Crop and microbial responses to the nitrification inhibitor 3,4-dimethylpyrazole phosphate (DMPP) in Mediterranean wheat-cropping systems

Nitrification inhibitors (NIs) such as 3,4,-dimethylpyrazole phosphate (DMPP), are used to suppress the abundance of ammonia-oxidising micro-organisms responsible for nitrification. In agriculture, NIs are used to retain soil mineral nitrogen (N) as ammonium to minimise the risk of losses of N from agricultural soils. It is currently unclear whether DMPP-induced nitrification inhibition can prevent losses of N from the light soils prevalent across the main rain-fed cropping regions of Western Australia, or whether it can improve the productivity or N uptake by broadacre crops such as wheat. Herein, we report on a series of glasshouse and field studies that examined the effect of applications of DMPP in conjunction with urea (as ENTEC urea; Incitec Pivot, Melbourne, Vic., Australia) on: (1) soil nitrification rates; (2) the abundance of ammonia-oxidising bacteria and archaea (AOB and AOA respectively); and (3) wheat performance (grain yield, protein content and N accumulation). A glasshouse study demonstrated that DMPP inhibited nitrification (for up to ~40 days after application) and reduced the abundance of AOB (by 50%), but had no effect on AOA abundance, wheat grain yield or protein content at any fertiliser N rate. Across six field experiments, DMPP also limited nitrification rates and reduced AOB abundance for approximately the first 40 days after application. However, by the end of the growing season, DMPP use had not increased soil mineral N resources or impaired AOB abundance compared with urea-only applications. In addition, DMPP had no effect on AOA abundance in any trial and did not improve crop performance in most trials.

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Computer simulation of changes in soil mineral nitrogen and crop nitrogen during autumn, winter and spring

The Journal of Agricultural Science ◽

10.1017/s0021859600081089 ◽

1987 ◽

Vol 109 (1) ◽

pp. 141-157 ◽

Cited By ~ 213

Author(s):

T. M. Addiscott ◽

A. P. Whitmore

Keyword(s):

Soil Temperature ◽

Dry Matter ◽

N Uptake ◽

Sowing Date ◽

Mineralization Rate ◽

Soil Mineral N ◽

Soil Mineral ◽

Soil Mineral Nitrogen ◽

Mineral N ◽

Crop N Uptake

summaryThe computer model described simulates changes in soil mineral nitrogen and crop uptake of nitrogen by computing on a daily basis the amounts of N leached, mineralized, nitrified and taken up by the crop. Denitrification is not included at present. The leaching submodel divides the soil into layers, each of which contains mobile and immobile water. It needs points from the soil moisture characteristic, measured directly or derived from soil survey data; it also needs daily rainfall and evaporation. The mineralization and nitrification submodel assumes pseudo-zero order kinetics and depends on the net mineralization rate in the topsoil and the daily soil temperature and moisture content, the latter being computed in the leaching submodel. The crop N uptake and dry-matter production submodel is a simple function driven by degree days of soil temperature and needs in addition only the sowing date and the date the soil returns to field capacity, the latter again being computed in the leaching submodel. A sensitivity analysis was made, showing the effects of 30% changes in the input variables on the simulated amounts of soil mineral N and crop N present in spring when decisions on N fertilizer rates have to be made. Soil mineral N was influenced most by changes in rainfall, soil water content, mineralization rate and soil temperature, whilst crop N was affected most by changes in soil temperature, rainfall and sowing date. The model has so far been applied only to winter wheat growing through autumn, winter and spring but it should be adaptable to other crops and to a full season.The model was validated by comparing its simulations with measurements of soil mineral N, dry matter and the amounts of N taken up by winter wheat in experiments made at seven sites during 5 years. The simulations were assessed graphically and with the aid of several statistical summaries of the goodness of fit. The agreement was generally very good; over all years 72% of all simulations of soil mineral N to 90 cm depth were within 20 kg N/ha of the soil measurements; also 78% of the simulations of crop nitrogen uptake were within 15 kg N/ha and 63% of the simulated yields of dry matter were within 25 g/m2 of the amounts measured. All correlation coefficients were large, positive, and highly significant, and on average no statistically significant differences were found between simulation and measurement either for soil mineral N or for crop N uptake.

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Five years of straw incorporation and its effect on growth, yield and nitrogen nutrition of sugarbeet (Beta vulgaris)

The Journal of Agricultural Science ◽

10.1017/s0021859600074505 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 125 (1) ◽

pp. 61-68 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

M. F. Allison ◽

H. M. Hetschkun

Keyword(s):

Field Experiments ◽

Nitrogen Nutrition ◽

N Uptake ◽

Growth Yield ◽

Soil Mineral N ◽

Soil Mineral ◽

Mineral N ◽

Fertilizer Use ◽

Experimental Station ◽

Straw Incorporation

SUMMARYIn 1990–92, field experiments were performed at Broom's Barn Experimental Station to study the effect of 5 years' repeated straw incorporation on sugarbeet. Straw incorporation had no effect on plant population density. Processing quality was reduced by incorporated straw but N had a much larger effect. The effect of incorporated straw on the mineral N content of the soils and N uptake by beet was inconsistent, and this may be related to the amount of soil mineral N present when the straw was incorporated. The efficiency of fertilizer use was unaffected by straw incorporation. On Broom's Barn soils when straw was incorporated, the optimal economic N dressing was c. 120 kg N/ha, and in unincorporated plots it was c. 100 kg N/ha. At the optimal economic N rate, incorporated straw increased beet yields.

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Greenhouse gas (N2O and CH4) fluxes under nitrogen-fertilised dryland wheat and barley on subtropical Vertosols: risk, rainfall and alternatives

Soil Research ◽

10.1071/sr15338 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 54 (5) ◽

pp. 634 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Graeme D. Schwenke ◽

David F. Herridge ◽

Clemens Scheer ◽

David W. Rowlings ◽

Bruce M. Haigh ◽

...

Keyword(s):

N Uptake ◽

Nitrification Inhibitor ◽

N2o Emission ◽

N2o Emissions ◽

Soil Mineral N ◽

Soil Mineral ◽

Mineral N ◽

Before And After ◽

Ch4 Uptake ◽

Crop N Uptake

The northern Australian grains industry relies on nitrogen (N) fertiliser to optimise yield and protein, but N fertiliser can increase soil fluxes of nitrous oxide (N2O) and methane (CH4). We measured soil N2O and CH4 fluxes associated with wheat (Triticum aestivum) and barley (Hordeum vulgare) using automated (Expts 1, 3) and manual chambers (Expts 2, 4, 5). Experiments were conducted on subtropical Vertosol soils fertilised with N rates of 0–160kgNha–1. In Expt 1 (2010), intense rainfall for a month before and after sowing elevated N2O emissions from N-fertilised (80kgNha–1) wheat, with 417gN2O-Nha–1 emitted compared with 80g N2O-Nha–1 for non-fertilised wheat. Once crop N uptake reduced soil mineral N, there was no further treatment difference in N2O. Expt 2 (2010) showed similar results, however, the reduced sampling frequency using manual chambers gave a lower cumulative N2O. By contrast, very low rainfall before and for several months after sowing Expt 3 (2011) resulted in no difference in N2O emissions between N-fertilised and non-fertilised barley. N2O emission factors were 0.42, 0.20 and –0.02 for Expts 1, 2 and 3, respectively. In Expts 4 and 5 (2011), N2O emissions increased with increasing rate of N fertiliser. Emissions were reduced by 45% when the N fertiliser was applied in a 50:50 split between sowing and mid-tillering, or by 70% when urea was applied with the nitrification inhibitor 3,4-dimethylpyrazole-phosphate. Methane fluxes were typically small and mostly negative in all experiments, especially in dry soils. Cumulative CH4 uptake ranged from 242 to 435g CH4-Cha–1year–1, with no effect of N fertiliser treatment. Considered in terms of CO2 equivalents, soil CH4 uptake offset 8–56% of soil N2O emissions, with larger offsets occurring in non-N-fertilised soils. The first few months from N fertiliser application to the period of rapid crop N uptake pose the main risk for N2O losses from rainfed cereal cropping on subtropical Vertosols, but the realisation of this risk is dependent on rainfall. Strategies that reduce the soil mineral N pool during this time can reduce the risk of N2O loss.

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

Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems ◽

10.1017/s1742170508002330 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 23 (03) ◽

pp. 250-259 ◽

Cited By ~ 24

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 (<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.

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Field experiments with slurry and dicyandiamide: response of potatoes and effects on soil mineral nitrogen

Netherlands Journal of Agricultural Science ◽

10.18174/njas.v41i2.625 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 41 (2) ◽

pp. 95-109

Author(s):

W.P. Wadman ◽

J.J. Neeteson ◽

G.J. Wijnen

Keyword(s):

Nitrogen Fertilizer ◽

Field Experiments ◽

Inorganic Nitrogen ◽

Maximum Yield ◽

Soil Layer ◽

Nitrification Inhibitor ◽

Mineral Nitrogen ◽

Residual Soil ◽

Soil Mineral ◽

Soil Mineral Nitrogen

In the period of 1983-1985, 18 field experiments with potatoes grown for industrial starch production were set up in the Netherlands to investigate the effects of poultry-slurry application on tuber yield and on soil mineral nitrogen. Slurry was applied in autumn with and without the nitrification inhibitor dicyandiamide (DCD) and in spring without DCD. Control treatments without slurry or DCD were included. Various nitrogen fertilizer rates were applied to all slurry treatments. In autumn, following slurry application without DCD, slurry-derived nitrate moved to the 0.3-0.6 and 0.6-1 m soil layers. Following DCD-application, most of the slurry-derived nitrate remained in the 0-0.3 m soil layer. Maximum yields as estimated from a nitrogen fertilizer response function were slightly increased by the slurry application. Nitrogen supplied from the slurry decreased the amount of fertilizer nitrogen needed for maximum yield. Increasing the amounts of soil mineral nitrogen in June from slurry or applied inorganic nitrogen fertilizer increased residual soil mineral nitrogen at harvest.

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Agronomic responses of grain sorghum to DMPP-treated urea on contrasting soil types in north-eastern Australia

Soil Research ◽

10.1071/sr15337 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 54 (5) ◽

pp. 565 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

David W. Lester ◽

Michael J. Bell ◽

Kerry L. Bell ◽

Massimiliano De Antoni Migliorati ◽

Clemens Scheer ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Grain Yield ◽

Dry Matter ◽

N Uptake ◽

Nitrification Inhibitor ◽

Grain Sorghum ◽

Nitrification Inhibitors ◽

Available N ◽

Growing Seasons ◽

Eastern Australia ◽

North Eastern

Grain sorghum grown in north-eastern Australia’s cropping region increasingly requires nitrogen (N) fertiliser to supplement the soil available N supply. The rates of N required can be high when fallows between crop seasons are short (higher cropping intensities) and when yield potentials are high. Fertiliser N is typically applied before or at crop sowing and is vulnerable to environmental loss in the period between application and significant crop N demand due to potentially intense rainfall events in the summer-dominant rainfall environment. Nitrification inhibitors added to urea can reduce certain gaseous loss pathways but the agronomic efficacy of these products has not been explored. Urea and urea coated with the nitrification inhibitor DMPP (3,4-dimethylpyrazole phosphate) were compared in sorghum crops grown at five research sites over consecutive summer sorghum growing seasons in south-east Queensland. Products were compared in terms of crop responses in dry matter, N uptake and grain yield, with DMPP found to produce only subtle increases on grain yield. There was no effect on dry matter or N uptake. Outcomes suggest any advantages from use of DMPP in this region are most significant in situations where higher fertiliser application rates (>80kgN/ha) are required.

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Soil Properties for Predicting Soil Mineral Nitrogen Dynamics Throughout a Wheat Growing Cycle in Calcareous Soils

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy8120303 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 8 (12) ◽

pp. 303 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Marta Aranguren ◽

Ana Aizpurua ◽

Ander Castellón ◽

Gerardo Besga ◽

Nerea Villar

Keyword(s):

Soil Properties ◽

N Uptake ◽

Calcareous Soils ◽

Growth Stages ◽

Soil Mineral ◽

Soil Mineral Nitrogen ◽

Northern Spain ◽

Chemical Methods ◽

Mineral N ◽

Wheat Growth

A better understanding of the capacity of soils to supply nitrogen (N) to wheat can enhance fertilizer recommendations. The aim of this study was to assess the soil mineral N (Nmin) dynamics throughout the wheat growing season in crucial stages for the plant yield and grain protein content (GPC). To this aim, we evaluated the utility of different soil properties analyzed before sowing: (i) commonly used soil physicochemical properties, (ii) potentially mineralizable N or No (aerobic incubation), and (iii) different extraction methods for estimating No. A greenhouse experiment was established using samples from 16 field soils from northern Spain. Wheat N uptake and soil Nmin concentrations were determined at following growing stages (GS): sowing, GS30, GS37, GS60, harvest, post-harvest, and pre-sowing. Pearson’s correlation analysis of the soil properties, aerobic incubations and chemical extractions with the soil Nmin dynamics and N uptake, yield and GPC was performed. In addition, correlations were performed between Nmin and the N uptake, yield, and GPC. The dynamics of soil Nmin throughout the cropping season were variable, and thus, the crop N necessities were variable. The soil Nmin values in the early wheat growth stages were well correlated with the yield, and in the late stages, they were well correlated with GPC. N0 was correlated with the late N uptake and GPC. However, the chemical methods that avoid the long periods required for N0 determinations were not correlated with the N uptake in the late wheat growth stages or GPC. Conversely, clay was positively correlated with the late Nmin values and GPC. Chemical methods were unable to estimate the available soil N in the later stages of the growing cycle. Consequently, as incubation methods are too laborious for their widespread use, further research must be conducted.

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Straw Incorporation Management Affects Maize Grain Yield through Regulating Nitrogen Uptake, Water Use Efficiency, and Root Distribution

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy10030324 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (3) ◽

pp. 324 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Pengxiang Sui ◽

Ping Tian ◽

Hongli Lian ◽

Zhengyu Wang ◽

Ziqi Ma ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Grain Yield ◽

Root Length Density ◽

N Uptake ◽

Root Weight ◽

Soil Mineral ◽

Mineral N ◽

Weight Density ◽

Use Efficiency ◽

Straw Incorporation ◽

Maize Grain

Returning crop straw to soil can potentially improve soil health and crop production, facilitating sustainable agriculture. However, the effects of straw incorporation with various tillage management techniques combined with nitrogen (N) regimes on crop root growth, and water and N utility are not well understood. In this study, rotary tillage (RTS) and plow tillage (PTS) for straw incorporation combined with N regimes (CK, no N applied; LN, 112 kg N ha−1; MN, 187 kg N ha−1; and HN, 262 kg N ha−1) were used to determine their effects on soil water and mineral N availability, root distribution, crop N uptake, grain yield, and water use efficiency (WUE) of maize in northeast China. The results demonstrate that higher levels of pre-sowing soil-water storage and field evapotranspiration (ET), and lower levels of WUE and pre-sowing soil mineral N storage (Nmin-PS) at a depth of 0–60 cm were obtained with the RTS treatments as compared to the PTS treatments. N addition improved Nmin-PS and post-harvest soil mineral N storage (Nmin-PH) at a depth of 60–100 cm in 2016, and increased WUE compared to CK. RTS treatments enhanced root weight density (RWD) at a depth of 0–60 cm in 2016–2017, root length density (RLD), ratio of root length density (RLDR), and ratio of root weight density (RWDR) at a depth of 30–60 cm in 2016, and RLD at a depth of 0–30 cm in 2017. N addition promoted RLD and RWD at a depth of 0–10 cm in 2016–2017. RTS treatments reduced pre-silking shoot N uptake (NPS) and grain yield. Shoot N uptake and grain yield were enhanced in response to increasing levels of N; however, the grain yield did not show further significant improvements when the amount of N applied was over 187 kg N ha−1 (except for RTS in 2016). Overall, tillage with straw incorporation management and N levels markedly affected the soil physicochemical properties (such as ET, Nmin-PS, and Nmin-PH). This influenced grain yield indirectly by further mediating root traits (RLD, RWD, RLDR, and RWDR) with consequences for the NPS and post-silking shoot N uptake (NPOS) of maize, which were found to have greatest direct and positive impact on maize grain yield.

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Can split or delayed application of N fertiliser to grain sorghum reduce soil N2O emissions from sub-tropical Vertosols and maintain grain yields?

Soil Research ◽

10.1071/sr19080 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 57 (8) ◽

pp. 859 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

G. D. Schwenke ◽

B. M. Haigh

Keyword(s):

Grain Yield ◽

N Uptake ◽

Grain Sorghum ◽

Yield Response ◽

N2o Emissions ◽

Residual Soil ◽

Soil Mineral N ◽

Soil Mineral ◽

Mineral N ◽

Crop N Uptake

Most soil nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from rain-fed grain sorghum grown on sub-tropical Vertosols in north-west New South Wales, Australia, occur between fertiliser nitrogen (N) application at sowing and booting growth stage. At three experiments, we investigated the potential for deferring some (split-N) or all (delayed) fertiliser N until booting to mitigate N2O produced without compromising optimum crop yields. N products included urea, 3,4-dimethyl pyrazole phosphate (DMPP)-urea, polymer-coated urea (PCU) and N-(n-butyl)thiophosphoric triamide (NBPT)-urea. For a fourth experiment, the N fertiliser rate was varied according to pre-sowing soil mineral N stocks left by different previous crops. All experiments incorporated 15N mini-plots to determine whether delayed or split-N affected crop N uptake or residual soil N. Compared to urea applied at-sowing, delayed applications of urea, DMPP-urea or NBPT-urea at booting reduced the N2O emission factor (EF, percentage of applied N emitted) by 67–81%. Crop N uptake, grain yield and protein tended to be lower with delayed N than N at-sowing due to dry mid-season conditions. Much of the unused N remained in the soil at harvest. Split-N (33% sowing:67% booting) using urea, reduced EF by 59% compared to at-sowing urea, but maintained crop N uptake, grain yield and protein. Using DMPP-urea or PCU for the at-sowing portion of the split reduced EF by 84–86%. Grain yield was maintained using PCU, but was lower with DMPP-urea, which had more N in vegetative biomass. Using NBPT-urea for the in-crop portion of the split did not affect N2O emissions or crop productivity. Nitrogen budgeting to account for high pre-sowing soil mineral N nullified urea-induced N2O emissions. An N-budgeted, split-N strategy using urea offers the best balance between N2O mitigation, grain productivity and provision of a soil mineral N buffer against dry mid-season conditions. Split-N using DMPP-urea or PCU further enhanced N2O mitigation but there was no yield response to justify the extra expense.

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Prediction of nitrogen fertiliser requirements of maize in subtropical Queensland

Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture ◽

10.1071/ea9930053 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 33 (1) ◽

pp. 53 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

T Dickson ◽

RL Aitken ◽

JC Dwyer

Keyword(s):

Grain Yield ◽

Field Experiments ◽

Yield Response ◽

Soil Nitrate ◽

Soil Mineral ◽

Summer Maize ◽

Mineral N ◽

Nitrate N ◽

Supplementary Irrigation ◽

N Requirement

Sixteen field experiments were conducted at 9 sites in the South Burnett region of subtropical Queensland, to determine grain yield response of maize to fertiliser nitrogen (N) and to assess soil mineral N levels at sowing for predicting N requirement. At 6 sites, areas were either winter-cropped or bare-allowed, resulting in different cropping histories immediately prior to summer maize. In each experiment, 4 rates of N (0, 38, 76, and 152 kg/ha) were applied, with an additional rate (304 kg/ha) at 3 sites that received supplementary irrigation. Immediately prior to sowing, soil samples for mineral N and moisture were taken from each 10-cm increment to a depth of 120 cm. Soil nitrate-N levels (0-120 cm) before sowing were 16-100 kg N/ha (winter-cropped) and 65-167 kg N/ha (bare-fallowed). Application of N significantly (P<.05) increased grain yield in 14 of the 16 experiments. Maximum grain yields in non-irrigated experiments ranged from 2.08 to 5.61 t/ha and reflected profile available water at sowing and rainfall during the growing season. Maximum yields in irrigated experiments ranged from 4.44 to 6.95 t/ha. The magnitude of the response was greater at winter-cropped sites (relative yields 33-89%) than at fallow sites (82-100%). Relative grain yield was well correlated with nitrate-N in the 0-60 cm profile ( R2 = 0.74). There was also a good relationship between relative grain yield and nitrate-N at 0-10 cm depth ( R2= 0.64).

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