Abstract
The study aimed to evaluate the effects of long-term organic and mineral fertilization on soil solution dynamics of nitrogen (N), as well as to understand its relationship with corn plant growth, plant N uptake, and grain yield. The study was conducted in Santa Maria, State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, for 12 years. The treatments consisted of pig slurry (PS); cattle slurry (CS); pig deep-litter (PL); mineral fertilizer (NPK); and no fertilization (control). We determined concentrations of dissolved inorganic N (DIN) and dissolved organic N (DON) in soil solution in situ, prior to sowing and during the growing cycle of corn. In plants, we determined the gaseous exchange, shoot N content, grain yield, and indices of recovery and efficiency of N. DIN in soil solution was the predominant N form in all treatments, ranging from 53 to 80% of total dissolved nitrogen (TDN). NPK was the only treatment that maintained high NO3-concentration in the soil solution up to 35 days after plant emergence (DAE) and this resulted in higher grain yield. The plants fertilized with CS obtained a recovery of 80% of the N, and promoted improvements in crop growth. The results of this study showed the importance of combining the application of organic fertilizers (before sowing) with mineral sources of N (topdressing), allowing the maintenance of N availability in the soil solution during periods of demand of organic fertilizer.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aita C, Giacomini SJ, Hübner AP (2007) Nitrificação do nitrogênio amoniacal de dejetos líquidos de suínos em solo sob sistema de plantio direto. Pesqui Agropecu Bras 42:95–102. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0100-204X2007000100013
Bender RR, Haegele JW, Ruffo ML, Below FE (2013) Nutrient uptake, partitioning, and remobilization in modern, transgenic insect-protected maize hybrids. Agron J 105:161–170. https://doi.org/10.2134/agronj2012.0352
Biswas DK, Ma B (2016) Effect of nitrogen rate and fertilizer nitrogen source on physiology, yield, grain quality, and nitrogen use efficiency in corn. Can J Plant Sci 403:392–403. https://doi.org/10.1139/cjps-2015-0186
Brunetto G, Comin JJ, Schmitt DE, Guardini R, Mezzari CP, Oliveira BS, Moraes MP, Gatiboni LC, Lovato PE, Ceretta CA (2012) Changes in soil acidity and organic carbon in a sandy typic hapludalf after medium-term pig-slurry and deep-litter application. Rev Bras Ciência do Solo 36:1620–1628. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0100-06832012000500026
Busch FA, Sage RF, Farquhar GD (2018) Plants increase CO2uptake by assimilating nitrogen via the photorespiratory pathway. Nat Plants 4:46–54. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41477-017-0065-x
Choppin GR (1997) Inner versus outer sphere complexation of f-elements. J Alloys Compd 249:9–13. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0925-8388(96)02833-2
Ciancio NR, Ceretta CA, Lourenzi CR, Ferreira PAA, Trentin G, Lorensini F, Tiecher TL, De Conti L, Girotto E, Brunetto G (2014) Crop response to organic fertilization with supplementary mineral nitrogen. Rev Bras Cienc do Solo 38:912–922. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0100-06832014000300023
Comissao de Química e Fertilidade do Solo Rio Grande do Sul e Santa Catarina CQFS RS/SC (2016) Manual de Adubação e de Calagem para os estados do Rio Grande so Sul e Santa Catarina, 11a edition
Couto RR, Ferreira PAA, Ceretta CA, Lourenzi CR, Basso FD, Tassinari A, Piccin R, De Conti L, Gatiboni LC, Schapanski D, Brunetto G (2017) Phosphorus fractions in soil with a long history of organic waste and mineral fertilizer addition. Bragantia 76:155–166. https://doi.org/10.1590/1678-4499.006
Couto RR, Faversani J, Ceretta CA, Ferreira PAA, Marchezan C, Basso FD, Garlet LP, Silva JS, Comin JJ, Bizzi CA, Flores EMM, Brunetto G (2018) Health risk assessment and soil and plant heavy metal and bromine contents in field plots after ten years of organic and mineral fertilization. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 153:142–150. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2018.01.046
Embrapa (2018) Sistema brasileiro de classificação de solos, 5a. Rio de Janeiro, RJ - Brasil
Fan J, Xiao J, Liu D, Luo J, Houlbrooke D, Laurenson S, Yan J, Chen L, Tian J, Ding W (2017) Effect of application of dairy manure, effluent and inorganic fertilizer on nitrogen leaching in clayey fluvo-aquic soil: a lysimeter study. Sci Total Environ 592:206–214. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.SCITOTENV.2017.03.060
Filep T, Rékási M (2011) Geoderma factors controlling dissolved organic carbon (DOC), dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) and DOC/DON ratio in arable soils based on a dataset from Hungary. Geoderma 162:312–318. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2011.03.002
Fyllas NM, Patiño S, Baker TR, Bielefeld NG, Martinelli LA, Quesada CA, Paiva R, Schwarz M, Horna V, Mercado LM, Santos A, Arroyo L, Jiměnez EM, Luizao FJ, Neill DA, Silva N, Prieto A, Rudas A, Silviera M, Vieira ICG, Lopez-Gonzalez G, Malhi Y, Phillips LO, Lloyd J (2009) Basin-wide variations in foliar properties of Amazonian forest: phylogeny, soils and climate. Biogeosciences 6:2677–2708. https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-6-2677-2009
Guo L, Wu G, Li Y, Li C, Liu W, Meng J, Liu H, Yu H, Jiang G (2016) Effects of cattle manure compost combined with chemical fertilizer on topsoil organic matter, bulk density and earthworm activity in a wheat-maize rotation system in Eastern China. Soil Tillage Res 156:140–147. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2015.10.010
Guo X, Chen L, Zheng R, Zhang K, Qiu Y, Yue H (2019) Differences in soil nitrogen availability and transformation in relation to land use in the Napahai Wetland, Southwest China. J Soil Sci Plant Nutr 19:92–97. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42729-019-0013-0
Halvorson JJ, Schmidt MA, Hagerman AE, Gonzalez JM, Liebig MA (2016) Reduction of soluble nitrogen and mobilization of plant nutrients in soils from U. S Northern Great Plains agroecosystems by phenolic compounds. Soil Biol Biochem 94:211–221. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2015.11.022
Hernández D, Polo A, Plaza C (2013) Long-term effects of pig slurry on barley yield and N use efficiency under semiarid Mediterranean conditions. Eur J Agron 44:78–86. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eja.2012.09.001
Jackson-Blake L, Helliwell RC, Britton AJ, Gibbs S, Coull MC, Dawson L (2012) Controls on soil solution nitrogen along an altitudinal gradient in the Scottish uplands. Sci Total Environ 431:100–108. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2012.05.019
Jadon P, Selladurai R, Singh YS, Vassanda CM, Lal Dotaniya M, Kumar SA, Bhadouriya J (2018) Volatilization and leaching losses of nitrogen from different coated urea fertilizers. J Soil Sci Plant Nutr 18:1036–1047. https://doi.org/10.4067/S0718-95162018005002903
Jämtgård S, Näsholm T, Huss-Danell K (2010) Nitrogen compounds in soil solutions of agricultural land. Soil Biol Biochem 42:2325–2330. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2010.09.011
Kirkby E (2012) Introduction, definition and classification of nutrients, Marschner’s Miner Nutr High Plants 3–5. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-384905-2.00001-7
Kitajima K, Mulkey S, Wright S (1997) Decline of photosynthetic capacity with leaf age in relation to leaf longevities for five tropical canopy tree species. Am J Bot 84:702–708. https://doi.org/10.3732/ajb.89.12.1925
Kurai T, Morey SR, Wani SP, Watanabe T (2015) Efficient rates of nitrogenous fertiliser for irrigated sweet sorghum cultivation during the post-rainy season in the semi-arid tropics. Eur J Agron 71:63–72. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eja.2015.07.010
Lourenzi CR, Ceretta CA, Silva S, Trentin G, Girotto E, Lorensini F, Tiecher TL, Brunetto G (2011) Soil chemical properties related to acidity under successive pig slurry applications. Rev Bras Cienc do Solo 35:1827–1836. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0100-06832011000500037
Lourenzi CR, Ceretta CA, Cerini JB, Ferreira PAA, Lorensini F, Girotto E, Tiecher TL, Schapanski DE, Brunetto G (2014) Teor disponível, escoamento superficial e percolação de formas de fósforo em argissolo com a adição de fontes orgânicas e mineral de nutrientes. Rev Bras Cienc do Solo 38:544–556. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0100-832014000200019
Magalhães PC, Durães FOM (2006) Fisiologia da Produção de Milho. Circ Técnicas Embrapa d:10. doi: ISSN 1679-1150
Mallory EB, Griffin TS (2007) Impacts of soil amendment history on nitrogen availability from manure and fertilizer. Soil Sci Soc Am J 71:964. https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj2006.0244
Martínez E, Domingo F, Roselló A, Serra J, Boixadera J, Lloveras J (2017a) The effects of dairy cattle manure and mineral N fertilizer on irrigated maize and soil N and organic C. Eur J Agron 83:78–85. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eja.2016.10.002
Martínez E, Maresma A, Biau A, Berenguer P, Cela S, Santiveri F, Michelena A, Lloveras J (2017b) Long-term effects of pig slurry combined with mineral nitrogen on maize in a Mediterranean irrigated environment. F Crop Res 214:341–349. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2017.09.025
Masunga RH, Uzokwe VN, Mlay PD, Odeh I, Singh A, Buchan D, De Neve S (2016) Nitrogen mineralization dynamics of different valuable organic amendments commonly used in agriculture. Appl Soil Ecol 101:185–193. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.APSOIL.2016.01.006
Mbuthia LW, Acosta-Martínez V, DeBruyn J, Schaeffer S, Tyler D, Odoi E, Mpheshea M, Walker F, Eash N (2015) Long term tillage, cover crop, and fertilization effects on microbial community structure, activity: implications for soil quality. Soil Biol Biochem 89:24–34. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.SOILBIO.2015.06.016
Monaco S, Sacco D, Pelissetti S, Dinuccio E, Balsari P, Rostami M, Grignani C (2012) Laboratory assessment of ammonia emission after soil application of treated and untreated manures. J Agric Sci 150:65–73. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0021859611000487
Mott KA, Franks PJ (2001) The role of epidermal turgor in stomatal interactions following a local perturbation in humidity. Plant Cell Environ 24:657–662. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.0016-8025.2001.00705.x
Müller C, Laughlin RJ, Christie P, Watson CJ (2011) Effects of repeated fertilizer and cattle slurry applications over 38 years on N dynamics in a temperate grassland soil. Soil Biol Biochem 43:1362–1371. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2011.03.014
Omonode RA, Halvorson AD, Gagnon B, Vyn TJ (2017) Achieving lower nitrogen balance and higher nitrogen recovery efficiency reduces nitrous oxide emissions in North America’s maize cropping systems. Front Plant Sci 8:1080. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2017.01080
Pratiwi EPA, Hillary AK, Fukuda T, Shinogi Y (2016) The effects of rice husk char on ammonium, nitrate and phosphate retention and leaching in loamy soil. Geoderma 277:61–68. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.GEODERMA.2016.05.006
Premrov A, Coxon CE, Hackett R, Kirwan L, Richards KG (2014) Effects of over-winter green cover on soil solution nitrate concentrations beneath tillage land. Sci Total Environ 470–471:967–974. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2013.10.057
R Core Team (2017) R: A language and environment for statistical computing. R Fundation for statistical Computing, Vienna htPTs://www.R-project.org/
Ronda RJ, de Bruin HAR, Holtslag AAM (2001) Representation of the canopy conductance in modeling the surface energy budget for low vegetation. J Appl Meteorol 40:1431–1444. https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0450(2001)040<1431:ROTCCI>2.0.CO;2
Saka HA, Azeez JO, Odedina JN, Akinsete SJ (2017) Dynamics of soil nitrogen availability indices in a sandy clay loam soil amended with animal manures. Int J Recycl Org Waste Agric 6:167–178. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40093-017-0165-7
Soil Survey Staff (2014) Keys to soil taxonomy. Soil Conserv Serv 12:410. https://doi.org/10.1109/TIP.2005.854494
Sommer SG, Christensen ML, Schmidt T, Jensen LS (2013) Animal manure recycling: treatment and management, Firts. Chunchester, UK
Sousa PL, Silva B d C, Pinho WCS, Barbosa MAM, Guedes-Lobato SEM, Segura FR, Batista BL, Junior BB, Lobato AKS (2015) Silicon (Si) ameliorates the gas exchange and reduces negative impacts on photosynthetic pigments in maize plants under Zinc (Zn) toxicity. Aust J Crop Sci 9:901–908 1835–2707
Streck EV, Kampf N, Dalmolin RSD, Klant E, Nascimento PC, Giasson E, Pinto LFS (2008) Solos do Rio Grande do Sul, 2nd edn. Porto Alergre, RS-Brasil
Tedesco M, Gianello C, Bissani C (1995) Análises de solo, plantas e outros materiais. UFRGS 174. doi: BR8800294
Vanlauwe B, Kihara J, Chivenge P, Pypers P, Coe R, Six J (2011) Agronomic use efficiency of N fertilizer in maize-based systems in sub-Saharan Africa within the context of integrated soil fertility management. Plant Soil 339:35–50. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-010-0462-7
Venterea RT, Coulter JA (2015) Split application of urea does not decrease and may increase nitrous oxide emissions in rainfed corn. Agron J 107:337. https://doi.org/10.2134/agronj14.0411
Wang J, Zhu B, Zhang J, Müller C, Cai Z (2015) Mechanisms of soil N dynamics following long-term application of organic fertilizers to subtropical rain-fed purple soil in China. Soil Biol Biochem 91:222–231. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2015.08.039
Wang J, Cheng Y, Jiang Y, Sun B, Fan J, Zhang J, Müller C, Cai Z (2017) Effects of 14 years of repeated pig manure application on gross nitrogen transformation in an upland red soil in China. Plant Soil 415:161–173. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-016-3156-y
Warren CR (2014) Organic N molecules in the soil solution: what is known, what is unknown and the path forwards. Plant Soil 375:1–19. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-013-1939-y
Weihermüller L, Siemens J, Deurer M, Knoblauch S, Rupp H, Göttlein A, Pütz T (2007) In situ soil water extraction: a review. J Environ Qual 36:1735–1748. https://doi.org/10.2134/jeq2007.0218
Yang X, Lu Y, Tong Y, Yin X (2015) A 5-year lysimeter monitoring of nitrate leaching from wheat–maize rotation system: comparison between optimum N fertilization and conventional farmer N fertilization. Agric Ecosyst Environ 199:34–42. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.AGEE.2014.08.019
Zhang JB, Zhu TB, Cai ZC, Qin SW, Müller C (2012) Effects of long-term repeated mineral and organic fertilizer applications on soil nitrogen transformations. Eur J Soil Sci 63:75–85. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2389.2011.01410.x
Zhang J, Lan T, Müller C, Cai Z (2015) Dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA) plays an important role in soil nitrogen conservation in neutral and alkaline but not acidic rice soil. J Soils Sediments 15:523–531. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-014-1037-7
Zhang Y, Li C, Wang Y, Hu Y, Christie P, Zhang J, Li X (2016) Maize yield and soil fertility with combined use of compost and inorganic fertilizers on a calcareous soil on the North China Plain. Soil Tillage Res 155:85–94. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2015.08.006
Zhu S, Vivanco JM, Manter DK (2016) Nitrogen fertilizer rate affects root exudation, the rhizosphere microbiome and nitrogen-use-efficiency of maize. Appl Soil Ecol 107:324–333. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsoil.2016.07.009
Funding
This study was financed in part by the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)-Finance Code 400982/2016-1.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of Interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Additional information
Publisher’s note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Marchezan, C., Ferreira, P.A.A., Silva, L.S. et al. Nitrogen Availability and Physiological Response of Corn After 12 Years with Organic and Mineral Fertilization. J Soil Sci Plant Nutr 20, 979–989 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42729-020-00185-2
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42729-020-00185-2