Effect of nitrogen-sulphur nutrition and inhibitors of nitrification on the yield and quality of maize grain

Otto Ložek,Pavol Slamka

doi:10.15414/afz.2016.19.02.45-50

Abstract

Effect of nitrogen-sulphur nutrition and inhibitors of nitrification on the yield and quality of maize grain

Highlights

Increasing fertilization with nitrogen fertilizers contributed decisively to the rise of agricultural production (Dobermann and Cassmann, 2002; 2004)
The majority of the research indicates that nitrification inhibitors, when applied to soils in conjunction with N fertilizers or animal wastes, have beneficial effects on reducing nitrate leaching and nitrous oxide emissions, and, as a result, increase plant growth (Merino et al, 2002)
The nitrification inhibitor dikyandiamid (DCD) decreases NO3- leaching by inhibiting the growth and activity of the ammonia-oxidizing bacteria in the soil, slowing down the rate of nitrification and keeping the N in the NH4+ form which is adsorbed onto the soil

Summary

Introduction

Increasing fertilization with nitrogen fertilizers contributed decisively to the rise of agricultural production (Dobermann and Cassmann, 2002; 2004). In reality agricultural crops take up only around 50 % of antropogenic input N (Cassmann et al, 2002; Galloway et al, 2003) resulting in negative impact on ecological systems (nitrate leaching, eutrophisation, acidification, gaseous N emissions) and adverse effect on the climate and the loss of biological soil diversity (Xi et al, 2010). For this reason a lot of research works deal with the reduction of these losses and more effective utilization of nitrogen fertilizers. The nitrification inhibitor dikyandiamid (DCD) decreases NO3- leaching by inhibiting the growth and activity of the ammonia-oxidizing bacteria in the soil, slowing down the rate of nitrification and keeping the N in the NH4+ form which is adsorbed onto the soil

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion