clay Soil ◽  
Grass Species ◽  
Soil Nitrate ◽  
The Sun ◽  
N Yield ◽  
Organic Matter Breakdown

Effects of artificial shading to 50% sunlight of nitrogen (N) limited tropical pastures of different grass species on a high (clay loam) and low (granitic loam) fertility soil type were evaluated in a semi-arid. subtropical environment over 3 years. The hypothesis was tested that shade can stimulate shoot growth by providing a modified environment more conducive to organic matter breakdown leading to increased mineralisation and availability of soil N, and the ability of tropical grasses to take advantage of this effect was examined. Unfertilised pastures of green panic (Panicum maximum var. trichoglume), buffel (Cenchrus ciliaris). rhodes (Chloris gayana), and speargrass (Heteropogon contortus) in full sun or shaded by sarlon cloth were sampled on 9 occasions. Additional green panic plots on both soils were irrigated for the first 2 years, and all other plots were dependent on natural rainfall. Shoot and root dry matter and N yield, and soil nitrate and ammonia N, were measured. In one set of green panic plots on each soil, canopy. litter, and surface soil temperatures were monitored continuously, and soil moisture at different depths was measured fortnightly. Shade stimulated shoot dry matter yield over the 3 years by up to 37% in green panic. 22% in rhodes, and 9% in speargrass. Shade decreased buffel yield on the clay soil but had no effect on the granitic soil. Relative increases in yield of shoot N were similar to those for shoot dry matter, except for buffel on the granitic soil where N yield was increased by 39% with no increase in shoot growth. Positive shade responses occurred in all 3 years but were reduced by extreme drought in year 3, particularly on the clay soil. Irrigation gave a greater shade response on the clay but not on the granitic soil. Root mass was lower under shade than in full sun. but there was no long-term trend of progressive decrease. and the change in N yield of roots did not appear to explain the gain in shoot N of the shaded pastures. Nitrogen percentage in the youngest expanded leaf was higher in the shade than the sun leaves only after about 2 to 2 5 months of shading. Surface soil nitrate and ammonia concentrations tended to be higher under shade for most harvests. Shade lowered temperature extremes of surface soil and litter by up to 10-12�C, and improved soil water status. compared with the sun plots. Soil water data were analysed to separate effects on plant water stress and soil microbial activity. The consistent positive response of shoot N yield to shade across grass species. weeds, and soil type. the delay in it becoming evident, and its longevity all support the hypothesis that shade enhances organic matter breakdown and N cycling. Harsh surface temperatures and low soil moisture in open sun pastures appear inimical to high microbial activity. Implications for pasture management are discussed. with the caveat that the outlined benefits of artificial shade may not necessarily arise with tree canopies.

Validation of NBudget for estimating soil N supply in Australia's northern grains region in the absence of soil test data

Soil Research ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 55 (6) ◽  
pp. 590 ◽  
Author(s):  
David F. Herridge
Keyword(s):  
Soil Water ◽  
Organic N ◽  
Soil N ◽  
Limited Information ◽  
Available N ◽  
Support Tool ◽  
Grain Yields ◽  
N Supply ◽  
Nitrate N ◽  
Winter Crop

Effective management of fertiliser nitrogen (N) inputs by farmers will generally have beneficial productivity, economic and environmental consequences. The reality is that farmers may be unsure of plant-available N levels in cropping soils at sowing and make decisions about how much fertiliser N to apply with limited information about existing soil N supply. NBudget is a Microsoft (Armonk, NY, USA) Excel-based decision support tool developed primarily to assist farmers and/or advisors in Australia’s northern grains region manage N. NBudget estimates plant-available (nitrate) N at sowing; it also estimates sowing soil water, grain yields, fertiliser N requirements for cereals and oilseed crops and N2 fixation by legumes. NBudget does not rely on soil testing for nitrate-N, organic carbon or soil water content. Rather, the tool relies on precrop (fallow) rainfall data plus basic descriptions of soil texture and fertility, tillage practice and information about paddock use in the previous 2 years. Use is made of rule-of-thumb values and stand-alone or linked algorithms describing, among other things, rates of mineralisation of background soil organic N and fresh residue N. Winter and summer versions of NBudget cover the 10 major crops of the region: bread wheat, durum, barley, canola, chickpea and faba bean in the winter crop version; sorghum, sunflower, soybean and mung bean in the summer crop version. Validating the winter crop version of NBudget estimates of sowing soil nitrate-N against three independent datasets (n=65) indicated generally close agreement between measured and predicted values (y=0.91x+16.8; r2=0.78). A limitation of the tool is that it does not account for losses of N from waterlogged or flooded soils. Although NBudget also predicts grain yields and fertiliser N requirements for the coming season, potential users may simply factor predicted soil N supply into their fertiliser decisions, rather than rely on the output of the tool. Decisions about fertiliser N inputs are often complex and are based on several criteria, including attitudes to risk, history of fertiliser use and costs. The usefulness and likely longevity of NBudget would be enhanced by transforming the current Excel-based tool, currently available on request from the author, to a stand-alone app or web-based tool.

On-Farm Evaluation of Nitrate-Nitrogen Dynamics Under Maize in the Northern Guinea Savanna of Nigeria

1995 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 333-344 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Webert ◽  
V. Chude ◽  
J. Pleysier ◽  
S. Oikeh
Keyword(s):  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Soil Organic Carbon ◽  
Nitrogen Availability ◽  
Nitrate Nitrogen ◽  
Soil Nitrogen Availability ◽  
Total N ◽  
Discriminant Model ◽  
Northern Guinea Savanna ◽  
Guinea Savanna ◽  
Nitrate N

SummaryNitrate-nitrogen was analysed over two cropping seasons in 57 farmers' fields in the northern Guinea savanna of Nigeria. Differences between fields were at least five-fold and often ten-fold irrespective of fertilization rates. Average concentrations were highest at the beginning of the rainy season. Loamy soils had a later peak for nitrate release and maintained high concentrations for a longer period after the start of the rains than the more sandy soils. Nitrate-N was not correlated with soil organic carbon or total nitrogen content. Grain yield of maize was closely associated with nitrate-N in the soil but not with organic carbon or total N. Four patterns of nitrate-N release over the season could he differentiated using cluster analysis. Soil texture, soil pH, soil organic carbon, stover management and cropping history contributed most to a differentiation of the four cluster groups in a discriminant model. There was wide variability in the inherent soil-nitrate level and in its importance in explaining differences in yield among farmers' fields. The development of technologies resulting in improved nitrogen availability or better nitrogen utilization should be based on research of inherent soil processes. For the transfer of such technologies, recommendation domains should be defined based on different native patterns of soil-nitrogen availability.

Corrigendum to: Piggery pond sludge as a nitrogen source for crops. 1. Mineral N supply estimated from laboratory incubations and field application of stockpiled and wet sludge

2005 ◽  
Vol 56 (12) ◽  
pp. 1415
Author(s):  
Y. J. Kliese ◽  
R. C. Dalal ◽  
W. M. Strong ◽  
N. W. Menzies
Keyword(s):  
Sandy Soil ◽  
Clay Soil ◽  
Lignin Content ◽  
Field Application ◽  
Organic N ◽  
N Availability ◽  
Aerobic Incubation ◽  
Mineral N ◽  
Organic C ◽  
Nitrate N

Piggery pond sludge (PPS) was applied, as-collected (Wet PPS) and following stockpiling for 12 months (Stockpiled PPS), to a sandy Sodosol and clay Vertosol at sites on the Darling Downs of Queensland. Laboratory measures of N availability were carried out on unamended and PPS-amended soils to investigate their value in estimating supplementary N needs of crops in Australia's northern grains region. Cumulative net N mineralised from the long-term (30 weeks) leached aerobic incubation was described by a first-order single exponential model. The mineralisation rate constant (0.057/week) was not significantly different between Control and PPS treatments or across soil types, when the amounts of initial mineral N applied in PPS treatments were excluded. Potentially mineralisable N (No) was significantly increased by the application of Wet PPS, and increased with increasing rate of application. Application of Wet PPS significantly increased the total amount of inorganic N leached compared with the Control treatments. Mineral N applied in Wet PPS contributed as much to the total mineral N status of the soil as did that which mineralised over time from organic N. Rates of CO2 evolution during 30 weeks of aerobic leached incubation indicated that the Stockpiled PPS was more stabilised (19.28% of applied organic C mineralised) than the Wet PPS (35.58% of applied organic C mineralised), due to higher lignin content in the former. Net nitrate-N produced following 12 weeks of aerobic non-leached incubation was highly correlated with net nitrate-N leached during 12 weeks of aerobic incubation (R2 = 0.96), although it was <60% of the latter in both sandy and clayey soils. Anaerobically mineralisable N determined by waterlogged incubation of laboratory PPS-amended soil samples increased with increasing application rate of Wet PPS. Anaerobically mineralisable N from field-moist soil was well correlated with net N mineralised during 30 weeks of aerobic leached incubation (R2 = 0.90 sandy soil; R2 = 0.93 clay soil). In the clay soil, the amount of mineral N produced from all the laboratory incubations was significantly correlated with field-measured nitrate-N in the soil profile (0.1.5 m depth) after 9 months of weed-free fallow following PPS application. In contrast, only anaerobic mineralisable N was significantly correlated with field nitrate-N in the sandy soil. Anaerobic incubation would, therefore, be suitable as a rapid practical test to estimate potentially mineralisable N following applications of different PPS materials in the field.

Denitrification with corncob as carbon source and biofilm carriers

2012 ◽  
Vol 65 (7) ◽  
pp. 1238-1243 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guochao Li ◽  
Jie Chen ◽  
Tao Yang ◽  
Jianqi Sun ◽  
Shenglu Yu
Keyword(s):  
Reaction Time ◽  
Carbon Source ◽  
Nitrate Nitrogen ◽  
Batch Reactor ◽  
Oxygen Demand ◽  
Limiting Factor ◽  
Nitrate N ◽  
Biofilm Carrier ◽  
Laboratory Reactor ◽  
Control Batch

In this research the agricultural by-product corncob was investigated as a carbon source as well as a biofilm carrier to remove organic matter, expressed as chemical oxygen demand (COD) and nitrate nitrogen (nitrate-N), from wastewater in a batch laboratory reactor. The performance of a reactor with corncob as the carbon source and the biofilm carrier was compared with a control batch reactor with suspended plastic carriers and glucose as the sole carbon source. With 60 vol% of corncob carriers inside the reactor, a soluble COD/N ratio of 4.2 g COD g N−1 was enough for total denitrification, nearly half of the control reactor (9.5 g COD g N−1), at 23 h reaction time. The specific denitrification rate decreased with increasing soluble COD consumption for both reactors. Nitrate and COD removal efficiencies decreased with shorter retention times, with accentuated effects in the reactor. This study suggested corncob as a feasible carbon source and that reaction time was a limiting factor with corncob used as the carbon source for denitrification.

scholarly journals SEEDBED PREPARATION FOR RAPESEED GROWN ON FALLOW AND STUBBLE

1989 ◽  
Vol 69 (3) ◽  
pp. 805-814 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. T. WRIGHT
Keyword(s):  
Clay Soil ◽  
Reduced Tillage ◽  
Silty Clay ◽  
Average Yield ◽  
Brassica Spp ◽  
Crop Development ◽  
Direct Drilling ◽  
Seedbed Preparation ◽  
Silty Clay Soil ◽  
Tillage Operations

Seedbed preparation (SP) systems for Brassica napus and B. campestris cultivars grown on both tilled fallow and on barley stubble were evaluated for 3 yr on Melfort silty clay soil to determine whether the number of tillage operations could be reduced without adversely affecting yield. On fallow, treatments including spring tillage increased the risk of drying out of the seedbed, thereby, delaying crop development and reducing yield. In 1985, this practice delayed maturity by 2.8 d and reduced yield by 225 kg ha−1. In those instances where there were significant differences, SP treatments without spring tillage gave highest yields. Leaving cereal stubble standing over winter to trap snow and incorporating trifluralin in the spring delayed rapeseed maturity by 1.2 d on average. Yield of Tobin rapeseed was unaffected by SP treatment, but the yield of OAC Triton and Westar was highest when tillage was reduced, trifluralin incorporated in the fall and a herbicide used for preseeding weed control in the spring. Direct drilling of OAC Triton gave similar yields to reduced tillage, but this practice resulted in lowest yields of Westar.Key words: Rapeseed, tillage, seedbed, Brassica spp.

Addendum

1962 ◽  
Vol 59 (2) ◽  
pp. 205-206
Keyword(s):  
Nitrogen Fertilizer ◽  
Present Experiment ◽  
Nitrate Nitrogen ◽  
Present Series ◽  
N Accumulation ◽  
Nitrate N ◽  
Nitrogen Contents

The nitrate-nitrogen contents of herbage at the first cut of 1956, and at a first cut in 1957Herbage samples from two replicates of the first cut of 1956, and from two replicates of a first cut taken in 1957 in the present experiment, were analysed for nitrate-N. The 1957 results are included here as illustrating the influence of season on nitrate-N accumulation, although data from that year have not been reported in the two papers of the present series. Attention has been limited to first cuts, as nitrate-N accumulation is normally greater the shorter the interval between, the application of nitrogen fertilizer and sampling, and in addition the spring flush of growth is usually conducive to high nitrate-N contents (ap Griffith, 1961).

scholarly journals Relationship between Applied Fertilizer and Accumulated Levels of Nitrogen and Sulfur in a Soilless Mix

HortScience ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 584a-584
Author(s):  
Ellen T. Paparozzi ◽  
M. Elizabeth Conley ◽  
Walter W. Stroup
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Design ◽  
Total Nitrogen ◽  
Nitrate Nitrogen ◽  
Commercial Production ◽  
Production Schedule ◽  
Total N ◽  
Sulfate Sulfur ◽  
Nitrate N ◽  
Split Plot

Three cultivars of poinsettia, Freedom Red, Lilo and Red Sails, were grown in a peat:perlite:vermiculite mix according to a commercial production schedule. Twelve selected nitrogen–sulfur fertilizer combinations were applied (125, 150, 175 ppm N with either 12.5, 25, or 37.5 ppm S, 225 and 275 ppm N with either 37.5 or 75 ppm S). The experimental design was a split plot with cultivars as the whole plot and fertilizer levels as the split-plot factor. Mix samples were taken initially, at production week 7 and at the end of the experiment. Nitrate-nitrogen, sulfate-sulfur and total nitrogen were determined. Data were analyzed using SAS PROC MIXED. Visually all cultivars responded similarly to all treatments and were salable. Thus, levels of N as low as 125 or 150 with 12.5 ppm S produced quality plants. Sulfate-S tended to accumulate in the mix while nitrate-N and total N did not. Both nitrate-N and sulfate-S concentrations were affected by an interaction between the cultivar and the amount of S applied with `Freedom' better able to utilize available sulfur. `Lilo' removed more nitrate-N and total N from the mix than `Freedom' which removed more than `Red Sails', but only at specific levels of sulfur. There was no cultivar by nitrogen interaction for any variable measured.

Recovery of available soil nitrogen by annual fodder crops at Katherine, Northern Territory

1960 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 693 ◽  
Author(s):  
R Wetselaar ◽  
MJT Norman
Keyword(s):  
Soil Nitrogen ◽  
Nitrate Nitrogen ◽  
Soil Layer ◽  
Sudan Grass ◽  
Nitrogen Yield ◽  
Cropping Season ◽  
Fallow Soil ◽  
Fodder Crops ◽  
Considerable Depth ◽  
Grass Ley

In 1958-59, a field trial was carried out at Katherine, N.T., to compare the recovery. of available soil nitrogen by fodder sorghum, Sudan grass, and bulrush millet when grown after an all-grass ley, a legume ley, and a long period of fallow. After 6 years of grass, available soil nitrogen remained low throughout the cropping season at all soil levels to a depth of 5 ft, and nitrogen yield from the fodder crops averaged only 17 lb/acre. After 7 years of Townsville lucerne, available soil nitrogen was low at the start of the season, but soil nitrogen was quickly mineralized and, in the absence of a crop, was leached to give a peak concentration of nitrate nitrogen at 2–3 ft. All three crops intercepted this mineral nitrogen efficiently to give an average aboveground nitrogen yield of 75 lb/acre, approximately half the nitrate nitrogen available in the 5 ft soil layer on uncropped land at the end of the season. After 5 years of clean fallow, soil nitrogen had been mineralized and leached to a considerable depth, 260 lb of nitrate nitrogen per acre being accumulated in the 0–5 ft layer. Fodder sorghum and Sudan grass depleted soil nitrogen appreciably in the 0–2 ft layer, and gave an average above-ground nitrogen yield of 62 lb/acre. Bulrush millet depleted soil nitrogen throughout the 0–5 ft profile to give a nitrogen yield of 154 lb/acre. Bulrush millet is therefore regarded at Katherine as an outstanding crop for the recovery of deep accumulations of soil nitrate nitrogen and their conversion to harvestable fodder protein.

scholarly journals Piggery pond sludge as a nitrogen source for crops. 1. Mineral N supply estimated from laboratory incubations and field application of stockpiled and wet sludge

2005 ◽  
Vol 56 (3) ◽  
pp. 245 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. J. Kliese ◽  
R. C. Dalal ◽  
W. M. Strong ◽  
N. W. Menzies
Keyword(s):  
Sandy Soil ◽  
Clay Soil ◽  
Lignin Content ◽  
Field Application ◽  
Organic N ◽  
N Availability ◽  
Aerobic Incubation ◽  
Mineral N ◽  
Organic C ◽  
Nitrate N

Piggery pond sludge (PPS) was applied, as-collected (Wet PPS) and following stockpiling for 12 months (Stockpiled PPS), to a sandy Sodosol and clay Vertosol at sites on the Darling Downs of Queensland. Laboratory measures of N availability were carried out on unamended and PPS-amended soils to investigate their value in estimating supplementary N needs of crops in Australia’s northern grains region. Cumulative net N mineralised from the long-term (30 weeks) leached aerobic incubation was described by a first-order single exponential model. The mineralisation rate constant (0.057/week) was not significantly different between Control and PPS treatments or across soil types, when the amounts of initial mineral N applied in PPS treatments were excluded. Potentially mineralisable N (No) was significantly increased by the application of Wet PPS, and increased with increasing rate of application. Application of Wet PPS significantly increased the total amount of inorganic N leached compared with the Control treatments. Mineral N applied in Wet PPS contributed as much to the total mineral N status of the soil as did that which mineralised over time from organic N. Rates of CO2 evolution during 30 weeks of aerobic leached incubation indicated that the Stockpiled PPS was more stabilised (19–28% of applied organic C mineralised) than the Wet PPS (35–58% of applied organic C mineralised), due to higher lignin content in the former. Net nitrate-N produced following 12 weeks of aerobic non-leached incubation was highly correlated with net nitrate-N leached during 12 weeks of aerobic incubation (R2 = 0.96), although it was <60% of the latter in both sandy and clayey soils. Anaerobically mineralisable N determined by waterlogged incubation of laboratory PPS-amended soil samples increased with increasing application rate of Wet PPS. Anaerobically mineralisable N from field-moist soil was well correlated with net N mineralised during 30 weeks of aerobic leached incubation (R2 = 0.90 sandy soil; R2 = 0.93 clay soil). In the clay soil, the amount of mineral N produced from all the laboratory incubations was significantly correlated with field-measured nitrate-N in the soil profile (0–1.5 m depth) after 9 months of weed-free fallow following PPS application. In contrast, only anaerobic mineralisable N was significantly correlated with field nitrate-N in the sandy soil. Anaerobic incubation would, therefore, be suitable as a rapid practical test to estimate potentially mineralisable N following applications of different PPS materials in the field.

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