Abstract

Greenhouse gases (GHG) cause damage to the biosphere and atmosphere, and essentially lead to a reduction in fertilization efficiency. Different slurry application techniques can influence the emission of GHG. In the years 2014 and 2015, two, parallel trials (sites: Luckstedt and Kossebau) and one lysimeter trial (site: Falkenberg) were set up in Central Germany (federal state: Saxony-Anhalt) in order to investigate the influence of the slurry strip-till method on ammonia (NH3) and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions when compared to surface slurry incorporation. The effect of the nitrification inhibitor (NI) (PIADIN((R))) on GHG emissions was also examined. NH3 was measured using a combination of passive samplers and the Drager Tube method (DTM). N2O was measured using the closed chamber method (CCM) both in the maize row and in the interrow space. In the two years of the experiment, NH3 volatilization fluctuated between 0.6 and 3.5 kg NH3-N ha(-1). In 2014, the slurry strip-till treatments in Lacicstedt emitted significantly less NH3 than surface slurry incorporation. In 2015, at the Kossebau site NH3 volatilization was significantly lower in the treatments with NI than those with no NI. In both years, N2O emissions were between 0.5 kg and 2 kg N2O-N ha(-1). In the lysimeter trial, in 2014 significantly higher N2O emissions were detected in the unfertilized control than in the fertilized treatments. In the plot trial in Kossebau, in 2015 significantly lower N2O emissions were recorded in the row than interrow. These differences are probably due to the uptake of mineral nitrogen by the plants in the row as a starting material for nitrification and denitrification. In Kossebau there were significant correlations between N2O emissions and soil temperature. As regards the slurry strip-till method, no significant reduction in N2O emissions was observed in comparison to surface slurry incorporation. The influence of the slurry strip-till method on NH3 and N2O emissions depends on annual weather conditions and it cannot generally be regarded as preferable to conventional, surface slurry incorporation. (C) 2017 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Keywords

Greenhouse gases; Nitrous oxide; Ammonia Slurry-strip-till; Lysimeter; Nitrification inhibitor

Published in

Soil and Tillage Research
2017, Volume: 169, pages: 54-64

UKÄ Subject classification

Environmental Sciences related to Agriculture and Land-use


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2017.01.011

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/84154