Gross Nitrogen Transformations in an Agricultural Soil after Repeated Dairy-Waste Application

Measurements of gross N transformation rates are important to properly understand N cycling processes in agricultural soils where both productive and consumptive processes occur. The objective of the study was to determine the effect of repeated application of dairywaste compost (DC), liquid dairy-waste (LW), and ammonium sulfate (AS) on gross N mineralization and nitrification rates and N supplying potential of an agricultural soil. Our goal was to examine both production and consumption of inorganic N for their effects on the balance between N supply from treated dairy-wastes and plant N demand. Treatments were applied at rates approximately equivalent to 100 and 200 kg available N ha 21 for 6 yr annually. Field-based N 15 pool dilution techniques and laboratory incubation experiments were employed to measure gross rates and mineralization potential of the soil. Both levels of DC raised the labile organic N pool significantly but only the high level DC significantly increased the decomposition rate constant (k). The mean gross N mineralization rates for 1999 to 2002 for the high levels of DC, LW, and AS were 5.72, 2.89, and 1.27 mg N kg 21 d 21 , whereas gross nitrification rates were 10.24, 1.57, and 0.74 mg N kg 21 d 21 , respectively. Net mineralization rates were ,35% of gross rates while nitrate consumption was not significant under any treatment. Variability in gross rates was high in the soils receiving DC, which could be due to presence of hotspots of labile organic matter. Elevated gross N transformation rates in plots receiving DC indicate the dynamic nature of this agricultural soil after repeated applications of dairy-waste.

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