Abstract
Ammonia (NH3) volatilization losses from simulated sheep urine patches in a perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.)/white clover (Trifolium repens L.) pasture in New Zealand were measured in the field during the summer, autumn and winter periods. An enclosure technique was used with microplots (23 cm diameter) receiving either sheep urine or aqueous urea at rates equivalent to 500 kg N ha−1 and monitored continuously until measured losses decreased to 0.5% per day. Mean volatilization losses for urine treated plots were 22.2% of the applied N in summer, 24.6% in autumn and 12.2% in winter. Corresponding losses for the urea treated plots were 17.9%, 28.9% and 8.5%. Differences between these two N sources were not significant although the seasonal differences were significant (P ≦ 0.05). Changes in NH3 gas fluxes were found to be related to measured changes in soil pH and air temperature. Two repeated applications of urine or aqueous urea to the same microplot resulted in significantly greater subsequent volatilization losses averaging 29.6% from the second and 37.5% from the third application.
Most of the applied N was accounted for as either soil mineral N (NH +4 + NO -3 + NO -2 ) or NH3(g) . Urea hydrolysis was rapid and obeyed the first order kinetics during the 24 hours following application. Calculated half-lives of urea in urine and aqueous urea were significantly different and were 3.0 and 4.7 h respectively during the summer and 4.7 and 12.0 h during the autumn.
Implications of the results obtained to practical field situation together with the efficacy of the enclosure technique for measuring volatilization losses are discussed.
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Sherlock, R., Goh, K. Dynamics of ammonia volatilization from simulated urine patches and aqueous urea applied to pasture I. Field experiments. Fertilizer Research 5, 181–195 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01052715
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01052715