Etridiazole may conserve applied nitrogen and increase yield of irrigated cotton

Recovery of applied N is often poor in irrigated cotton production in Australia, due to N loss through biological denitrification in the heavy clay soils. We envisaged that the N loss through denitrification could be reduced by limiting the soil nitrate concentration by applying a nitrification inhibitor with the fertilizer. We applied the nitrification inhibitor etridiazole in three field experiments in two cotton-growing seasons (1991-1993). The nitrification of ammonium-N applied as urea or anhydrous ammonia, the cotton crop N uptake and lint yield were monitored; recovery of 15N-labelled urea applied to microplots was assessed at crop maturity. In the first experiment, urea was applied at rates of 0 and 80 kg N ha-1 with etridiazole (applied as Terrazole EC). The recommended etridiazole rate (300 g ha-1) was compared with nil, half and double that rate. In the fertilized treatments where etridiazole was applied, nitrification of ammonium was retarded for more than 2 months, cotton crop N uptake was increased by 28% at maturity and lint yield increased by 18%, relative to the control. Etridiazole application had little effect on soil N concentrations, crop N uptake or lint yield in the unfertilized treatments. Fertilizer recovery was significantly improved from 35 to 50% with etridiazole application. The second experiment (in the following year) was conducted under commercial conditions. Etridiazole was applied with urea at 86, 119 and 154 kg N ha-1. As in Experiment 1, nitrification was delayed, crop N uptake was enhanced at crop maturity and lint yield was significantly increased by 46 kg ha-1 (3% greater than the control) with etridiazole application. In the third experiment, anhydrous ammonia was applied at rates from 0 to 175 kg N ha-1, with and without etridiazole. Recovery of 15N-labelled urea was not significantly altered by etridiazole application from the relatively high (69%) recovery in the control treatment. Maximum lint yield was 130 kg ha-1 (6.9%) higher in the etridiazole treatments, but required the application of additional N to achieve it. These experiments indicated that etridiazole was cost-effective in increasing lint yield of irrigated cotton and conserved applied N where substantial denitrification loss occurred.

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Residual and cumulative effect of fertilizer zinc applied in wheat-cotton production system in an irrigated aridisol

Plant Soil and Environment ◽

10.17221/313/2013-pse ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 59 (No. 11) ◽

pp. 505-510 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

M. Abid ◽

N. Ahmed ◽

Qayyum MF ◽

M. Shaaban ◽

A. Rashid

Keyword(s):

Production System ◽

Field Experiments ◽

Crop Yields ◽

Block Design ◽

Cumulative Effect ◽

Residual Effect ◽

Triticum Aestivum L ◽

Cotton Production ◽

Cotton Crop ◽

Repeated Use

The objectives of present study were to determine the residual and cumulative effects of zinc (Zn) fertilizer on cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in a silt loam Typic Haplocambid soil (< 0.05 mg/kg diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA)-Zn). The study comprised of two years field experiments where first cotton crop received zinc sulphate (ZnSO4∙H2O) at five rates (0, 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5 kg Zn/ha) in a randomized complete block design with four replications. After harvest, each plot was divided into two sub-plots. To study the residual effect, one sub-plot of all plots did not receive Zn fertilizer for the subsequent crops; however, the other sub-plot received all Zn rates for 2005–06 wheat, 2006 cotton, and 2006–07 wheat. Fresh applied, residual as well as cumulative Zn application significantly (P ≤ 0.05) increased crops production for both experimental years. Residual effect of 5.0 kg Zn/ha optimized the 2006 cotton yield; however, wheat productivity was optimized with residual effect of 7.5 kg Zn/ha in 2005–06 and of 10.0 kg Zn/ha in 2006–07. Optimum yield of both crops was attained with a lesser fresh-applied and residual Zn rate than cumulative Zn rate. Total Zn uptake by wheat (134.9–289.6 g/ha) was much greater than by cotton (92.3–192.5 g/ha). It is concluded that one application of 7.5 kg Zn/ha proved adequate for optimizing two cycles of the cotton-wheat production system. Two-year repeated use of 5.0–7.5 kg Zn/ha did not depress crop 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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Durum Wheat Yield and N Uptake as Affected by N Source, Timing, and Rate in Two Mediterranean Environments

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy11071299 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (7) ◽

pp. 1299

Author(s):

Silvia Pampana ◽

Marco Mariotti

Keyword(s):

Durum Wheat ◽

Field Experiments ◽

N Uptake ◽

Central Italy ◽

Wheat Yield ◽

Nitrification Inhibitor ◽

N Availability ◽

N Source ◽

Action Programme ◽

Vulnerable Zones

In nitrate vulnerable zones (NVZs), site-specific techniques are needed to match N availability with durum wheat (Triticum turgidum subsp. durum Desf.) requirements. Enhanced-efficiency fertilizers can improve efficient N supply and reduce leaching, contributing to sustainable agriculture. Two-year field experiments were carried out at two Mediterranean nitrate vulnerable zones in Central Italy (Pisa and Arezzo) to study the effects of nitrogen sources, timings, and application rates. The trial compared: (i) three N sources for the first topdressing application (urea, methylene urea, and urea with the nitrification inhibitor DMPP); (ii) two stages for the first topdressing N application (1st tiller visible—BBCH21 and 1st node detectable—BBCH31); (iii) two N rates: one based on the crop N requirements (Optimal—NO), the other based on action programme prescriptions of the two NVZs (Action Programme—NAP). Grain yield and yield components were determined, together with N uptake. The results showed that: (i) grain and biomass production were reduced with NAP at both locations; (ii) urea performed better than slow-release fertilizers; (iii) the best application time depended on the N source and location: in Pisa, enhanced-efficiency fertilizers achieved higher yields when applied earliest, while for urea the opposite was true; in Arezzo different N fertilizers showed similar performances between the two application timings. Different behaviors of topdressing fertilizers at the two localities could be related to the diverse patterns of temperatures and rainfall. Thus, optimal fertilization strategies would seem to vary according to environmental conditions.

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Nitrogen use efficiency of 15N urea applied to wheat based on fertiliser timing and use of inhibitors

Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems ◽

10.1007/s10705-019-10028-x ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 116 (1) ◽

pp. 41-56 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Ashley J. Wallace ◽

Roger D. Armstrong ◽

Peter R. Grace ◽

Clemens Scheer ◽

Debra L. Partington

Keyword(s):

Grain Yield ◽

N Uptake ◽

Management Strategies ◽

Nitrification Inhibitor ◽

Arid Environment ◽

Yield Response ◽

Environmental Damage ◽

Use Efficiency ◽

15N Urea ◽

Crop N Uptake

Abstract Improving fertiliser nitrogen (N) use efficiency is essential to increase productivity and avoid environmental damage. Using a 15N mass balance approach, we investigated the effects of five N fertiliser management strategies to test the hypothesis that increasing uptake of applied N by wheat improves productivity and reduces loss of N in a semi-arid environment. Three experiments were conducted between 2012 and 2014. Treatments included urea application (50 kg N/ha) at sowing with and without nitrification inhibitor (3,4-dimethylpyrazole phosphate, DMPP) and surface broadcast with and without urease inhibitor (n-butyl thiophosphoric triamide, NBPT) at the end of tillering plus an unfertilised control. It was found that deferring fertiliser application until the end of tillering decreased losses of fertiliser N (35–52%) through increasing uptake by the crop and or recovery in the soil at harvest, while maintaining yield except when rainfall following application was low. In this case, deferring application reduced fertiliser uptake (− 71%) and grain yield (− 18%) and increased recovery of N in the soil (+ 121%). Use of DMPP or NBPT reduced N loss where seasonal conditions were conducive to denitrification during winter (DMPP) and volatilisation or denitrification later in the season (NBPT). Their effect on grain yield was less significant; DMPP increased yield (+ 3–31%) in all years and NBPT increased yield (+ 7–11%) in 2 of 3 years compared to unamended urea. The majority of crop N uptake was supplied from soil reserves and as a result, crop recovery of applied N was not strongly related to grain yield response.

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Mitigation of nitrous oxide emissions from furrow-irrigated Vertosols by 3,4-dimethyl pyrazole tetra-methylene sulfone, an alternative nitrification inhibitor to nitrapyrin for direct injection with anhydrous ammonia

Soil Research ◽

10.1071/sr18114 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 56 (7) ◽

pp. 752

Author(s):

Graeme Schwenke ◽

Annabelle McPherson

Keyword(s):

Nitrous Oxide ◽

Direct Injection ◽

Nitrification Inhibitor ◽

Environmental Benefits ◽

Nitrous Oxide Emissions ◽

Future Research ◽

N2o Emissions ◽

Cotton Production ◽

Anhydrous Ammonia ◽

High Yields

Nitrogen (N) fertiliser inputs for irrigated cotton production are rapidly increasing to support ever-increasing yields, but much of the applied N may be lost as N gases, including nitrous oxide (N2O), via denitrification in medium–heavy clay soils. The addition of a nitrification inhibitor can reduce overall N loss and N2O emissions. Currently, nitrapyrin (2-chloro-6-trichloro methyl pyridine) is the only inhibitor used with anhydrous ammonia (AA), whereas 3,4-dimethyl pyrazole phosphate (DMPP) has potentially greater stability and longevity in soil, but is not compatible with AA. A newly-developed formulation based on DMPP, 3,4-dimethyl pyrazole tetra-methylene sulfone (DMPS), can be direct-injected with AA. We compared N2O emissions from DMPS- and nitrapyrin-treated AA from two Vertosols used for irrigated cotton. At Emerald (Queensland), both inhibitors reduced N2O emitted by 77% over 2 months. At Gunnedah (New South Wales), DMPS was active in the soil for 3 months, reducing N2O by 86%, whereas nitrapyrin activity lasted for 2 months and reduced N2O by 65%. Realising the potential for improved environmental benefits from directly injecting DMPS with AA requires an agronomic benefit justifying its additional cost to the farmer. Future research needs to investigate the potential for reduced N rates when using these inhibitors – without compromising high yields.

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Row configuration as a tool for managing rain-fed cotton systems: review and simulation analysis

Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture ◽

10.1071/ea03254 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 45 (1) ◽

pp. 65 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

M. P. Bange ◽

P. S. Carberry ◽

J. Marshall ◽

S. P. Milroy

Keyword(s):

Soil Water ◽

Field Experiments ◽

Significant Proportion ◽

Lint Yield ◽

Fibre Quality ◽

Cotton Production ◽

Financial Loss ◽

Sowing Time ◽

Row Crops ◽

The Impact

Rain-fed cotton production can be a significant proportion (average 17%) of the Australian Cotton Industry. One of the management techniques that rain-fed cotton growers have is to modify row configuration. Configurations that have entire rows missing from the sowing configuration are often referred to as ‘skip row’. Skip configurations are used to: increase the amount of soil water available for the crop, which can influence the potential lint yield; reduce the level of variability or risk associated with production; enhance fibre quality; and reduce input costs. Choosing the correct row configuration for a particular environment involves many, often complex, considerations. This paper presents an examination of how rain-fed cotton production in Australia is influenced by row configuration with different management and environmental factors. Data collated from field experiments and the cotton crop simulation model OZCOT, were used to explore the impact of agronomic decisions on potential lint yield and fibre quality and consequent economic benefit. Some key findings were: (i) soil water available at sowing did not increase the advantage of skip row relative to solid configurations; (ii) reduced row spacing (75 cm) did not alter lint yield significantly in skip row crops; (iii) skip row, rain-fed crops show reasonable plasticity in terms of optimum plant spacing within the row (simular to irrigated cotton); (iv) sowing time of rain-fed crops would appear to differ between solid and skip row arrangements; (v) skip row configurations markedly reduce the risk of price discounts due to short fibre or low micronaire and this should be carefully considered in the choice of row configuration; and (vi) skip configurations can also provide some savings in variable costs. In situations where rain-fed cotton sown in solid row configurations is subject to water stress that may affect lint yield or fibre quality, skip row configurations would be a preferential alternative to reduce risk of financial loss.

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

Soil Research ◽

10.1071/sr16327 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 55 (6) ◽

pp. 553 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Elliott G. Duncan ◽

Cathryn A. O’Sullivan ◽

Margaret M. Roper ◽

Mark B. Peoples ◽

Karen Treble ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Grain Yield ◽

Protein Content ◽

Field Experiments ◽

N Uptake ◽

Nitrification Inhibitor ◽

Nitrification Inhibitors ◽

Soil Mineral ◽

Soil Mineral Nitrogen ◽

Mineral N ◽

N Accumulation

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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Urea Fertilizer Placement Impacts on Corn Growth and Nitrogen Utilization in a Poorly-Drained Claypan Soil

Journal of Agricultural Science ◽

10.5539/jas.v9n1p28 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

pp. 28 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Frank E. Johnson II ◽

Kelly A. Nelson ◽

Peter P. Motavalli

Keyword(s):

N Uptake ◽

Nitrification Inhibitor ◽

Field Trials ◽

Climatic Conditions ◽

Fertilizer Placement ◽

N Loss ◽

Urea Fertilizer ◽

Grain Yields ◽

Claypan Soil ◽

The Impact

Practices to increase nitrogen (N) use efficiency (NUE) include selecting appropriate N fertilizer sources and application methods, but minimal research has focused on these practices in poorly-drained claypan soils which are prone to N loss. This research assessed the impact of different urea fertilizer placement practices on corn (Zea mays L.) production and N utilization in a poorly-drained claypan soil. Field trials were conducted in 2014 and 2015 in Missouri. Treatments consisted of pre-plant deep banding (20 cm) urea at 202 kg N ha-1 or urea plus a nitrification inhibitor (NI) (nitrapyrin) compared to pre-plant urea broadcast surface-applied or incorporated to a depth of 8 cm. In 2014, incorporating urea, deep banding urea, and deep banding urea plus NI had higher yields (> 10%) of corn compared to the control with grain yields ranging from 13.73 to 14.05 Mg ha-1. In 2015, grain yields were lower than in 2014, ranging from 4.1 to 7.9 Mg ha-1. Deep placing banded urea with a NI yielded an increase in grain yield up to 48% compared to the other treatments. Rainfall amounts were higher in 2015, which could have resulted in poorer root growth and greater N loss in deep banded treatments. In 2014, deep banding urea with a NI produced the highest NUE. Similar to NUE, silage tissue N concentrations in 2014 were greater with deep banded urea plus NI, while in 2015 silage tissue N concentrations were higher with surface applied urea. The results suggest that urea fertilizer incorporation including deep banding may improve corn grain production, N uptake, and NUE, but response was affected by climatic conditions. The addition of an NI may be an important safeguard when deep banding urea in years with excessive precipitation.

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Piggery pond sludge as a nitrogen source for crops 2. Assay of wet and stockpiled piggery pond sludge by successive cereal crops or direct measurement of soil available N

Australian Journal of Agricultural Research ◽

10.1071/ar04230 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 56 (5) ◽

pp. 517 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Y. Kliese ◽

W. M. Strong ◽

R. C. Dalal ◽

N. W. Menzies

Keyword(s):

Sandy Soil ◽

Field Experiments ◽

Clay Soil ◽

Sandy Loam ◽

N Uptake ◽

N Availability ◽

Total N ◽

Available N ◽

Variation Explained ◽

Crop N Uptake

The appropriate use of wastes is a significant issue for the pig industry due to increasing pressure from regulatory authorities to protect the environment from pollution. Nitrogen contained in piggery pond sludge (PPS) is a potential source of supplementary nutrient for crop production. Nitrogen contribution following the application of PPS to soil was obtained from 2 field experiments on the Darling Downs in southern Queensland on contrasting soil types, a cracking clay (Vertosol) and a hardsetting sandy loam (Sodosol), and related to potentially mineralisable N from laboratory incubations conducted under controlled conditions and NO3– accumulation in the field. Piggery pond sludge was applied as-collected (wet PPS) and following stockpiling to dry (stockpiled PPS). Soil NO3– levels increased with increased application rates of wet and stockpiled PPS. Supplementary N supply from PPS estimated by fertiliser equivalence was generally unsatisfactory due to poor precision with this method, and also due to a high level of NO3– in the clay soil before the first assay crop. Also low recoveries of N by subsequent sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) and wheat (Triticum aestivum) assay crops at the 2 sites due to low in-crop rainfall in 1999 resulted in low apparent N availability. Over all, 29% (range 12–47%) of total N from the wet PPS and 19% (range 0–50%) from the stockpiled PPS were estimated to be plant-available N during the assay period. The high concentration of NO3- for the wet PPS application on sandy soil after the first assay crop (1998 barley, Hordeum vulgare) suggests that leaching of NO3– could be of concern when high rates of wet PPS are applied before infrequent periods of high precipitation, due primarily to the mineral N contained in wet PPS. Low yields, grain protein concentrations, and crop N uptake of the sorghum crop following the barley crop grown on the clay soil demonstrated a low residual value of N applied in PPS. NO3– in the sandy soil before sowing accounted for 79% of the variation in plant N uptake and was a better index than anaerobically mineralisable N (19% of variation explained). In clay soil, better prediction of crop N uptake was obtained when both anaerobically mineralisable N (39% of variation explained) and soil profile NO3– were used in combination (R2 = 0.49).

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Recovery in plants and soils of 15N applied as subsurface bands of urea to sugarcane

Australian Journal of Agricultural Research ◽

10.1071/ar9960355 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 47 (3) ◽

pp. 355 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

I Vallis ◽

VR Catchpoole ◽

RM Hughes ◽

RJK Myers ◽

DR Ridge ◽

...

Keyword(s):

New South ◽

N Uptake ◽

New South Wales ◽

Cultural Practice ◽

Internal Drainage ◽

Total Recovery ◽

Plant System ◽

South Wales ◽

Crop N Uptake ◽

Crop Maturity

The recovery of fertiliser N by sugarcane crops is low in comparison with most other field crops. Application of urea in subsurface bands instead of by broadcasting can greatly reduce loss of fertiliser N due to ammonia volatilisation, but the fertiliser N is still susceptible to loss from leaching or denitrification, which could be affected by soil internal drainage, trash management, or tillage practice. The recovery of fertiliser N in crops and soil from 15N-labelled urea applied as subsurface bands was measured in ratoon crops in southern Queensland and northern New South Wales. Two soil types, with contrasting internal drainage, were used in each region. In Queensland, the cultural practice was either trash burnt with inter-row cultivation or trash retained on the surface ('trash blanket') with no cultivation. In northern New South Wales, where the trash was burnt prior to harvest, the practice was either inter-row cultivation or zero tillage. Crop recovery of fertiliser N was nearly always in the range 20-40% of the amount applied. Residual fertiliser N in the soil at crop maturity ranged from 13 to 42% (average 26%). Total recovery of fertiliser N in the soil-plant system ranged from 35 to 76% (average 52%) at 6 months after application, and from 35 to 96% (average 56%) at crop maturity. Urea fertiliser supplied only 20-40% of the crop N uptake in a given season. Neither crop recovery nor loss of fertiliser N from the soil-plant system were related to the soil type or cultural practice used, indicating that compensatory effects occurred.

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