MINERALIZATION OF UREA–FORMALDEHYDE COMPOUNDS AT DIFFERENT pH LEVELS AND TEMPERATURES

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Abstract
Mineralization of urea-form fertilizer materials was studied in soils at two different pH levels and five different temperatures. Results show that the nitrogenous materials decomposed very slowly but progressively throughout the incubation period of 14 weeks, and that nitrate was the main product formed. The rates of nitrate production from the urea-form compounds were, in general, from 2 to 5% higher in soil with an initial pH 5.7 than in soil having an initial pH 7.0. At the end of the incubation period, the quantities of nitrate formed from the two urea-form compounds were about equal, amounting to 20, 28, 40, 50, and 58% of the total nitrogen added at 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 °C respectively. The laboratory results suggested that the urea-form materials studied here could be of only limited value to plants if applied to soils with temperatures below 15 °C during the growing season.

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