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The effect of the nitrification inhibitor dicyandiamide ( DCD ) on spring and annual herbage production in urine patches when applied in late summer or early autumn
Author(s) -
O'Connor P. J.,
Lynch M. B.,
Cahalan E.,
O'Donovan M.,
Hennessy D.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
grass and forage science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.716
H-Index - 56
eISSN - 1365-2494
pISSN - 0142-5242
DOI - 10.1111/gfs.12011
Subject(s) - loam , nitrification , urine , zoology , agronomy , fertilizer , chemistry , nitrogen , soil water , biology , ecology , biochemistry , organic chemistry
Abstract A cut plot experiment was undertaken at two sites in Ireland, one a free‐draining acid brown earth at Moorepark ( MPK ) and the other a fine loam soil with imperfect drainage at J ohnstown C astle ( JC ). The effect of applying the nitrification inhibitor dicyandiamide ( DCD ) at 10 kg ha −1 in J uly, A ugust and S eptember or not applying DCD to plots receiving synthetic urine or zero urine on spring and annual herbage production was examined. In the experiment, each site received 350 kg nitrogen ( N ) fertilizer ha −1 year −1 . The application of DCD in A ugust at a rate of 10 kg ha −1 significantly increased spring and annual herbage production by 14 and 15%, respectively, at MPK , when applied following urine application in year 1. There was no effect of DCD applied in year 1 on herbage production at JC . The application of DCD in A ugust resulted in lower soil total oxidized N ( TON ) content up to sampling day 56 post‐urine application, at MPK in year 1, retaining higher N content in the soil. There was no effect of DCD on any of the parameters measured in year 2 at MPK or at JC . Urine application did not increase spring herbage production at either site. Urine application significantly increased annual herbage production at MPK only in year 1. Urine application increased annual herbage N uptake, herbage crude protein ( CP ) content and soil mineral N at both sites in both years.