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Effectiveness of Two Nitrification Inhibitors for Anhydrous Ammonia Under Irrigated and Dryland Conditions 1
Author(s) -
Cochran V. L.,
Papendick R. I.,
Woody W. M.
Publication year - 1973
Publication title -
agronomy journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.752
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1435-0645
pISSN - 0002-1962
DOI - 10.2134/agronj1973.00021962006500040036x
Subject(s) - nitrification , loam , chemistry , agronomy , leaching (pedology) , irrigation , fertilizer , anhydrous , soil water , fertigation , nitrogen , environmental science , soil science , biology , organic chemistry
Potassium azide (KN 3 ) and 2‐chloro‐6‐(trichloromethyl) pyridine (N‐Serve) were evaluated as nitrification inhibitors for anhydrous NH 3 field applied on irrigated and nonirrigated Ritzville silt loam and on nonirrigated Naff silt loam in eastern Washington. Formulations of KN 3 , N‐Serve in liquid NH 3 , or NH 3 alone were applied to fallow soil in midsummer at a rate of 90 kg N/ha. Irrigations were 15 cm of water sprinkler applied 1 day or 2 weeks after fertilizer application, and 10 to 15 cm of water each time at 4, 8, and 13 weeks after NH 3 application. The NH 3 retention zone was sampled for NH + 4 and NO − 3 periodically through December for the Naff soil and through February for the Ritzville soil. Both KN 3 and N‐Serve effectively inhibited nitrification of the applied NH 3 on nonirrigated Ritzville soil when temperature and soil moisture were favorable for rapid nitrification. However, KN 3 was completely ineffective following irrigation or, for the Naff soil, after rainwater penetrated below the retention zone 2 weeks after N application. Where irrigated 1 day or 2 weeks after fertilization application, all of the applied N had disappeared from the initial NH 3 retention zone in the Ritzville soil in 8 to 13 weeks for both NH 3 alone and NH 3 + KN 3 . Results with the Naff soil for these applications were similar to results with the irrigated Ritzville soil. By contrast, N‐Serve effectively suppressed nitrification under leaching and nonleaching conditions. For the Ritzville soil, total N uptake by the wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) crop for different rates of fertilizer application followed the order of NH 3 + KN 3 > NH 3 + N‐Serve > NH 3 alone, but grain yields with NH 3 + inhibitor were not different from yields with NH 3 alone. For the Naff soil there was no N‐uptake or grain‐yield response to N rates, and thus no response to the inhibitors.