Effect of crop residue C:N ratio on N2O emissions from Gray Lowland soil in Mikasa, Hokkaido, Japan

Abstract

We studied the effect of crop residues with various C:N ratios on N2O emissions from soil. We set up five experimental plots with four types of crop residues, onion leaf (OL), soybean stem and leaf (SSL), rice straw (RS) and wheat straw (WS), and no residue (NR) on Gray Lowland soil in Mikasa, Hokkaido, Japan. The C:N ratios of these crop residues were 11.6, 14.5, 62.3, and 110, respectively. Based on the results of a questionnaire survey of farmer practices, we determined appropriate application rates: 108, 168, 110, 141 and 0 g C m−2 and 9.3, 11.6, 1.76, 1.28 and 0 g N m−2, respectively. We measured N2O, CO2 and NO fluxes using a closed chamber method. At the same time, we measured soil temperature at a depth of 5 cm, water-filled pore space (WFPS), and the concentrations of soil NH+ 4-N, NO− 3-N and water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC). Significant peaks of N2O and CO2 emissions came from OL and SSL just after application, but there were no emissions from RS, WS or NR. There was a significant relationship between N2O and CO2 emissions in each treatment except WS, and correlations between CO2 flux and temperature in RS, soil NH+ 4-N and N2O flux in SSL and NR, soil NH+ 4-N and CO2 flux in SSL, and WSOC and CO2 flux in WS. The ratio of N2O-N/NO-N increased to approximately 100 in OL and SSL as N2O emissions increased. Cumulative N2O and CO2 emissions increased as the C:N ratio decreased, but not significantly. The ratio of N2O emission to applied N ranged from −0.43% to 0.86%, and was significantly correlated with C:N ratio (y = −0.59 ln [x] + 2.30, r 2 = 0.99, P < 0.01). The ratio of CO2 emissions to applied C ranged from −5.8% to 45% and was also correlated with C:N ratio, but not significantly (r 2 = 0.78, P = 0.11).