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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Orono, Maine » New England Plant, Soil and Water Research Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #149607
Title: EFFECT OF SOIL AMENDMENT HISTORY ON MINERALIZATION OF MANURE AND FERTILIZER NITROGEN

Author
item Mallory, Ellen
item Griffin, Timothy

Submitted to: American Society of Agronomy Branch Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/2/2003
Publication Date: 6/30/2003
Citation: Mallory, E.B., Griffin, T.S. 2003. Effect of soil amendment history on mineralization of manure and fertilizer nitrogen. American Society of Agronomy Branch Meeting.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Nitrogen (N) availability from manure may be influenced by soil amendment history, in addition to the well-documented influence of manure composition. The effects of amendment history and N source (manure and fertilizer) on N availability were evaluated in a 112-day incubation experiment. Soils were from the Maine Potato Ecosystem Project, Presque Isle, ME and had been under different management treatments since 1991. The ¿amended¿ treatment included heavy additions of manure and compost, and the inclusion of a leguminous green manure crop. The ¿unamended¿ soil treatment followed industry practices, including inorganic fertilizer and red clover interseeding. Nitrogen source treatments were: control (no N addition), NH4 fertilizer, NH4 fertilizer + glucose, and two dairy manures that had previously been found to result in net mineralization (DM1) and net immobilization (DM2). The manures were applied at a rate of 100 mg organic N kg-1 soil, and fertilizer was applied at 100 mg N kg-1 soil. Glucose was applied at a rate to produce a C/N ratio of 30, comparable to the C/N ratio of DM2. Soil inorganic N content was measured on days 0, 1, 3, 7, 14, 28, 56, and 112, and CO2 evolution was measured from 1-3d, 3-6d, 24-28d, 50-56d, and 107-112d. Rates of ammonium consumption and CO2 evolution were higher in the amended soil except when glucose was added. Initial rates of nitrate accumulation were also higher in the amended soil and could not be explained solely by differences in mineralization of soil N. Soil amendment history clearly affected the release and availability of N from different sources.