Ammonia volatilization and atmospheric N deposition following straw and urea application from a rice-wheat rotation in southeastern China. (May 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Sun, Liying; Wu, Zhen; Ma, Yuchun; Liu, Yinglie; Xiong, Zhengqin
• Is Part Of: Atmospheric environment. Volume 181(2018)
• Page Start: 97
• Page End: 105
• Publication Date: 2018-05
• Subjects: Ammonia volatilization -- Nitrogen deposition -- Straw -- Rice-wheat rotation -- Nitrogen use efficiency; Air -- Pollution -- Periodicals; Air -- Pollution -- Meteorological aspects -- Periodicals; 551.51
• DOI: 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2018.02.050
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1352-2310

Abstract

Abstract: Ammonia is a vital component of the nitrogen (N) cycle of terrestrial ecosystems in terms of volatilization and deposition. Here, a field experiment was undertaken to simultaneously investigate the effects of rice straw and urea incorporation on ammonia volatilization, atmospheric N deposition, yields and agronomic nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) under a rice-wheat system in China. The experiment involved four treatments: control (0 N, 0 straw), NS0 (250 kg N ha −1 season −1, 0 straw), NS1 (250 kg N ha −1 season −1, 3 t ha −1 yr −1 straw), and NS2 (250 kg N ha −1 season −1, 6 t ha −1 yr −1 straw) in the rice-wheat annual rotation system. The results indicated that the NS0, NS1 and NS2 treatments emitted cumulative ammonia of 14.0%, 16.4%, and 19.2%, respectively in the rice season and 7.6%, 11.1%, and 12.3%, respectively in the wheat season among the total urea-N application. Compared to the NS0 treatment, the NS1 and NS2 treatments significantly increased the cumulative ammonia emissions by 15.5% (p < 0.05) and 33.5% (p < 0.05), respectively in the rice season and 39.9% (p < 0.05) and 53.1% (p < 0.05), respectively in the wheat season. There was no significant difference between the NS2 and NS1 treatments during the wheat season. The amount of NH4 + -N deposition accounted for 56.1% of the total inorganic N deposition during the whole rice-wheat system. The bulk NH4 + -N deposition during the period of fertilization contributed 73.9% and 5.7% to the total NH4 + -N deposition in the rice and wheat season, respectively. Overall, straw incorporation increased ammonia volatilization, not affecting the crop grain yield or NUE. The seasonal variation in NH4 + -N bulk deposition was closely related to N fertilizer application. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: NH3 volatilization and N deposition were monitored in a rice-wheat system. Straw incorporation increased NH3 emissions but did not increase yield or NUE. Seasonal variation of NH4 + -N deposition was related to N fertilizer application.