Enhanced Efficiency Fertilizers in Minimizing Nitrogen Losses in Irrigated Russet Potato

Abstract

Core Ideas Enhanced efficiency fertilizers significantly reduced cumulative N2O emission compared with urea. Volatilization loss was lower with determinate than indeterminate cultivar. SuperU application lead to higher soil N after harvest. Environmentally Smart N can be a potential alternative to urea to increase N use efficiency. Fertilizer‐N can be lost through ammonia (NH3) volatilization, nitrous oxide (N2O) emission, and nitrate (NO3−) leaching. Field studies were conducted in 2015 and 2016 at Inkster, ND, to evaluate the effectiveness of enhanced efficiency fertilizers (EEFs) in reducing N losses over urea alone in an irrigated potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) production system. Research and fertilizer‐N recommendation for potato were mostly restricted to Russet Burbank; it is critical to understand N dynamics of newly released cultivars. Two EEFs (SuperU and Environmentally Smart Nitrogen [ESN]) at a rate of 280 kg N ha−1, urea at a rate of 225 kg and 280 kg N ha−1, and Growers’ standard (10–34–0 and urea and urea ammonium nitrate in split) at a rate of 280 kg N ha−1 were applied as N treatments in three russet potato cultivars (Russet Burbank, Dakota Trailblazer, and ND8068‐5 Russ). Urea at 280 kg N ha−1 had the highest NH3 volatilization and was significantly higher than SuperU and ESN for Russet Burbank and Trailblazer for both years. Both EEFs reduced N2O emission compared with urea in both years, but SuperU was more efficient than ESN. Residual NO3–N was highest with SuperU both years. Residual soil NO3–N concentration of 120 cm depth with ND8068‐5 Russ were significantly higher compared with Russet Burbank in both growing seasons. Application of EEFs might have the potential to reduce N losses under irrigated late‐planted russet potatoes.