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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Adaptive Cropping Systems Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #319623
Title: Effects of ammonium nitrate encapsulated with coal combustion byproductson nutrient uptake by corn and rye

Author
item Codling, Eton

Submitted to: Journal of Plant Nutrition
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/31/2016
Publication Date: 5/19/2017
Citation: Codling, E.E. 2017. Effects of ammonium nitrate encapsulated with coal combustion byproductson nutrient uptake by corn and rye. Journal of Plant Nutrition. 40(12):1702-1709.

Interpretive Summary: Ammonium nitrate commonly used for nitrogen fertilizer, is also an ingredient in explosives. Research has shown that ammonium nitrate encapsulated with coal combustion byproducts (class C fly ash and flue gas desulfurization-gypsum) reduces the explosiveness of ammonium nitrate. A two-year field study was conducted to determine the effects of ammonium nitrate encapsulated with coal byproducts on yield, nitrogen and metal uptake by both corn and rye. Corn was fertilized at 56 and 112 kg N ha 1 rates with coal byproduct encapsulated ammonium nitrate with a non-encapsulated ammonium nitrate as a control. Rye was planted after each corn crop to remove any residual nitrogen. Nitrogen source did not significantly affect corn grain and rye biomass yields or their nitrogen and metals concentrations for both years. There was an increasing trend in corn grain and rye biomass yield and nitrogen concentrations when nitrogen rate increased from 56 to 112 kg ha-1. Nitrogen source did not influence copper, manganese and zinc concentrations in corn and rye, but levels increased with an increasing rate. These metal concentrations, however, were within the range found in corn grain and rye tissue. This study demonstrated that ammonium nitrate fertilizer encapsulated with coal byproducts is as effective as non-encapsulated ammonium nitrate for corn and rye production, without increasing metal concentrations and therefore should not affect human and animal health when consumed.

Technical Abstract: Ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) fertilizer is an ingredient in explosives. NH4NO3 encapsulated with coal combustion byproducts [class C fly ash (FAC) and flue gas desulfurization-gypsum (FGDG)] reduces the explosiveness of NH4NO3. A two-year field study was conducted to determine the effects of encapsulated NH4NO3 on yield, N and metal uptake by corn and rye. Nitrogen rates were 56 and 112 kg ha 1. Rye was planted after each corn crop. Yields, N and metals concentrations were not affected by N source. In year 2, corn grain yield increased 14, 4.7 and 19 percent and N grain increased 54, 13 and 20 percent with increasing N rate for the NH4NO3, FAC and FGDG treatments, respectively. Copper Mn and Zn concentrations increased with increasing N rates but levels were within normal range. This study demonstrated that coal byproducts encapsulated NH4NO3 is as effective as non-encapsulated for corn and rye production, without increasing metals above normal levels.