Abstract
The potential for improved fertilizer N use efficiency was tested using a slow release N fertilizer, methylene urea (MU), on processing tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) in a 2-year field study in the Sacramento Valley, California. Fertilizer N use efficiency of urea and a (50:50, w:w) mixture of urea and MU (uMU) was determined in direct-seeded and transplanted tomato plots with winter cover crop (CC) or winter fallow (F) using 15N labeled fertilizers. Residual MU-N was estimated from tomato N uptake in the 15N microplots, and from residual 15N uptake of wheat grown after two tomato crops. No significant differences were found in the quantity and quality of tomato yields among fertilizer and management treatments during the first year. Total yields in transplanted FuMU plots were significantly lower in the second test year, suggesting slow mineralization of MU-N in the F treatment. On average, about 40% of added fertilizer N was taken up in both fertilizer treatments, and the recovery of 15N in plant biomass and soil was 75–96 and 50–74% in seeded and transplanted blocks, respectively. In the laboratory, mineralization of MU started faster in soils with past MU use, but the enhanced mineralization did not affect the plant N uptake in the field. MU is potentially an environmentally attractive fertilizer, but without an immediate increase in yield and N use efficiency compared to conventional fertilizers, its use on row crops may not be economically feasible unless the positive environmental factors like decreased leaching of N are considered.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
T. Aarnio P.J. Martikainen (1995) ArticleTitleMineralization of C and N and nitrification in Scots pine forest soil treated with nitrogen fertilizers containing different proportions of urea and its slow-releasing derivative ureaformaldehyde Soil Biol. Biochem. 27 1325–1331 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK2MXot1GqtrY%3D
K. Alef D. Kleiner (1987) ArticleTitleApplicability of arginine ammonification as indicator of microbial activity in different soils Biol. Fertil. Soils 5 148–151 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaL1cXhsV2gtb8%3D
A. Alexander H.-U. Helm (1990) ArticleTitleUreaform as a slow release fertilizer: a review Z. Pflanzenernähr. Bodenk. 153 249–255 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK3cXlvFSht7k%3D
F.E. Broadbent K.B. Tyler D.M. May (1980) ArticleTitleTomatoes make efficient use of applied nitrogen Calif. Agric. November–December 24–25
C.J. Catanzaro K.A. Williams R.J. Sauve (1998) ArticleTitleSlow release versus water-soluble fertilization affects nutrient leaching and growth of potted chrysanthemum J. Plant Nutr. 21 1025–1036 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK1cXjt1art7k%3D Occurrence Handle10.1080/01904169809365461
R.E. Cavero C. Shennan D.B. Friedman (1997) ArticleTitleThe effect of nitrogen source and crop rotation on the growth and yield of processing tomatoes Nutr. Cycl. Agroecosyst. 47 271–282
M. Christou Y. Dumas A. Dimirkou Z. Vassiliou (1999) Nutrient uptake by processing tomato in Greece B.J. Bieche (Eds) Acta Horticulturae. VI International Symposium on Processing Tomato & Workshop on Irrigation & Fertigation of Processing TomatoVol. 487 ISHS PamplonaSpain 219–224
L.A. Douglas J.M. Bremner (1970) ArticleTitleExtraction and colorimetric determination of urea in soils Soil Sci. Soc. Am. Proc. 34 859–861 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaE3MXht1WltA%3D%3D Occurrence Handle10.2136/sssaj1970.03615995003400060015x
L.E. Drinkwater D.K. Letourneau F. Workneh A.H.C. van Bruggen C. Shennan (1995) ArticleTitleFundamental difference between conventional and organic tomato agroecosystems in California Ecol. Appl. 5 1098–1112
Y. Dumas (1831) ArticleTitleProcedes de l’analyse organique Ann. Chem. Physiol. 247 198–213
Y. Dumas (1990) ArticleTitleTomatoes for processing in 90’s: nutrition and crop fertilization Acta Hortic. 277 155–166 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK3cXhsFegtrk%3D
M. Errebhi C.J. Rosen S.C. Gupta D.E. Birong (1998) ArticleTitlePotato yield response and nitrate leaching as influenced by nitrogen management Agron. J. 90 10–15 Occurrence Handle10.2134/agronj1998.00021962009000010003x
C.M.B. Faria J.R. Pereira N.D. Costa F.A.D. Silva M.E. Alves S. Nakane J.L. deFreitas A.H. Rodrigues (1996) ArticleTitleLevel and split application of nitrogen for processing tomato planted directly in the middle Sao Francisco river valley Pesquisa Agropecuaria Brasilieira 31 181–186
D.G. Fraser J.W. Doran W.W. Sahs G.W. Lesoing (1988) ArticleTitleSoil microbial populations and activities under conventional and organic management J. Environ. Qual. 17 585–590
W.H. Fuller K.G. Clark (1947) ArticleTitleMicrobiological studies on urea–formaldehyde preparations Soil Sci. Soc. Am. Proc. 12 198–202 Occurrence Handle10.2136/sssaj1948.036159950012000C0046x
A. Hadas U. Kafkafi A. Peled (1975) ArticleTitleInitial release of nitrogen from Ureaform under field conditions Soil Sci. Soc. Am. Proc. 39 1103–1105 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaE28Xlslyjtg%3D%3D Occurrence Handle10.2136/sssaj1975.03615995003900060026x
T.K. Hartz E.M. Miyao J.G. Valencia (1998) ArticleTitleDRIS evaluation of the nutritional status of processing tomato HortScience 33 830–832
R.D. Hauck J.M. Bremner (1976) ArticleTitleUse of tracers for soil and fertilizer nitrogen research Adv. Agron. 28 219–266 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0065-2113(08)60556-8
S.S. Hebbar B.K. Ramacjandrappa H.V. Nanjappa M. Prabhakar (2004) ArticleTitleStudies on NPK drip fertigation in field grown tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) Eur. J. Agron. 21 117–127
F.J. Hills F.E. Broadbent O.A. Lorenz (1983) ArticleTitleFertilizer nitrogen utilization by corn, tomato and sugarbeet Agron. J. 75 423–426 Occurrence Handle10.2134/agronj1983.00021962007500030002x
W.R. Horwath E.A. Paul (1994) Microbial biomass R.W. Weaver (Eds) et al. Methods in Soil Analysis, Part 2. Microbiological and Biochemical Properties SSSA Madison, WI 753–773
W.R. Horwath E.A. Paul D. Harris J. Norton L. Jagger K.A. Horton (1996) ArticleTitleDefining a realistic control for the chloroform-fumigation incubation method using microscopic counting and 14C-substrates Can. J. Soil Sci. 76 459–467 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK2sXjtVehsw%3D%3D
H. Insam A. Palojärvi (1995) ArticleTitleEffects of forest fertilization on nitrogen leaching and soil microbial properties in the northern calcareous Alps of Austria Plant Soil 169 75–81
L.E. Jackson A.J. Bloom (1990) ArticleTitleRoot distribution in relation to soil nitrogen availability in field-grown tomatoes Plant Soil 128 115–126 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK3MXmtV2msA%3D%3D
T. Jahns H. Kaltwasser (2000) ArticleTitleMechanism of microbial degradation of slow-release fertilizers J. Polym. Environ. 8 11–16
T. Jahns R. Schepp H. Kaltwasser (1997) ArticleTitlePurification and characterization of an enzyme from a strain of Ochrobactrum anthropi that degrades condensation products of urea and formaldehyde (ureaform) Can. J. Microbiol. 43 1111–1117 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK1cXhtFWkur4%3D Occurrence Handle10.1139/m97-159
D.S. Jenkinson (1988) The determination of microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen in soil J.R. Wilson (Eds) Advances in Nitrogen Cycling in Agricultural Ecosystems CAB International WallingfordUK 368–386
W.E. Jokela G.W. Randall (1997) ArticleTitleFate of fertilizer nitrogen as affected by time and rate of application on corn Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 61 1695–1703 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK2sXnvFWhs7c%3D Occurrence Handle10.2136/sssaj1997.03615995006100060022x
D.R. Keeney D.W. Nelson (1982) Nitrogen: inorganic forms A.L. Page (Eds) et al. Methods of Soil Analysis, Part 2. Agron. Monograph 9, 2nd edn ASSA and SSSA Madison, WI 643–698
M.E. Koivunen W.R. Horwath (2004) ArticleTitleEffect of management history and temperature on the mineralization of methylene urea nitrogen in soil Nutr. Cycl. Agroecosyst. 68 25–35 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD2cXkt1Kktw%3D%3D
M.E. Koivunen C. Morisseau W.R. Horwath B.D. Hammock (2004) ArticleTitleIsolation of a strain of Agrobacterium tumefaciens (Rhizobium radiobacter) utilizing methylene urea (ureaformaldehyde) as nitrogen source Can. J. Microbiol. 50 167–174 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD2cXksVymtrc%3D
S.T. Lamb W.D. Graham C.B. Harrison A.K. Alva (1999) ArticleTitleImpact of alternative citrus management practices on groundwater nitrate in the Central Florida Ridge – I. Field investigation Trans. ASAE 42 1653–1668
D.I. Leskovar D.J. Cantliffe (1993) ArticleTitleComparison of plant establishment method transplanting, or direct seeding on growth and yield of bell pepper J. Am. Soc. Hort. Sci. 118 17–22
D.I. Leskovar P.J. Stofella (1995) ArticleTitleVegetable seedling root systems: morphology, development and importance HortScience 30 1153–1159
Q. Lin P.C. Brookes (1999) ArticleTitleArginine ammonification as a method to estimate soil microbial biomass and microbial community structure Soil Biol. Biochem. 31 1985–1997 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK1MXntVOitbY%3D
P.J. Martikainen (1984) ArticleTitleNitrification in two coniferous forest soils after fertilization treatments Soil Biol. Biochem. 16 77–582
P.J. Martikainen (1985) ArticleTitleNumbers of autotrophic nitrifiers and nitrification in fertilized forest soil Soil Biol. Biochem. 17 245–248 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaL2MXit1Sjtb4%3D
P.J. Martikainen T. Aarnio V.-M. Taavitsainen L. Päivinen K. Salonen (1989) ArticleTitleMineralization of carbon and nitrogen in soil samples taken from three fertilized pine stands: long-term effects Plant Soil 114 99–106 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaL1MXitFWmsb4%3D
S. Martyniuk G.H. Wagner (1978) ArticleTitleQuantitative and qualitative examination of soil microflora associated with different management systems Soil Sci. 128 343–350 Occurrence Handle10.1097/00010694-197806000-00002
R.J. Miller D.E. Rolston R.S. Rauschkolb D.W. Wolfe (1981) ArticleTitleLabeled nitrogen uptake by drip-irrigated tomatoes Agron. J. 73 265–270 Occurrence Handle10.2134/agronj1981.00021962007300020006x
G. Miyao B. Mullen (2001) ArticleTitleFarm advisors report. UC farm advisors processing tomato statewide variety evaluation trials 2000 Calif. Tomato Grower 44 4–15
G. Miyao K.M. Klonsky R.L. De Moura (2001) Sample costs to produce processing tomatoes. 2001 Processing tomatoes cost and return study University of California Cooperative Extension Sacramento Valley, CA
G. Mueller W. Heisig (1968) ArticleTitleDie Freisetzung aus Ureaform durch mikroskopische Pilze Zentralblatt Bakteriol. ParasitenkundeInfektionskrankheiten, Hygiene II, Abt. 122 275–281
L.B. Owens W.M. Edwards R.W. Van Keuren (1992) ArticleTitleNitrate levels in shallow groundwater under pastures receiving ammonium nitrate or slow-release nitrogen fertilizer J. Environ. Qual. 21 607–613 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK3sXhtFeqtw%3D%3D Occurrence Handle10.2134/jeq1992.214607x
L.B. Owens W.M. Edwards R.W. Van Keuren (1999) ArticleTitleNitrate leaching from grassed lysimeters treated with ammonium nitrate or slow-release nitrogen fertilizer J. Environ. Qual. 28 1810–1816 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3cXhtFWntw%3D%3D
D.S. Powlson P.C. Brooks B.T. Christensen (1987) ArticleTitleMeasurement of soil microbial biomass provides an early indication of changes in total soil organic matter due to straw incorporation Soil Biol. Biochem. 19 159–164 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaL2sXktlyls7w%3D
U.M. Sainju B.P. Singh S. Rahman (2000) ArticleTitleTillagecover cropping, and nitrogen fertilization influence tomato yield and nitrogen uptake HortScience 35 217–221
C.A. Sanchez A.M. Blackmer (1988) ArticleTitleRecovery of anhydrous ammonia-derived nitrogen-15 during three years of corn production in Iowa Agron. J. 80 102–108 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaL1cXhs1Kmsb4%3D Occurrence Handle10.2134/agronj1988.00021962008000010023x
C. Shannon (1992) ArticleTitleCover crops, nitrogen cycling and soil properties in semi-irrigated vegetable production systems HortScience 27 749–753
W. Skirde (1986) ArticleTitleWirkungs- und Nachwirkungsvergleich von Dungern mit IBDU- und UF- Stickstoff im Langzeitsversuch Zeitschrift fur Vegetationstechnik 9 61–69
G.W. Snedecor W.G. Cochran (1980) Statistical Methods, 7th edn The Iowa State University Press Ames, IA
J.M. Stark S.C. Hart (1996) ArticleTitleDiffusion technique for preparing salt solutions, Kjeldahl digests, and persulfate digests for nitrogen-15 analysis Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 60 1846–1855 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK2sXjsVCktQ%3D%3D Occurrence Handle10.2136/sssaj1996.03615995006000060033x
L.J. Stivers C. Shennan (1991) ArticleTitleMeeting the nitrogen needs of processing tomatoes through winter cover cropping J. Prod. Agric. 4 330–335
D.W. Sweeney D.A. Graetz A.B. Bottcher S.J. Locaccio K.L. Campbell (1987) ArticleTitleTomato yield and nitrogen recovery as influenced by irrigation method nitrogen source and mulch HortScience 22 27–29
R. Tesi L. Giustiniani (1987) ArticleTitleGrowth and nutrient uptake of two tomato cultivars for mechanical harvesting Acta Hortic. 220 259–265
D.R. Timmons J.L. Baker (1992) ArticleTitleFertilizer management effect on recovery of labeled nitrogen by continuous no-till Agron. J. 84 490–496 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK38XltFSktLc%3D Occurrence Handle10.2134/agronj1992.00021962008400030026x
M.E. Trenkel (1997) Controlled-release and Stabilized Fertilizers in Agriculture IFA (International Fertilizer Association) Paris, France
R.P. Voroney E.A. Paul (1984) ArticleTitleDetermination of K c K N in situ for calibration of the chloroform fumigation incubation method Soil Biol. Biochem. 16 9–16 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaL2cXksFeru7c%3D
E.A. Wahle J.B. Masiunas (2003) ArticleTitlePopulation density and nitrogen fertility effects on tomato growth and yield HortScience 38 367–372
A.P. Whitmore (1996) ArticleTitleDescribing the mineralization of carbon added to soil in crop residues using second-order kinetics Soil Biol. Biochem. 28 1435–1442 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK2sXos1CntQ%3D%3D
I.E. Widders O.A. Lorenz (1979) ArticleTitleTomato root development as related to potassium nutrition J. Am. Soc. Hort. Sci. 104 216–220 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaE1MXhsFSqsL4%3D
W.A. Williams (1960) ArticleTitleManagement of nonleguminous green manures and crop residues to improve the infiltration rate of an irrigated soil Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 30 631–634 Occurrence Handle10.2136/sssaj1966.03615995003000050027x
S. Yaffa U.M. Sainju P. Singh K.C. Reddy (2000) ArticleTitleFresh market tomato yield and soil nitrogen as affected by tillagecover cropping and nitrogen fertilization HortScience 35 1258–1262 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3MXot1Kksw%3D%3D
M. Zekri R.C.J. Koo (1991) ArticleTitleEvaluation of controlled-release fertilizer for young citrus trees J. Am. Hort. Sci. 116 987–990
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Koivunen, M.E., Horwath, W.R. Methylene urea as a slow-release nitrogen source for processing tomatoes. Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst 71, 177–190 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10705-004-2214-7
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10705-004-2214-7