HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Kurtz, L. T. Articles by Hauck, R. D. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Kurtz, L. T. Articles by Hauck, R. D. Agricola Articles by Kurtz, L. T. Articles by Hauck, R. D.

Influence of Moisture on the Effectiveness of Winter-Applied Nitrogen Fertilizers¹

ABSTRACT

Two field experiments were conducted to compare the effectiveness of 3 forms of N when applied in the winter to a silt loam soil receiving 3 different rates of moisture. Ammonium sulfate, sodium or calcium nitrate, and urea were applied in the winter at the rates of 0, 60, 120, and 240 pounds of N per acre. The moisture rates ranging from 9 to 29 inches were established for the 5 months between fertilizer application and crop seeding. Four forage crops were then grown successively on the plots over a period of 2 years. Yield and nitrogen contents of the crops were determined for each plot.

Nitrogen contents of crops from fertilized and unfertilized plots were, in general, inversely proportional to the amount of moisture applied to the plots during the winter and spring. Crop uptake of N from plots receiving ammonium, urea, and nitrate N was generally similar at lower moisture and N rates. However, uptake was less from nitrate-treated plots than from the corresponding ammonium-treated plots when applications of either N or moisture were increased to high levels. Experimental conditions were probably conductive to nitrogen losses through leaching and denitrification.

Contribution from the Department of Agronomy, Illinois Agr. Exp. Sta., Urbana. Published with approval of the Director of the Illinois Agr. Exp. Sta. This research was supported in part by a grant-in-aid from Nitrogen Division, Allied Chemical Company. Presented before Div. IV, Soil Science Society of America, Nov. 19, 1959, at Cincinnati, Ohio.

² Professor and former research assistants, respectively, University of Illinois. Present addresses of junior authors are: Soil and Water Conservation Research Division, ARS, USDA, Beltsville, Md., and Firestone Plantations Co., Harbel, Liberia, West Africa, respectively.

Received for publication December 28, 1959. Accepted for publication September 1, 1960.