A greenhouse bioassay of advanced urease and nitrification inhibitors: Effects on ammonia volatilization and wheat biomass yield and N uptake

提高作物对肥料氮的回收和利用仍然是一个挑战，在大多数种植系统中，回收的氮肥不到50%。对于尿素基肥料，这主要是由于氨挥发造成的氮的气态损失，在某些情况下，硝酸盐氮的淋溶。使用肥料添加剂，如脲酶和硝化抑制剂，提供了一个机会，通过减少挥发和淋溶，提高肥料氮的回收率。Active AgriScience Inc.是此类产品设计的主要参与者，最近委托ARM U Advanced（AUA），该产品可抑制尿素转化为挥发性（氨）和沥滤物（硝酸盐）形式。该公司正在寻求基于研究的数据，以帮助其改进产品。拟议的研究探讨了控制氨挥发的过程和机制，从肥料（尿素硝酸铵，UAN）与AUA处理。温室实验将使用来自马尼托巴西部的高pH值土壤，并根据该地区的标准农艺实践使用UAN。AUA将以不同的速率添加到UAN中。春小麦将作为试验作物，并将生长至开花，以评估处理对干物质产量的影响。将在整个作物生长期间测量氨挥发。该公司将利用研究结果来改进设计，从而通过提高作物对肥料氮的吸收和利用来衡量AUA的性能。这一点很重要，因为与肥料未用AUA处理的情况相比，可以在较低的肥料氮用量下获得高产。这不仅可以为加拿大农民节省资金，还可以减少农田氮素流失造成的环境退化，从而使所有加拿大人受益。

Improving the recovery and utilization of fertilizer nitrogen (N) by crops remains a challenge, with less than 50% of the applied N recovered in most cropping systems. For urea-based fertilizers, this is mostly due to gaseous losses of N via ammonia volatilization and, in some cases, leaching of nitrate N. The use of fertilizer additives, such as urease and nitrification inhibitors, presents an opportunity for improving the recovery of fertilizer N via reductions in volatilization and leaching. Active AgriScience Inc. is a major player in the design of such products and recently commissioned ARM U Advanced (AUA), which inhibits the conversion of urea to volatile (ammonia) and leachable (nitrate) forms. The company is seeking research-based data that will assist it improve their product. The proposed research examines the processes and mechanisms controlling ammonia volatilization from a fertilizer (urea ammonium nitrate, UAN) treated with AUA. The greenhouse experiment will utilize a high pH soil from western Manitoba and UAN rates based on standard agronomic practice for the region. AUA will be added to UAN at varying rates. Spring wheat will be the test crop and will be grown until flowering to evaluate treatment effects on dry matter yield. Ammonia volatilization will be measured throughout the crop growing period. Results will be used by the company to improve the design, hence performance of AUA as measured by improved uptake and utilization of fertilizer N by the crop. This is important in that high yields can be attained at lower rates of fertilizer N compared to cases where the fertilizer is not treated with AUA. This will not only result in savings to Canadian farmers, but also reduce environmental degradation that results from the loss of N from cropland, hence benefitting all Canadians.