Biology and Fertility of Soils

, Volume 46, Issue 8, pp 883–889 | Cite as

Dynamics of mineral nitrogen, water-soluble carbon and potential nitrification in band-steamed arable soil

Short Communication
First Online:
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Abstract

Steaming of narrow soil bands prior to sowing is a new technique that reduces the need for intra-row weeding in herbicide-free row crops. However, the steam treatment may eliminate both weed seeds and non-target soil organisms, thereby affecting the nutrient cycling in the soil. This study tested the effect of band-steaming on N and C dynamics in a sandy loam soil that was steamed in situ to maximal temperatures of 70–90°C using a prototype band-steamer. Soil samples (0–5 cm depth) were collected during 90 days from band-steamed soil, undisturbed control soil, and control soil treated just mechanically with the band-steamer. In the steamed soil, ammonium concentrations increased from 1.1 to 20.3 μg NH 4 + -N g−1 dry weight during 28 days. This coincided with an immediate and persistent inhibition of potential nitrification (33–61% inhibition during 90 days). Assays of the temperature response of potential nitrification confirmed the temperature sensitivity and showed an optimum temperature of 27.1°C and a temperature coefficient (Q 10) of 1.9. The effects of band-steaming on concentrations of nitrate and water-soluble carbon were divergent and stimulatory, respectively, but generally not statistically significant. Mechanical effects of band-steaming were negligible. The observed ammonium surplus could be of agronomic benefit and should be evaluated in integrated studies of the effects of band-steaming on crop growth and plant N uptake.

Keywords

Ammonium-N Nitrification Side-effects Soil steaming Temperature response 
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Notes

Acknowledgements

I thank J.K. Kristensen and E.F. Kristensen for assistance in the field; K. Kristensen for statistical advice and K.K. Brandt, J. Larsen, P. Sørensen and B. Melander for helpful suggestions. Also, comments to the final manuscript by Søren O. Petersen and the laboratory assistance of K. Dyrberg and D. Thomassen are highly appreciated. The study was supported by a research grant from Fonden for Økologisk Landbrug.

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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag 2010

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Department of Agroecology and Environment, Faculty of Agricultural SciencesAarhus UniversityTjeleDenmark

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