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Contribution of N2O and NH3 to total greenhouse gas emission from fertilization: results from a sandy soil fertilized with nitrate and biogas digestate with and without nitrification inhibitor

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Abstract

Fertilization with biogas residues from the digestion of energy crops is of growing importance. Digestate from silage maize (Zea mays L.) is a new fertilizer with a high potential for ammonia (NH3) and nitrous oxide (N2O) emission. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of different maize fertilization systems [180 kg N ha−1 in form of calcium nitrate (MIN), biogas digestate from maize (DIG) and biogas digestate from maize mixed with the nitrification inhibitor Piadin (DIG + NI)] on the emission of NH3 and N2O from a sandy soil and to assess the total greenhouse gas emission of these fertilization systems. The study is based on a randomized field plot experiment in central Germany and an experimental period of a full year. Annual N2O-N emission was generally low [0.21 (MIN) to 0.37 (DIG) kg N ha−1] without differences between treatments. The application of Piadin reduced N2O emissions by 37 and 62 % during the weeks following digestate application but the annual N2O emission was not affected by the fertilization treatment. NH3 emission was only significant for treatments fertilized with digestate. It was not affected by Piadin and accounted for 27 % (+NI) and 29 % of the applied ammonium. Total greenhouse gas emission was dominated by NH3 losses (reducing the fertilizer value and inducing indirect N2O emissions) for the treatments fertilized with maize digestate. The most important greenhouse gas emission source of the MIN treatment were emissions from fertilizer production. Our results show the high potential of digestate from maize as a new source of NH3 emission. Mitigation measures are essential to save the value of this new fertilizer type and to reduce atmospheric and environmental pollution by direct emission of NH3 and indirect emission of greenhouse gases.

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Acknowledgments

This project was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG Research Training Group 1397 “Regulation of soil organic matter and nutrient turnover in organic agriculture”).

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  1. Thünen Institute of Climate-Smart Agriculture, Bundesallee 50, 38116, Braunschweig, Germany

    Ulrike Wolf, Roland Fuß & Heinz Flessa

  2. Julius Kühn Institute of Crop and Soil Science, Bundesallee 50, 38116, Braunschweig, Germany

    Frank Höppner

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  1. Ulrike Wolf
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  4. Heinz Flessa
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Correspondence to Ulrike Wolf.

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Wolf, U., Fuß, R., Höppner, F. et al. Contribution of N2O and NH3 to total greenhouse gas emission from fertilization: results from a sandy soil fertilized with nitrate and biogas digestate with and without nitrification inhibitor. Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst 100, 121–134 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10705-014-9631-z

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