Effect of cattle slurry application techniques on N2O and NH3 emissions from a loamy soil

Abstract

AbstractWe determined N2O fluxes from an unfertilized control (CON), from a treatment with mineral N‐fertilizer (MIN), from cattle slurry with banded surface application and subsequent incorporation (INC), and from slurry injection (INJ) to silage maize (Zea mays, L.) on a Haplic Luvisol in southwest Germany. In both years, amount of available N (total N fertilized + Nmin content before N application) was 210 kg N ha−1. In the slurry treatment of the 1st year, 140 kg N ha−1 were either injected or incorporated, whereas 30 kg N ha−1 were surface applied to avoid destruction of the maize plants. In the 2nd year, all fertilizers were applied with one single application. We calculated greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) on field level including direct N2O emissions (calculated from the measured flux rates), indirect N2O emissions (NH3 and induced N2O emission), net CH4 fluxes, fuel consumption and pre‐chain emissions from mineral fertilizer. NH3 losses were measured in the 2nd year using the Dräger‐Tube Method and estimated for both years. NH3 emission was highest in the treatment without incorporation. It generally contributed less than 5% of the greenhouse gas (GHG) emission from silage maize cultivation. The mean area‐related N2O emission, determined with the closed chamber method was 2.8, 4.7, 4.4 and 13.8 kg N2O‐N ha−1 y−1 for CON, MIN, INC, and INJ, respectively. Yield‐related N2O emission showed the same trend. Across all treatments, direct N2O emission was the major contributor to GHG with an average of 79%. Trail hose application with immediate incorporation was found to be the optimum management practice for livestock farmers in our study region.