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Method for Flux‐Chamber Measurement of Ammonia Volatilization From Putting Greens Foliarly‐Fertilized by Urea
Author(s) -
Schlossberg Maxim J.,
McGraw Benjamin A.,
Hivner Kyle R.,
Pruyne Derek T.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
clean – soil, air, water
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.444
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1863-0669
pISSN - 1863-0650
DOI - 10.1002/clen.201700085
Subject(s) - volatilisation , ammonia volatilization from urea , flux (metallurgy) , nitrogen , ammonia , urea , chemistry , fertilizer , analytical chemistry (journal) , environmental science , environmental chemistry , organic chemistry
Foliar fertilization is an increasingly popular method of ensuring golf course putting green nitrogen (N) sufficiency in season. The low cost, high N‐content, and favorable handling characteristics of urea (46‐0‐0) make it a common N‐source in foliar treatments of horticultural crops. While numerous investigations confirm incomplete recovery of foliarly‐applied urea‐N by turfgrass, few field assessments of NH 3 volatilization from greens have been conducted. Meanwhile, NH 3 emissions reduce air quality and contribute to non‐point nutrient loading of water resources. The research objectives were to (i) develop a method for field‐implementation of closed dynamic/flux chambers to measure NH 3 volatilization from 0 to 24 h following foliar application of urea‐N to putting greens; and (ii) infer the significance of flux chamber NH 3 ‐N volatilization measures relative to levels arising from simultaneous static‐chamber measures. Creeping bentgrass ( Agrostis stolonifera L. “Penn G‐2”) putting greens were foliarly treated by 20–44 kg urea‐N ha −1 from 2013 to 2015, and NH 3 volatilization measured using H 3 BO 3 trap‐equipped flux and/or static chamber systems. Flux chamber measures of NH 3 volatilization accounted for 7.1% of the urea‐N fertilizer applied 24 h previous. Simultaneous static chamber measures of NH 3 volatilization were an order of magnitude less. A replicated flux chamber trapping efficiency trial showed 63% mean NH 3 recovery. Thus under the duration and conditions described, 7.1–11.2% of foliar urea‐N applications can be expected to volatilize from putting greens. Regarding closed chamber system measurement of NH 3 volatilization from small field plots, the described flux chambers afford applied scientists a more precise and efficient method than static chambers.