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Soil Compaction and Fertilization Effects on Nitrous Oxide and Methane Fluxes in Potato Fields

GSF-Forschungszentrum, Inst. für Bodenökologie, Neuherberg, P.O.B. 1129, D-85758 Oberschleißheim, Germany

H. Flessa^* and F. Beese

Univ. of Göttingen, Inst. of Soil Science and Forest Nutrition, Büsgenweg 2, D-37077 Göttingen, Germany

*Corresponding author (hflessa{at}ufbwserver.uni-forst.gwdg.de).

ABSTRACT

This study was conducted to determine the effect of soil compaction and N fertilization on the fluxes of N₂O and CH₄ in a soil (fine-silty Dystric Eutrochrept) planted with potato (Solanum tuberosum L.). Fluxes of N₂O and CH₄ were measured weekly for 1 yr on two differently fertilized (50 and 150 kg N ha^-1) fields. For the potato cropping period (May–September) these fluxes were quantified separately for the ridges (soil bulk density _b = 1.05 Mg m^-3) covering two-thirds of the total field area, and for the uncompacted (_b = 1.26 Mg m^-3) and the tractor-traffic-compacted (_b = 1.56 Mg m^-3) interrow soils, each of which made up one-sixth of the field area. The annual N₂O-N emissions for the low and the high rates of N fertilization were 8 and 16 kg ha^-1, respectively. The major part (68%) of the total N₂O release from the fields during the cropping period was emitted from the compacted tractor tramlines; emissions from the ridges made up only 23%. The annual CH₄-C uptake was 140 and 118 g ha^-1 for the low and high levels of fertilization, respectively. The ridge soil and the uncompacted interrow had mean CH₄-C oxidation rates of 3.8 and 0.8 µg m^-2 h^-1, respectively; however, the tractor-compacted soil released CH₄ at 2.1 µg CH₄-C m^-2 h^-1. The results indicate thas soil compaction was probably the main reason for increased N₂O emission and reduced CH₄ uptake of potato-cropped fields.

Received for publication August 19, 1997.

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