Ammonia volatilization, nitrogen in soil, and growth of barley after application of peat manure and pig slurry

Abstract

Peat is added to manure, because its low pH and capacity to adsorb ammonia (NH 3 ) give it potential to reduce nitrogen (N) loss. Peat manure was prepared by mixing pig slurry with moderately humified Sphagnum peat. Less than 1% of applied ammoniacal N was volatilized as NH 3 from peat manure and pig slurry within 8 h of surface application on clay loam soil according to JTI method. Incorporated manures showed even smaller N loss. The low volatilization was due to the adsorption of manure ammoniacal N by peat, and the infiltration of slurry into harrowed, moist clay soil. In another experiment, peat manure was applied on polypropylene fabric without soil contact. Within the first 3 days there was only 9% reduction in the ammoniacal N of peat manure, but the major part of it was lost during several weeks of dry and warm weather. Peat manure did not cause any major improvements on the growth and N uptake of spring barley in spring and early summer as compared with slurry. Moisture deficit limited the availability of ammoniacal N of manures. As compared with surface application, incorporation of manures increased nitrification of ammonium in the soil, and dry matter mass (19-73%) and N uptake of barley. Supplementing manures with inorganic NPK fertilizer increased both dry matter mass (40-98%) and N concentration of barley stand.

Potential for Ammonia Generation and Emission in Broiler Production Facilities in Brazil

“…The concentration of ammonia nitrogen increased in a quadratic manner according to the cycles of use for the two bed types, regardless of the temperature tested (Table 4). In the present study, for both litter, shavings and coffee husks, the values of ammoniacal nitrogen corresponded to about 25% of the total nitrogen, this result is close to the value of 30% of the total nitrogen that is volatilized in the form of ammoniacal nitrogen, according to Atia (2008) [91]. The highest values of ammoniacal nitrogen, both for shavings and coffee husks, were observed in the treatment of 40 • C, again showing that the elevated temperature contributes to the higher ammonia generation potential.…”

Imaging-optode measurements of ammonium distribution in soil after different manure amendments

“…The faster nitrification observed in the homogenization treatments may be as a result of substrate, oxygen and nitrifying organisms being less limiting when the ammonium to be nitrified is mixed with a larger soil volume. A greater degree of mixing with soil has also been shown to increase nitrification in other experiments (Nissen et al , 1998; Mattila, 2006). Mattila (2006) observed that incorporation of manures with a harrow after application increased nitrification of ammonium in the soil compared with surface application without incorporation.…”

“…A greater degree of mixing with soil has also been shown to increase nitrification in other experiments (Nissen et al , 1998; Mattila, 2006). Mattila (2006) observed that incorporation of manures with a harrow after application increased nitrification of ammonium in the soil compared with surface application without incorporation. However, this was attributed to dry conditions on the soil surface, which may have inhibited microbial activity and hence nitrification.…”