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Optimum rates of surface‐applied coal char decreased soil ammonia volatilization loss
Author(s) -
Panday Dinesh,
Mikha Maysoon M.,
Collins Harold P.,
Jin Virginia L.,
Kaiser Michael,
Cooper Jennifer,
Malakar Arindam,
Maharjan Bijesh
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of environmental quality
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.888
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1537-2537
pISSN - 0047-2425
DOI - 10.1002/jeq2.20023
Subject(s) - loam , char , volatilisation , leaching (pedology) , chemistry , soil water , fertilizer , ammonia volatilization from urea , agronomy , ammonium nitrate , coal , environmental chemistry , environmental science , soil science , organic chemistry , biology
Fertilizer N losses from agricultural systems have economic and environmental implications. Soil amendment with high C materials, such as coal char, may mitigate N losses. Char, a coal combustion residue, obtained from a sugar factory in Scottsbluff, NE, contained 29% C by weight. A 30‐d laboratory study was conducted to evaluate the effects of char addition on N losses via nitrous oxide (N 2 O) emission, ammonia (NH 3 ) volatilization, and nitrate (NO 3 –N) leaching from fertilized loam and sandy loam soils. Char was applied at five different rates (0, 6.7, 10.1, 13.4, and 26.8 Mg C ha −1 ; char measured in C equivalent) to soils fertilized with urea ammonium nitrate (UAN) at 200 kg N ha −1 . In addition, there were two negative‐UAN control treatments: no char (no UAN) and char at 26.8 Mg C ha −1 (no UAN). Treatment applied at 6.7 and 10.1 Mg C ha −1 in fertilized sandy loam reduced NH 3 volatilization by 26–37% and at 6.7, 10.1, and 13.4 Mg C ha −1 in fertilized loam soils by 24% compared with no char application. Nitrous oxide emissions and NO 3 –N leaching losses were greater in fertilized compared with unfertilized soil, but there was no effect of char amendment on these losses. Because NO 3 –N leaching loss was greater in sandy loam than in loam, soil residual N was twofold higher in loam than in sandy loam. This study suggests that adding coal char at optimal rates may reduce agricultural reactive N to the atmosphere by decreasing NH 3 volatilization from fertilized soils.