Summary
Field experiments with winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) were conducted in two years at two locations using15N-enriched (NH4)2SO4 on Smolan silt loam (Pachic Argiustoll) and Ost loam (Typic Arguistoll) soils. The objective was to relate differences in crop utilization of fertilizer to movement and transformations of the N in a complete factorial experiment having fall and spring applications, banded and broadcast, with and without nitrapyrin. Plant uptake of the 60 kg N/ha applied varied from 31% to 62% with greatest uptake when fertilizer was banded in the spring without nitrapyrin and least uptake from fall and spring broadcast treatments using nitrapyrin.
Analysis of single factor effects showed greater crop contents of fertilizer N for spring than fall applications. That was related to immobilization of the applied N. Much more fertilizer N was in inorganic forms during the period of rapid wheat growth with spring applications than with fall. Banding the fertilizer at a depth of 0.05 m resulted in greater plant uptake than broadcasting or banding it on the soil surface. A significant portion of the applied N was immobilized near the point of application. That limited the downward movement of the N placed on the surface, making it less available to plant roots than the N placed 0.05 m deep where soil moisture was more favorable.
Use of nitrapyrin resulted in lowered amounts of fertilizer N as NO3-until mid-May for fall treatments and until harvest with spring treatments. That appeared to be the reason for lowered plant uptake when nitrapyrin was used.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Boswell F C, Nelson L R and Bitzer M J 1976 Nitrification inhibitor with fall-appliedvs split nitrogen applications for winter wheat. Agron. J. 68, 737–740.
Bremner, J M 1965 Total nitrogen.In Methods of soil analysis. Part 2. C A Black (ed.) Agronomy 9, 1149–1178. Am. Soc. of Agron, Madison, Wi.
Bremner J M and Edwards A P 1965 Determination and isotope-ratio analysis of different forms of nitrogen in soils: 1. Apparatus and procedure for distillation and determination of ammonium. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. Proc. 29, 504–507.
Bremner J M and Keeney D R 1966 Determination and isotope-ratio analysis of different forms of nitrogen in soils: III. Exchangeable ammonium, nitrate and nitrite by extraction distillation methods. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. Proc. 30, 577–582.
Christensen N W and Meints V W 1982 Evaluating N fertilizer sources and timing winter wheat. Agron. J. 74, 840–844.
Huber D M, Warren H L, Nelson D W, Tsai C Y and Shaner G E 1980 Response of winter wheat to inhibiting nitrification of fall-applied nitrogen. Agron. J. 72, 632–637.
Keeney Dennis R 1982 Nitrogen management for maximum efficiency and minimum pollution.In Nitrogen in Agricultural Soils. F J Stevenson (ed.) Agronomy 22, 605–649. Am. Soc. of Agron. Madison Wi.
Liu Shyilon L, Varsa E C, Kapusta G and Mburu David N 1984 Effect of etridiazol and nitrapyrin treated N fertilizers on soil mineral N status and wheat yields. Agron. J. 76, 265–270.
Olson R A and Kurtz L T 1982 Crop nitrogen requirements, utilization, and fertilization.In Nitrogen in Agricultural Soils. F J Sesenson (ed.) Agronomy 22, 567–605. Am. Soc of Agron. Madison Wi.
Olson R V 1982 Immobilization, nitrification, and losses of fall-applied labeled ammoniumnitrogen during growth of winter wheat. Agron. J. 74, 991–995.
Olson R V and Swallow C W 1984 Fate of labeled nitrogen fertilizer applied to winter wheat for five years. Soils Sci. Soc. Am. J. 48, 583–586.
Tomar J S and Soper R J 1981 Fate of tagged urea N in the field with different methods of N and organic matter placement. Agron. J. 73, 991–995.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Published in memory of Professor R V Olson and over 40 years of contributions and service to agriculture and soil science (1919–1985).
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Olson, R.V. Effects of field fertilizer practices on labeled ammonium-nitrogen transformations and its utilization by winter wheat. Plant Soil 97, 189–200 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02374941
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02374941