Nitrate leaching losses from Monolith lysimeters as influenced by Nitrapyrin

Journal Article · · J. Environ. Qual.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5884292

Owens, L B

Three monolith lysimeters, each with a surface area of 8.1 m/sub 2/ and a depth of 2.4 m, were planted to no-till corn (Zea mays L.) for 6 consecutive years. The lysimeters contained a Rayne silt loam, a well-drained residual soil. Urea was placed in a slot approximately 10-cm deep and 10 to 15 cm from the corn row at a rate of 336 kg N/ha. The urea applied to two of the lysimeters was treated with nitrapyrin (2-chloro-6-(trichloromethyl)pyridine), a nitrification inhibitor, and applied untreated on the third lysimeter. Two years of unfertilized meadow immediately preceded the corn. Concentrations of NO/sub 3//sup -/-N in the leachate from the lysimeters were higher during the corn years than during the meadow period. Concentrations showed seasonal variations during the last 3 yr of the study, but showed no increasing trend. The leachate from the lysimeters receiving the nitrapyrin treated urea had seasonally flow-weighted NO/sub 3//sup -/-N concentrations ranging from 6 to 40 mg/L, while the leachate from the lysimeter receiving untreated urea had seasonally flow-weighted NO/sub 3//sup -/-N concentrations ranging from 20 to 54 mg/L. Nitrate-N losses showed a similar treatment difference. The 6-yr annual average NO/sub 3//sup -/-N loss was 117 and 160 kg/ha from the lysimeters with the treated urea and untreated urea, respectively. This study demonstrates that nitrification inhibitors such as nitrapyrin, have a potential to reduce NO/sub 3//sup -/ leaching when applied with ammoniacal fertilizers.

• Research Organization: USDA-ARS, North Appalachian Experimental Watershed, Coshocton, OH
• OSTI ID: 5884292
• Journal Information: J. Environ. Qual.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Environ. Qual.; (United States) Vol. 16:1; ISSN JEVQA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

510200* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AMIDES
AZINES
CARBONIC ACID DERIVATIVES
CEREALS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DISSOLUTION
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
GRASS
HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
INHIBITION
LEACHING
MAIZE
NITRATES
NITRIFICATION
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLANTS
PYRIDINE
PYRIDINES
SEASONAL VARIATIONS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SOILS
UREA
VARIATIONS