Little information is available on soil characteristics that influence the persistence of nitrapyrin [2‐chloro‐6‐(trichloromethyl) pyridine] in soil. Knowledge concerning these characteristics could be helpful in determining the most effective time of nitrapyrin application and in identifying soils in which the most effective inhibition of nitrification by nitrapyrin might be expected. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of soil pH and temperature on the disappearance of nitrapyrin and ammonium‐N from the soil. Nitrapyrin was applied at rates of 2 and 4 ppm to three soils with pH levels adjusted to approximately 5.5, 6.3, and 6.8. In two of the three soils, the rate of nitrapyrin disappearance increased with increasing pH levels. However, nitrapyrin concentrations in the soil at the end of the 83‐day incubation period were equal among pH levels. When pH influenced nitrapyrin disappearance, recoverable nitrapyrin decreased curvilinearly with time. When pH had no apparent effect on nitrapyrin, recoverable nitrapyrin decreased linearly with time.
In the temperature study, nitrapyrin and N were applied to Drummer (Typic Haplaquoll) and Cisne (Mollic Albaqualf) soils and incubated for 154 days at temperatures of 4, 13, and 21 C. Disappearance of nitrapyrin and ammonium‐N occurred at all temperatures and increased with increasing temperatures. The half life of nitrapyrin in the Cisne soil was 22 days when incubated at 4 C, and less than 7 days when incubated at 13 and 21 C. The half life of nitrapyrin in the Drummer soil was 92, 44, and 22 days, when incubated at temperatures of 4, 13, and 21 C, respectively. At all temperatures nitrapyrin was more effective in controlling loss of ammonium in the Drummer than in the Cisne soil.