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Evaluation of compacted urea fertilizers prepared with acid and non-acid producing chemical additives in three soils varying in pH and cation exchange capacity; I. NH3 volatilization

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Abstract

Efficacy of different acid-producing chemical additives was evaluated in terms of pH, urea hydrolysis, NH4-N dynamics and NH3 volatilization in an Alfisol, a Vertisol and an Inceptisol. Compacting phosphogypsum (PG), diammonium phosphate (DAP), ZnSO4 and KCl separately with urea slowed down urea hydrolysis and reduced NH3 volatilization loss. Peak volatilization loss of NH3 occurred between 2 to 4 days of fertilizer application in Vertisol and Alfisol, but between 4 to 6 days in Inceptisol. Cation exchange capacity (CEC) of soil influenced more in reducing NH3 loss than native soil pH, as lower amount of NH3 was lost from Vertisol (pH=8.0, CEC=43.92 cmolc kg-1) than from Alfisol (pH=5.8, CEC=13.82 cmolc kg-1). The loss from Inceptisol was in between the above two soils.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, 110012

    T.J. Purakayastha

  2. Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture, Hyderabad, 500659, India

    J.C. Katyal

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  1. T.J. Purakayastha
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  2. J.C. Katyal
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Purakayastha, T., Katyal, J. Evaluation of compacted urea fertilizers prepared with acid and non-acid producing chemical additives in three soils varying in pH and cation exchange capacity; I. NH3 volatilization . Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems 51, 107–115 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1009785420209

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