RECOVERY OF 15N-LABELLED UREA AS INFLUENCED BY STRAW ADDITION AND METHOD OF PLACEMENT

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Abstract
Field experiments were conducted during 1982–1983 at two locations (Rimbey and Ellerslie) in north-central Alberta to determine the influence of date of application (mid-October, late October and spring), method of placement (incorporation, banding and nesting) and straw (0 and 3.4 t ha−1) on the recovery of 15N-labelled urea in plants and soil at harvest. The rate of N was 50 kg N ha−1. The recovery of 15N in mature barley plants at both locations was greater with spring application as compared to fall application, and greater with banding or nesting compared to incorporation. At Rimbey, the average recovery, in plants plus soil, of incorporated urea N was lower with October applications (43% for mid and 55% for late) as compared to spring application (89%). Banding or nesting increased the N recovery of October applications. With spring application, there was more immobilization of applied N when incorporated into soil as compared to band or nest placement. Also there was more immobilization of applied N when straw was added to the soil, but banding or nesting tended to overcome the immobilization effect of straw so that the plant N recovery was greater with banding or nesting as compared to incorporation. At the Ellerslie location, there was heavy rain with consequent saturated topsoil in late June and early July. Recovery of fall-applied N in plants was low, and even with nesting the recovery was only 13%. There was substantial immobilization of applied N at Ellerslie. With spring application, nesting overcame the large immobilization effect and produced normal recovery of applied N in the plants. Addition of straw resulted in more immobilization of applied urea N, particularly when urea was incorporated. The 15N recovery in plants plus soil of spring-applied N indicated N losses during the growing season and the losses were much greater at Ellerslie than at Rimbey. Key words: Band placement, fall application, immobilization of N, incorporation, 15N, N losses, nest placement, spring application