Ureaform as a Slow Release Fertilizer: A Review

Alexander, A.; Helm, H. U.

doi:10.1002/jpln.19901530410

Cited by 56 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…Activity index (AI) is a quality indicator for different types of MU -low AI (40) referring to a product with a large proportion of N in an insoluble form, and high AI (70) to a product with shorter polymers and a faster N release rate. Potential benefits from using MU as N fertilizer include efficient N use by plants, reduced N volatilization and leaching losses, and prolonged availability of N throughout the growing season (Alexander and Helm 1990). It has also been demonstrated in forest ecosystems that because of its slow availability, MU does not enhance nitrification (Martikainen 1984(Martikainen , 1985, depress mineralization of soil N (Martikainen et al 1989) or decrease microbial biomass and basal respiration (Insam and Paloja¨rvi 1995).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Methylene urea as a slow-release nitrogen source for processing tomatoes

Koivunen

Horwáth

2005

Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst

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The potential for improved fertilizer N use efficiency was tested using a slow release N fertilizer, methylene urea (MU), on processing tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) in a 2-year field study in the Sacramento Valley, California. Fertilizer N use efficiency of urea and a (50:50, w:w) mixture of urea and MU (uMU) was determined in direct-seeded and transplanted tomato plots with winter cover crop (CC) or winter fallow (F) using 15 N labeled fertilizers. Residual MU-N was estimated from tomato N uptake in the 15 N microplots, and from residual 15 N uptake of wheat grown after two tomato crops. No significant differences were found in the quantity and quality of tomato yields among fertilizer and management treatments during the first year. Total yields in transplanted FuMU plots were significantly lower in the second test year, suggesting slow mineralization of MU-N in the F treatment. On average, about 40% of added fertilizer N was taken up in both fertilizer treatments, and the recovery of 15 N in plant biomass and soil was 75-96 and 50-74% in seeded and transplanted blocks, respectively. In the laboratory, mineralization of MU started faster in soils with past MU use, but the enhanced mineralization did not affect the plant N uptake in the field. MU is potentially an environmentally attractive fertilizer, but without an immediate increase in yield and N use efficiency compared to conventional fertilizers, its use on row crops may not be economically feasible unless the positive environmental factors like decreased leaching of N are considered.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Methylene urea as a slow-release nitrogen source for processing tomatoes

Koivunen

Horwáth

2005

Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst

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“…Therefore, if the recommended N rate is maintained at the site to target maximum yields, a suggested approach to improve NUE, and consequently improve yields and mitigate the problem of N leaching losses, could be the use of slow release fertilizers. Many studies have shown the benefits of using slow release N fertilizers including efficient N use by plants, reduced leaching losses, and prolonged availability of N throughout the growing season (Alexander and Helm 1990;Catanzaro et al 1998;Engelsjord and Singh 1997;Fan and Li 2009). Slow release N fertilizers provide a moderate but sustained N supply, which improves N fertilizer use efficiency and reduces N leaching losses (Owens et al 1999;Fan and Li 2009).…”

Section: Soil Solution Nitrogen Concentration In the Root Zonementioning

confidence: 99%

Agro-ecological nitrogen management in soils vulnerable to nitrate leaching: a case study in the Lower Suwannee Watershed

Agyin‐Birikorang

Newman

Obour

et al. 2011

Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst

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Environmental benefits associated with reduced rates of nitrogen (N) application, while maintaining economically optimum yields have economic and social benefits. Although N is an indispensable plant nutrient, residual soil N could leach out to contaminate groundwater and surface water resources, particularly in sandy soils. A 2-year field study was conducted in an established bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) pasture in the Lower Suwannee Watershed, Florida, to evaluate N application rates on forage yield, forage quality, and nitrate (NO 3 -N) leaching in rapidly permeable upland sandy soils. Four N application rates (30, 50, 70, and 90 kg N ha -1 harvest -1 ) corresponding to 0.33, 0.55, 0.77 and IX, respectively, of recommended N rate (90 kg N ha -1 harvest -1 ) for bermudagrass hay production in Florida were evaluated vis-à-vis an unfertilized (0 N) control. Suction cups were installed near the center of each plot at two depths (30 and 100 cm) to monitor NO 3 -N leaching. The grass was harvested at 28 days intervals to determine dry matter yield, N uptake, and herbage nutritive value. Nitrogen application at the recommended rate produced the greatest total dry matter yield (*18.4 Mg ha -1 year -1 ), but a modeled economically optimum N rate of *57 kg N ha -1 harvest -1 (*60% of the recommended N rate) projected an average dry matter yield of *17.3 Mg ha -1 year -1 , which represents [90% of the observed maximum yield. Nitrogen application increased nutritive quality of the grass, but increases in N application rate above 30 kg N ha -1 did not result in significant increases in in vitro digestible organic matter concentration, and tissue crude protein was not significant above 50 kg N ha -1 . Across the sampling period, treatments with N rates B50 kg N ha -1 harvest -1 had leachate NO 3 -N concentration below the maximum contaminant limit of \10 mg l -1 . Conversely, applying N at rates C70 kg N ha -1 harvest -1 resulted in leachate N concentration that exceeded the maximum contaminant limit, and suggest high risk of impacting groundwater quality, if such rates are applied to soils with coarse (sand) textures. The study demonstrates that recommendation of a single N application rate may not be appropriate under all agro-climatic conditions and, thus, a site-specific evaluation of best N management strategy is critical.

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“…Methylene urea has been used widely in industrialized countries at a rate of over 220,000 Mt per year. However, the NUE of plants depends on the biological activity of microbes in the soil and their capacity to convert organic N into ammonium and nitrate available to the plant (Alexander and Helm 1990).…”

Section: Microbial Activitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Nutrient Use Efficiency

McDonald

Bovill

Huang

et al. 2013

Genomics and Breeding for Climate-Resilient Crops

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Much of the recent gains in global crop production have been underpinned by greater use of fertilizer, especially nitrogen and phosphorus, and continued improvements in plant nutrition will be needed to meet the increasing demands for food and fiber from a growing world population. Climate change presents many challenges to improvements in nutrient use efficiency by its direct effects on the growth and yield of plants, and hence on nutrient demand, and by its influence on soil nutrient cycling, nutrient availability, and uptake. However, the consequences of climate change on plant nutrition are difficult to predict because of the complexity of the soil-plant-atmosphere system. Empirical data suggests that enhanced as well as reduced nutrient availability and uptake may occur as a result of climate change, depending on the nutrient in question and the component of the climate that changes. Notwithstanding the uncertainty of the effects of climate change on soil nutrient availability and plant nutrient uptake, improvements in nutrient use efficiency will be required to sustain productivity into the future.Over significant areas of the world's arable land, high inputs of nutrients have increased soil nutrient reserves and fertilizer use efficiency is low, while in other

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Ureaform as a Slow Release Fertilizer: A Review

Cited by 56 publications

References 18 publications

Methylene urea as a slow-release nitrogen source for processing tomatoes

Methylene urea as a slow-release nitrogen source for processing tomatoes

Agro-ecological nitrogen management in soils vulnerable to nitrate leaching: a case study in the Lower Suwannee Watershed

Nutrient Use Efficiency

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