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Soil Water and Ammonia Volatilization Relationships with Surface-Applied Nitrogen Fertilizer Solutions

Dep. of Renewable Resources, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill Univ., 21111 Lakeshore Rd. Ste. Anne de Bellevue, Quebec H9X 1C0, Canada

*Corresponding author.

ABSTRACT

Soil water content is an important factor influencing NH₃ volatilization from N fertilizers. Information on the relationship between water evaporation and NH₃ volatilization from urea (U) or urea-ammonium nitrate (UAN) solutions, and on the kinetics of both processes is lacking. We examined NH₃ volatilization from surface-applied solutions of U and UAN in samples of St. Bernard (loamy, mixed, nonacid, frigid Typic Hapludoll) and Ste. Sophie (sandy, mixed, nonacid, frigid Typic Haplorthod) soils exposed to water potentials ranging from < –1.5 to –0.01 MPa. An air-train system was used. Ammonia volatilization increased as soil water content increased. Volatilization differences between moist (> –0.038 MPa) and air-dry (< –1.5 MPa) samples were reduced as the clay content of the soil increased. However, the effect of clay content on NH₃ volatilization became more pronounced as soil approached air dryness. Water evaporation was consistent with first-order kinetics, whereas NH₃ volatilzation followed two first-order kinetics. The initial rate constants (k₁) for NH₃ volatilization (0.338–0.348 d^–1) from U solution were consistently higher than those for water evaporation (0.099–0.104 d^–1) at –0.01 MPa water potential and 70% relative humidity. Differences could be attributed to different energy requirements. Ammonia volatilization vs. water evaporation followed a logarithmic relationship.

Supported by a grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada under the University-Industry Cooperative Research and Development Program and Nitrochem, Inc.

Received for publication February 8, 1991.

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