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Effect of Environmental Factors on Ammonia Volatilization from a Urea-Fertilized Soil¹

ABSTRACT

A greenhouse experiment using ¹⁵N followed by wind tunnel experiments using a micrometeorological technique were conducted to identify some of the factors that contribute most significantly to ammonia (NH₃) volatilization in a simulated semiarid environment following application of urea. An Aridic Calciustolls with high urease activity was subjected to a variety of initial soil moisture contents, rainfall patterns, wind speeds, air-humidity, and urea application methods. Losses of broadcast urea-N in the greenhouse at 42-d harvest, presumably due to NH₃ volatilization, were reduced from 40% with a first rain of 1 cm (7 d after fertilizer application) to 13% with a first rain of 4 cm. Nitrogen losses were increased by 8% when initial soil moisture was increased from 21% ( permanent wilting point or PWP) to 31%. Wind tunnel experiments verified that nitrogen can be conserved either by heavy initial rain events (showing no NH₃ volatilization with application of 2.5 cm rain immediately after urea application) or by banding of urea at a depth of 2.5 cm. Losses were maximized by maintaining adequate moisture in the topsoil for urea hydrolysis without inducing leaching, either by humidifying the air between 80 and 95% or by applications of 8 mm rain every 3 d. Increasing wind velocity from 1.7 to 3.4 ms^–1 reduced NH₃ loss from 19 to 7.5%, likely due to more rapid drying of the soil surface.

¹ Contribution from the Agro-Economic Div., International Fertilizer Development Center, Muscle Shoals, AL 35662.

² Assistant Professor, Dep. of Civil Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824.

³ Soil Scientist and Research Associate, respectively, International Fertilizer Development Center, Muscle Shoals, AL 35662.

Received for publication October 24, 1983. Accepted for publication October 8, 1984.

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