N-butyl Thiophosphoric Triamide Research Articles

Optimizing Nitrogen Management in Maize (Zea mays L.) Using Urease and Nitrification Inhibitorss

ABSTRACT Nitrogen (N) is essential for plant growth, and in conventional agriculture, it is usually supplied through fertilization. However, N can be lost through various pathways, reducing its availability to plants and decreasing fertilizer efficiency. This study examined the effects of split urea application and fertilizers containing the nitrification inhibitor 3.4-dimethylpyrazole phosphate (DMPP) and the urease inhibitor N-(n-butyl) thiophosphoric triamide (NBPT). The fertilizers with inhibitors were applied at both full (100%) and reduced (75%) levels of the standard rate. Conducted over two years, the field trial aimed to assess the capacity of these treatments to mitigate N loss and meet the N requirements of maize effectively. The results of the study revealed that NBPT maintained the required N levels in the soil by meeting the N requirement of maize. On the other hand, DMPP caused N losses due to increasing ammonium levels in the soil during early plant growth stages. NBPT provided the best results in terms of plant yield and N content, whereas DMPP showed lower performance in these parameters. Reduced NBPT doses increased N use efficiency but were less effective in terms of yield compared to full doses. According to the result of the economic analysis, split urea treatment gave better results compared to all treatments. In conclusion, NBPT increased both yield and N use efficiency by regulating N release.

Multifunctional effects of nitrification and urease inhibitors: decreasing soil herbicide residues and reducing nitrous oxide emissions simultaneously

Glyphosate pollution and greenhouse gas emissions are major problem in achieving sustainable soil management. It is necessary to develop effective strategies to simultaneously reduce herbicide residues and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions in soil. This study aimed to: (1) quantitative analyze the effects of nitrogen (N) cycle inhibitors (nitrification inhibitors 3,4 dimethylpyrazole phosphate (DMPP) and dicyandiamide (DCD) and urease inhibitor N-(n-butyl) thiophosphoric triamide (NBPT)) on glyphosate degradation and reduction of N2O under different soil moistures; (2) identify the functional microbes and genes associated with glyphosate degradation and N2O emissions; and (3) decipher the main mechanisms of N cycle inhibitors affecting glyphosate degradation at different soil water contents. Compared to the control, the application of DMPP, DCD and NBPT reduced glyphosate residues in soil by 33.0%, 60.3% and 35.7%, respectively, under 90% water holding capacity (WHC). The application of DCD stimulated Acidobacteria and the phnX gene to degrade soil glyphosate. Further, soil glyphosate residues were significantly and negatively related to soil N2O emissions at both 60% and 90% WHC. Compared to the control, NBPT application decreased cumulative N2O emissions by 91.4% at 90% WHC by decreasing soil nitrate N (NO3--N) and inhibiting amoC and narG genes at 90%. The application of N cycle inhibitors could be a potential strategy to simultaneously reduce glyphosate residues and soil N2O emissions. Our study could provide technical support to reduce the risks of herbicide exposure and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Field efficacy of urease inhibitors for mitigation of ammonia emissions in agricultural field settings: a systematic review

Globally, ammonia (NH3) is one of the key air pollutants and reducing NH3 emissions and the associated indirect emission of the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide remains challenging for the agricultural sector. During the past three decades, a number of urease inhibitors have been placed on the market with the goal of reducing NH3 loss from urea containing fertilisers. N–(n-butyl) thiophosphoric triamide (NBPT), N–(2-nitrophenyl) phosphoric triamide (2-NPT), a 3:1 ratio of NBPT + N-(n-propyl) thiophosphoric triamide (NPPT) and the maleic and itaconic acid co-polymer (MIP) are registered urease inhibitors under the European Commission Fertilising Products Regulation (FPR). However, the availability of several inhibitor options has raised questions from farmers, policymakers and emissions inventory compiling authorities regarding the field efficacy of the different options available for reducing NH3 loss. Despite many disparate NH3 field studies existing for NBPT, 2-NPT, NBPT + NPPT and MIP there is presently no review that brings these results together, a significant and important knowledge gap. This review addresses the gap by summarising the published field trial literature on NH3 volatilisation mitigation offered by NBPT, 2-NPT, NBPT + NPPT and MIP. Our review identified 48 peer reviewed studies where NH3 loss mitigation was measured in a field setting, giving 256 replicated comparisons. The synthesised literature results revealed that NBPT + NPPT reduced NH3 loss by 75% (95% CI = 58–82% n = 32), 2-NPT reduced NH3 loss by 70% (95% CI = 63–76% n = 19) and NBPT reduced NH3 loss by 61% (95% CI = 57–64% n = 165), giving on average a 69% reduction by these three urease inhibitors. In contrast, MIP increased NH3 loss by 0.3% on average (95% CI = −8–9% n = 40). The results presented in this review broaden the understanding of urease inhibitor efficacy in field conditions and demonstrate that not all products behave the same in terms of field NH3 reduction efficacy. This review is important for farmers, policymakers, emission inventory compilers and other stakeholders.

Field Evaluation of Urea Fertilizers Enhanced by Biological Inhibitors or Dual Coating

Relative to soluble N sources, enhanced-efficiency fertilizers (EEFs) support steady turfgrass growth and dense canopy quality while abating N loss as nitrate, ammonia, and/or N2O from turfgrass systems. Modern EEFs provide turfgrass managers greater operational effect and versatility in their nutrient management efforts and compel field characterization of their temporal response. Likewise, field confirmation of commercial EEF nutrient recovery helps stakeholders select the appropriate EEF for their specific application. Our research objective was to quantify the temporal response of Kentucky bluegrass growth/yield, canopy density and color, and fertilizer N recovery to a practical application of conventional urea or an enhanced-efficiency granular fertilizer. In May 2014 and June 2018, Kentucky bluegrass plots were fertilized by granules of conventional urea, N-(n-butyl) thiophosphoric triamide (NBPT)-, and dicyandiamide (DCD)-stabilized urea, or polymer-/sulfur-coated urea (PSCU) at a N rate of 43.9 kg ha−1 (0.9 lbs/1000 sq. ft.). The dependent variable response over the two growing seasons was highly affected by efficiency enhancement. Following the repeated 16.5-week evaluations, the mean percent of fertilizer N recovered from conventional urea, stabilized urea, and PSCU totaled 57.5, 68.4, and 89.1%, respectively. In the 23 to 51 days from treatment (DFT), recovery of PSCU-N significantly exceeded that from conventional or stabilized urea.

Combining Urea with Chemical and Biological Amendments Differentially Influences Nitrogen Dynamics in Soil and Wheat Growth.

Nitrogen (N) losses from fertilized fields pose a major concern in modern agriculture due to environmental implications. Urease inhibitors, such as N-(n-butyl) thiophosphoric triamide (NBPT), nitrification inhibitors (NI), like dicyandiamide (DCD), and sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (SOB) could have potential in reducing N losses. For evaluating their effectiveness, investigations were undertaken through incubation and greenhouse experiments by mixing a urea fertilizer with sole NBPT, DCD, and SOB, as well as combined, on ammonia volatilization losses from silt loam soil. An incubation experiment was conducted in 1 L airtight plastic jars with adequate aeration and constant temperature at 25 °C for 10 days. Three replications of each treatment were conducted using a completely randomized designed. The ammonia emission rate gradually increased until the highest (17.21 mg NH3 m-2 h-1) value on the third day with sole urea and some other treatments except NBPT alone, which prolonged the hydrolysis peak until the fifth day with the lowest ammonia emission rate (12.1 mg NH3 m-2 h-1). Although the DCD and SOB treatments reduced ammonia emission, their difference with urea was nonsignificant. Additionally, mixing NBPT with urea exhibited the highest population of nitrifying bacteria in soil, indicating its potential role in promoting the nitrification process. In a greenhouse experiment, 10 treatments, i.e., T1 = control, T2 = N120 (urea fertilizer equivalent to 120 kg N ha-1), T3 = N90 (90 kg N ha-1), T4 = N90 + NBPT, T5 = N90 + DCD, T6 = N90 + SOB, T7 = N90 + NBPT + DCD, T8 = N90 + NBPT + SOB, T9 = N90 + DCD + SOB, and T10 = N90 + NBPT + DCD + SOB, were applied to investigate the wheat yield and N uptake efficiency. The highest N recovery efficiency (31.51%) was recorded in T5 where DCD was combined with urea at 90 kg ha-1.

Urease Inhibitor N-(n-butyl) Thiophosphoric Triamide (NBPT) Application as a Mitigating Strategy of Ammonia Volatilization from Different Loess Soils of China

Urease Inhibitor N-(n-butyl) Thiophosphoric Triamide (NBPT) Application as a Mitigating Strategy of Ammonia Volatilization from Different Loess Soils of China

Development and characterization of enhanced urea through micronutrients and established technology addition

AbstractIt is necessary to increase the agronomic use efficiency of urea to reduce ammonia volatilization and increase crop yield. However, relying solely on urea for the enhanced efficiency technologies development could harm fertilizer integrity, resulting in reduced application quality and fertilizer storage time. The authors aimed at developing and characterizing the physical, chemical, and physicochemical quality of a novel enhanced efficiency fertilizers, synthesized from urea plus boron (B), zinc (Zn), nickel (Ni), or molybdenum (Mo) addition, with or without N‐(n‐butyl) thiophosphoric triamide (NBPT) associated. Hygroscopicity, hardness, salt index (SI), pH, and thermogravimetric decomposition were the parameters evaluated. Fertilizer quality was assessed through microscopic X‐ray fluorescence, microtomography, and scanning electron microscopy. Micronutrients were added by coating or granulation; they were homogeneously distributed over the fertilizer's granules. The fertilizers’ hardness increased up to 86% with Zn coated compared with uncoated. Granulated urea with B, Zn, Ni, or Mo had greater internal porosity, which resulted in lower hardness. Boron and Zn addition to the fertilizers increased the hygroscopicity in average 388% and 473%, respectively, compared with hygroscopicity observed for urea. Moreover, hygroscopicity was increased by an average of 56% with NBPT addition. Micronutrients addition to the urea granules increased the SI, while thermal decomposition stages of urea were unaffected by micronutrients addition. Enhanced efficiency fertilizers require characterization before agronomic efficiency tests due to changes in their physical, chemical, and physicochemical properties. Unfavorable changes could harm granules integrity and application efficiency in the field, resulting in economic losses to the industry and farmers.

Influence of soil organic matter, fertiliser formulation and season on fertiliser nitrogen use efficiency in temperate pastures

Intensively grazed dairy systems use high inputs of fertiliser nitrogen (N), and often supplementary irrigation, to ensure adequate pasture production to support milk output and meet the growing food demand. However, the efficiency of N use in these systems can be low and potential environmental impacts high. This study aimed to test the hypothesis that (1) use of two inhibitors, the urease inhibitor N-(n-butyl) thiophosphorictriamide (NBTPT) and the nitrification inhibitor 3,4-Dimethylpyrazole phosphate (DMPP) reduced N loss and improved pasture production compared to conventional N fertiliser (urea) in irrigated temperate perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) dairy pasture, and (2) their efficiency was affected by soil and environmental parameters. The effect of repeated applications of urea, at different rates, and the inhibitors were studied on pasture production and agronomic apparent fertiliser N use efficiency (NUE) over 2.5 years. The fate of a single application of N was determined through recovery of 15N-labeled fertiliser applied at 20 and 40 kg N ha−1 was studied in the field for one year. The highest yield and NUE occurred in spring–summer (from August to February) reflecting optimal growing conditions. The highest NUE occurred at low rates of urea application (20 and 40 kg N ha−1). Mineralisation played a key role in supplying N to pasture with 64–82% of total plant N derived from soil organic matter (SOM). Less than 50% of the applied N was recovered in the pasture (37–43%) with a large component retained in the soil (26–43% after one year, 0–40 cm), and slowly released in small amounts (< 2%) to the pasture over time, highlighting the abundant capacity of the native soil N pool to supply pasture N. Loss of N fertiliser (14–31%) was attributed to primarily ammonia (NH3) volatilisation and nitrate (NO3−) leaching. Use of the inhibitors NBTPT and DMPP did not significantly affect pasture yield or NUE, most likely because fertiliser N saved with the inhibitors only played a minor role in plant nutrition with the majority of the plant nutrition provided by the soil organic matter pool.

Pasture productivity benefits from strategic urease and nitrification inhibitor use are limited in rainfed temperate dairy pastures of southern Australia

Abstract Introduction Urea is the most commonly used nitrogen (N) fertiliser on Australian dairy pastures, but has low N use efficiency due to high loss potential. Urease and nitrification inhibitors can be used to reduce these losses, however, their efficacy is highly variable and the reported impacts on productivity are inconsistent, with assessments often made using a single inhibitor across all seasons. Research question We examined the effectiveness of two commonly used inhibitors, the urease inhibitor N-(n-butyl) thiophosphoric triamide (NBTPT) and the nitrification inhibitor 3,4-Dimethylpyrazole phosphate (DMPP) applied in a strategic program, on pasture responses to urea (U) fertiliser, and fertiliser N use efficiency in a temperate dairy pasture in Southern Australia. Materials and Methods Pasture productivity, N uptake, agronomic N use efficiency (NUAE), 15N fertiliser recovery and soil mineral N were monitored. The nitrogen was applied in the urea form at rates of 160, 320, 480 and 640 kg N ha−1 yr−1 Results and Conclusions The majority of the plant N (64%-85%), assessed over autumn and spring growth periods using 15N, was derived from mineralised soil organic matter (SOM). Neither of the inhibitors significantly altered pasture production or NUAE, most likely because of the major role of SOM in supplying N to plants, and because much of the applied 15N (up to 55%) was retained in the soil (0-40 cm depth) due to microbial immobilisation. Uptake of fertiliser N was highest, up to 29% of applied N, immediately following fertiliser application and then was substantially reduced over subsequent months, reflecting low levels of mineralisation of the previously immobilised N. The total loss of applied 15N was greater following autumn applications of N than spring applications, being 14% - 42% and 2% - 7% respectively and was attributed to volatilisation occurring primarily in autumn, with minimal leaching and denitrification predicted under the experimental conditions.

Polymer-coated urea applied at one-time mechanical topdressing increases nitrogen use efficiency and rice yield in the cold area

Context The application of slow and controlled release fertilisers can reduce nitrogen loss, but the research is still scarce in the cold rice region of China. Aims The study was conducted to screen slow-release or controlled-release fertilisers which can meet the nitrogen demand of rice and reduce NH3 volatilisation in different pH soils. Methods This experiment includes four fertilisation treatments: no fertiliser (control), urea, urea with N-(n-butyl) thiophosphorictriamide (NBPT), and polymer-coated urea (PCU). The amounts of urea-N, pH, ammonium-N (NH4+-N) in the surface water, and NH3 volatilisation were determined. Thereafter, to evaluate the effects of one-time mechanical topdressing of PCU mixed with compound fertilisers along with farmers’ fertilisation practice (FFP), field experiments carried out in wide soil pH differences were conducted. Key results Cumulative NH3 volatilisation was reduced in the NBPT treatment compared with the urea treatment. There was no significant difference between urea-N, NH4+-N, and pH in the surface water under PCU and control. NH3 volatilisation of PCU is negligible and significantly prolongs the soil nitrogen storage time. In the subsequent experiment, PCU blend increased yield, dry matter, nitrogen uptake, and the partial factor productivity of applied nitrogen (PFPN) compared to FFP. Conclusions PCU treatment slows down urea release and reduces ammonia volatilisation from paddy fields. In turn, it reduces ammonia-nitrogen levels and pH in surface water and further slows down the rate of ammonia volatilisation. Implications Application of PCU as a one-time mechanical topdressing fertiliser in rice fields in cold regions saves nitrogen fertiliser, increases crop yields, and reduces labour.

Rice yield in Costa Rican Central Pacific did not improve with a urease inhibitor

Urea is widely used as nitrogen (N) source for rice fertilization in Costa Rica, despite its low efficiency linked to ammonia losses. To assess urea management alternatives, two field experiments were conducted in the Central Pacific region of Costa Rica to study the effect of N-(n-butyl) thiophosphoric triamide (NBPT) on rice yield and N use efficiency (NUE). In Experiment 1 (Exp1) three tillage treatments (commercial-CT-, reduced-RT-, and reduced tillage with previous subsoiler-RTS-) were evaluated with three N managements: control (without N), urea at 124 kg N ha-1 with and without NBPT. In Experiment 2 (Exp2), a 100 kg N ha-1 rate (with and without NPBT) was evaluated along with a control (without N). NUE was estimated using 15N urea isotopic labeling technique for both trials. In Exp1, a significant difference of 4.8% in NUE for grain was observed among urea with and without NBPT, but no tillage effect was observed. No statistically significant differences were observed in yield among the fertilization treatments (Exp1: 3.56 ± 0.98 t ha-1 for urea and 3.85 ± 0.85 t ha-1 for urea with NBPT; Exp2: 3.38 ± 0.39 t ha-1 for urea and 3.40 ± 0.58 t ha-1 for urea with NBPT) or due to different tillage practices (CT: 3.33 ± 0.79 t ha-1, RT: 3.56 ± 0.74 t ha-1, and RTS: 4.23 ± 0.98 t ha-1). Although the NBPT is a viable option to reduce ammonia losses, its adoption in tropical conditions might be restricted by the small impact on yield.

Spring wheat agronomic and quality responses to a genotype × environment × N source and management systems approach

Yield and quality improvements in Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS) wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) are increasingly difficult to attain, which behooves a systems approach to unlock genotype (G) × environment (E) × management (M) synergies. This 25 site-year study was designed to assess a G × E × M systems approach to improve CWRS agronomics, quality, and N use efficiency (NUE). The investigation consisted of genetics (AAC Viewfield vs. AC Stettler), N source (untreated urea; urea + urease inhibitor, N-(n-butyl) thiophosphoric triamide (NBPT); urea + nitrification inhibitor, nitrapyrin; urea + dual-inhibitor (NBPT + dicyandiamide); and polymer-coated) and N timing/placement (all-banded at planting, two-split applications and three-split applications), deployed across diverse soil zones in western Canada. Differential yield responses were observed between cultivars as AAC Viewfield produced superior yield over AC Stettler (+4.3%) in black and grey soils, while yield attainment was similar in dark brown soils. Genetic improvement over AC Stettler seemed most apparent in water abundant environments; however, AC Stettler was often superior in drier conditions. All N sources produced comparable outcomes for yield, quality, NUE, and net returns. In black and grey soils, adopting either all-banded or two-splits improved grain yield due to augmented seedling vigor, heads per plant, and N recovery. The timing of split-applications introduces more risk to yield and is likely attributed to a poorly developed source:sink relationship in the critical growth period if applied late to optimize grain protein. This highlights the complexity of the system and balance needed to harness the potential synergy between G, E, and M components.

Mulched Drip Fertigation with Growth Inhibitors Reduces Bundle-Sheath Cell Leakage and Improves Photosynthesis Capacity and Barley Production in Semi-Arid Regions.

A better understanding of the factors that reduce bundle-sheath cell leakage to CO2 (Փ), enhance 13C carbon isotope discrimination, and enhance the photosynthetic capacity of barley leaves will be useful to develop a nutrient- and water-saving strategy for dry-land farming systems. Therefore, barley plants were exposed to a novel nitrification inhibitor (NI) (3,4-dimethyl-1H-pyrazol-1-yl succinic acid) (DMPSA) and a urease inhibitor (UI) (N-butyl thiophosphorictriamide (NBPT)) with mulched drip fertigation treatments, which included HF (high-drip fertigation (370 mm) under a ridge furrow system), MF (75% of HF, moderate-drip fertigation under a ridge furrow system), LF (50% of HF, low-drip fertigation under a ridge furrow system), and TP (traditional planting with no inhibitors or drip fertigation strategies). The results indicated that the nitrification inhibitor combined with mulched drip fertigation significantly reduced bundle-sheath cell leakage to CO2 (Փ) as a result of increased soil water content; this was demonstrated by the light and CO2 response curves of the photosynthesis capacity (An), the apparent quantum efficiency (α), and the 13C-photosynthate distribution. In the inhibitor-based strategy, the use of the urease and nitrification inhibitors reduced Փ by 35% and 39% compared with TP. In the NI-HF strategy, it was found that barley could retain the maximum photosynthesis capacity by increasing the leaf area index (LAI), An, rubisco content, soluble protein, dry matter per plant, and productivity. The CO2 and light response curves were considerably improved in the NI-HF and NI-MF treatments due to a higher 13C carbon isotope (Δ‱), respiration rate (Rd), and Ci/Ca, therefore obtaining the minimum Փ value. With both inhibitors, there was a significant difference between HF and LF drip fertigation. The NI-MF treatment significantly increased the grain yield, total chlorophyll content, WUE, and NUE by 52%, 47%, 57%, and 45%, respectively. Collectively, the results suggest that the new nitrification inhibitor (DMPSA) with HF or MF mulched drip fertigation could be promoted in semi-arid regions in order to mitigate bundle-sheath cell leakage to CO2 (Փ), without negatively affecting barley production and leading to the nutrient and water use efficiency of barley.

Effect of NBPT-DCD (Urease and Nitrification Inhibitor) on Nitrogen Loss, N Uptake and Oil Palm Yields (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) bn Typic Dystrudepts Soil

Incorporating N-(n-butyl) thiophosphoric triamide (NBPT) as a urease inhibitor and Dicyandiamide (DCD) as a nitrification inhibitor can enhance the efficiency of nitrogen (N) fertilization. The main aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of urease and nitrification inhibitors (NBPT and DCD) on N loss in urea fertilizer, N absorption, and oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) yield. Researchers conducted the field trial using a single-factor, completely randomized design (CRD) with three replications. The experimental treatments included nitrogen (N) fertilization with 5 different levels. The levels were: 100% urea (2.75 kg/plant/year: 1.50 kg/plant in rotation 1 and 1.25 kg/plant in rotation 2) (N0), 80% urea + NBPT-DCD (2.20 kg/plant/year: 1.20 kg/plant in rotation 1 and 1.0 kg/plant in rotation 2) (N1), 60% urea + NBPT-DCD (1.65 kg/plant/year: 0.90 kg/plant in rotation 1 and 0.75 kg/plant in rotation 2) (N2), Urea dosage of 80% (2.20 kg/year: 1.20 kg/plant in rotation 1 and 1.00 kg/plant in rotation 2) (N3), and Urea dosage of 60% (1.65 kg/plant/year: 0.90 kg/plant in rotation 1 and 0.75 kg/plant in rotation 2) (N4). The findings revealed that the application of Urea in combination with NBPT-DCD (inhibitors of urease and nitrification) led to a reduction in N loss by 30.33-37.48% and an increase in N absorption compared to Urea without NBPT-DCD. Oil palm trees grew on Typic Dystrudept soil. The plants received 2.20 kg of urea treatment per plant. The researchers combined Urea with NBPT-DCD. These trees had better outcomes than others. They had less N volatilization and better N absorption. They also had higher fresh fruit bunch productivity. The others received N fertilization but not NBPT-DCD.

Ammonia emission factors from cattle production systems in Ireland – a review

Ammonia (NH3) emissions from livestock production contribute to environmental pollution. To address this challenge, the European Union (EU) National Emission Reduction Commitments Directive 2016/2284 (NECD) sets NH3 reduction targets for EU member states. In order to achieve these targets, several strategies have been evaluated under Irish conditions. A compilation of emission factors (EFs) from studies which evaluated these strategies is necessary to assess their effectiveness. This paper reports NH3 EFs from cattle production under Irish conditions. The results from the review show that the mean EFs from the deposition of dung, urine and urea applied to urine patches on grasslands were 4%, 9% and 8% total nitrogen (TN), respectively. EFs from the application of urea to urine patches were reduced by 28% after the addition of the urease inhibitor N-(n-butyl) thiophosphoric triamide (NBPT) to urea. The mean EF of 28% TN reported for urea fertiliser was almost 7 times higher than calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN). The inclusion of urease inhibitors with urea fertilisation on grassland led to EF reduction of up to 86%. The mean EFs from cattle houses, concrete yards, slurry storage pits and slurry landspreading were approximately 13%, 35%, 60% and 59% total ammoniacal nitrogen (TAN), respectively. The most effective NH3 abatement strategies for concrete yards and slurry storage were immediate cleaning of concrete floors (up to 89% reduction) after excreta deposition and the application of chemical amendments (sulphuric acid, acetic acid, alum and ferric chloride) to slurry in storage pits (up to 98% reduction), respectively. Low-emission spreading strategies and slurry acidification were effective at abating EFs after slurry application to land.

Reducing nitrogen leaching using wood vinegar treated in urea-fertilized soil.

Wood vinegar (WV) is known to retard the release of ammonium (NH4+) from urea by inhibiting urea hydrolysis. However, the effect of WV on nitrogen leaching in soil is not known, and there are few studies on the effect of WV on microbial activity although WV exhibits antibacterial properties against pathogens in agriculture. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of WV on controlling nitrogen leaching and soil microbial activity. Soils were treated with urea and WV, and the available inorganic nitrogen concentrations in the soil were compared with those from soils treated with N-(n-butyl)thiophosphoric triamide (NBPT), a commonly used urease inhibitor. The nitrate concentration in the soil was significantly decreased in the WV treatment, although the ammonium concentration was not affected by the WV treatment. Basal soil respiration was significantly increased in the WV and NBPT treatments although the microbial biomass was increased in the urea only treatment. The ammonium nitrogen concentration in the leachate was not significantly different in the WV and urea-treated soil compared to the urea-only treatment. However, the nitrate leaching increased in the soil treated only with urea at 16days after the treatment although there was no statistically significant difference in the total leached nitrate. Therefore, WV can be used to reduce nitrogen leaching and enhance soil microbial activity.

Ammonia volatization from conventional and stabilized fertilizers, agronomic aspects and microbiological attributes in a Brazilian coffee crop system.

We aimed to quantify the N losses through volatilization of the main conventional and stabilized N fertilizers applied in coffee plantations. Additionally, we also assessed microbiological attributes of the soil (microbial biomass carbon (MBC); microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN); microbial basal respiration (MBR); metabolic quotient (qCO2); urease, β-glucosidase, acid phosphatase, and arylsulfatase activities) and agronomic aspects of the crop (N content in the leaves and beans, yield, and N exportation by the beans). Treatments consisted of the combination of three fertilizers (ammonium nitrate - AN, conventional urea - U, and urea with N- (n-butyl) thiophosphoric triamide (NBPT) - UNBPT, and five doses of N (0, 150, 275, 400, and 525kg ha-1 year-1 of N), with four replicates, totalling 60 experimental plots. In the two crop seasons evaluated, daily and cumulative losses of N-NH3 from the split fertilizer applications were influenced by the N fertilizer technologies. The application of U resulted in losses of 22.0% and 22.8% for the doses of 150 and 400kg ha-1 year-1 of N. This means that 66 and 182kg ha-1 of N-NH3 were lost, respectively, at the end of six fertilizations with U. UNBPT reduced urease activity and N-NH3 losses compared to conventional urea, avoiding the volatilization of 15.9 and 24.3kg ha-1 of N. As for AN, N-NH3 losses did not exceed 1% of the applied dose, regardless of the weather conditions during the fertilization. Urease activity was higher on days of maximum NH3 volatilization. There was an effect of the N sources (NS), soil sampling time (ST), and their interaction (NS × ST) on the MBN and arylsulfatase activity. The N sources also influenced the MBC and the qCO2. A substantial amount of N was removed from the system by the beans and husks of the harvested fruits. Our study showed that N fertilizer technologies are interesting options to reduce N-NH3 losses by volatilization, increase N retention in the soil, and improve microbiological attributes and the sustainability of coffee production systems.

English

Effects of the urease inhibitor N-(n-butyl) thiophosphoric triamide (NBPT) on transformations of urea N in an alkaline calcareous soil were investigated at different temperatures. The urease inhibitor was incorporated in urea granules at 7 different concentrations ranging from 0 to 6% of N. The amended urea granules were applied at 250 mg N kg−1 on the soil surface and incubated for 20 days at 18, 25 and 35°C. Effects of NBPT on NH3 volatilization from the surface applied urea were also investigated at different temperatures. In the absence of urease inhibitor, most (96–98%) of the applied urea was hydrolyzed within 5 days. During this period, NBPT significantly inhibited urea hydrolysis at all temperatures (6–46% reduction); the extent of inhibition increased with increasing NBPT application rate and with decreasing temperature. After 10 days, almost all urea was hydrolyzed at all temperatures with NBPT applied up to 2% of N, whereas up to 23% inhibition was recorded with higher NBPT application rates. In the absence of NBPT, 23–41% of the applied urea-N was lost as NH3 during 20 days, with the highest loss recorded at 35°C. However, the application of NBPT significantly reduced NH3 volatilization loss at all temperatures; the beneficial effect of NBPT increased with increasing application rate. Results suggested that application of the urease inhibitor NBPT can cause up to 50% reduction in NH3 volatilization loss when applied at economically feasible application rates ranging from 0.5% of urea-N (during winter season; 18°C) to 1% of urea-N (during fall and summer seasons; 25–35°C).

Integrating enhanced efficiency fertilizers and nitrogen rates to improve Canada Western Red Spring wheat

Granular urea fertilizer applied at planting is prone to nitrogen (N) losses in certain environments. Enhanced efficiency fertilizers (EEFs) are developed to mitigate losses and optimize plant uptake. To determine the benefits of EEFs in grain yield and quality enhancement in Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS) wheat, an experiment was conducted from 2019 to 2022 at eight sites in Alberta and Saskatchewan, Canada. The effects of five N sources [urea; urea + urease inhibitor, N-( n-butyl)thiophosphoric triamide (NBPT); urea + nitrification inhibitor, nitrapyrin; urea + dual-inhibitor, NBPT + dicyandiamide; and polymer-coated urea, ESN® (Environmentally Smart Nitrogen®)] and four N rates (60, 120, 180, and 240 kg N ha−1) on CWRS wheat production were examined. Results indicated that N source affected grain yield in Dark Brown Chernozem soils but not in Black Chernozem or Dark Grey Luvisol soils. In Dark Brown Chernozem soils, a dual inhibitor increased grain yield by 3.1% and 3.9% relative to urea and polymer-coated urea, respectively, while all other EEFs attained similar results. The use of a dual inhibitor EEF led to greater net returns compared to urea and polymer-coated urea in the Dark Brown Chernozem soils. Grain protein concentration increased linearly with increasing N rate from 60 to 240 kg N ha−1. Generally, a rate of 120 kg N ha−1 was optimal for CWRS wheat grown in Canadian prairie conditions when coupled with EEFs, particularly a dual inhibitor, and grain yield and protein were often responsive.

Effects of combined natural synergists and chemical inhibitors on yield, nitrogen utilization and balance in wheat/maize rotation system.

Urease inhibitors and nitrification inhibitors can enhance nitrogen (N) fertilizer utilization efficiency and reducing N losses through regulating urea-N transformation. Common urease or nitrification inhibitors, however, are predominantly chemically synthesized and high-cost. Furthermore, their inhibitory effects are mediated by soil pro-perties, climatic conditions, and crop systems. In this study, we conducted a field experiment using natural synergists humic acid/zeolite, along with chemical nitrification inhibitor dicyandiamide (DCD) and their combination to elucidate the impacts of natural synergists combined with chemical inhibitors on annual yield, nitrogen utilization efficiency, soil nitrate-N accumulation, and nitrogen balance within the wheat/maize rotation system. The treatments included no nitrogen fertilizer application (CK), single application of urea (N), urea +DCD (ND), urea + humic acid (NH), urea + zeolite (NP), urea + urease inhibitor N-butylthiophosphoric triamide + DCD (NUD), urea + humic acid + DCD (NHD), and urea + zeolite + DCD (NPD). The results showed that, compared to the treatments NH and NP, the integration of humic acid or zeolite with DCD (NHD and NPD) significantly increased maize yield (11268 and 11397 kg·hm-2) and total annual yield (20494 and 20582 kg·hm-2), which were comparable to those of combined chemical urease and nitrification inhibitors (NUD). The NHD and NPD treatments had higher nitrogen utilization efficiency and lower soil nitrate-N accumulation in 80-100 cm soil layer across all seasons relative to the N treatment, which had no significant difference compared to the NUD treatment. Furthermore, a decline in soil nitrogen surplus by 10.7% and 13.9% was observed when comparing the NHD and NPD treatments with the NH and NP treatments, respectively. These findings suggested that combined humic acid or zeolite and chemical nitrification inhibitors could effectively enhance crop yield and N utilization efficiency and meet the requirements of the green and environmental preservation of modern agriculture.