Summary
Field studies with bordered microplots were conducted on an Alfisol in the semiarid tropics of India to determine (1) the fate of15N-labeled urea applied to dryland sorghum in two successive rainy seasons and (2) the effect of method of application on N fertilizer efficiency. Recoveries of15N-labeled fertilizers by above-ground plant parts ranged from 46.7% to 63.6% in 1981 when the rainfall was above the average and from 54.4% to 66.9% in 1980 when the rainfall was near the average. Small (0.014 g) pellets of urea applied twice as postemergent applications in separate 5 cm deep bands were more effective than single preemergent applications either surface applied or incorporated. Both banding and the split applications contributed to overall fertilizer efficiency. Large (1.0 g) pellets of urea (supergranules) placed at a depth of 5 cm were also superior to the incorporated, small-pellet treatment in 1981. The15N-balance data for the soil (0–90 cm in depth)-plant system in 1981 showed that the unaccounted-for fertilizer N ranged from 5.1% to 20.6%. An important finding was that high grain yields, in excess of 6,000 kg/ha, with N fertilizer losses of less than 10% could be obtained through fertilizer management during a very wet season. The data from the Alfisol experiments were compared with data from similar Vertisol experiments; N fertilizer losses resulting from incorporated and surface applications were greater for Vertisols than for Alfisols in the wetter year.
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Moraghan, J.T., Rego, T.J. & Buresh, R.J. Labeled nitrogen fertilizer research with urea in the semi-arid tropics. Plant Soil 82, 193–203 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02220246
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02220246