Evaluation of selected medicinal plant materials and dicyandiamide on nitrification of urea‐derived ammonium under laboratory conditions. Issue 1 (7th December 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Tahir, Majid Mahmood; Begum, Shahida; Maqbool, Mehdi; Khaliq, Abdul; Zahid, Noosheen; Mehmood, Khalid; Shehzad, Muhammad
• Is Part Of: Journal of plant nutrition and soil science. Volume 184:Issue 1(2021)
• Page Start: 132
• Page End: 141
• Publication Date: 2020-12-07
• Subjects: medicinal plant materials -- nitrification inhibition -- nitrogen recovery -- urea nitrogen; Plants -- Nutrition -- Periodicals; Soil science -- Periodicals; 630
• DOI: 10.1002/jpln.201900501
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1436-8730

Abstract

Abstract: Background : Poor utilization of urea fertilizer and N losses from agriculture lands demands alternate fertilization practices to reduce N losses and improve utilization, i.e ., application of nitrification inhibitors. Aims : This study was aimed to evaluate and compare the influence of dicyandiamide (DCD) and selected medicinal plant materials and on N transformations, nitrification inhibition and recovery of applied N. Methods : Treatments included: urea nitrogen (UN), UN + DCD, UN + Gingiber officinale, UN + Viola odorata, UN + Sewertia chirata, UN + Azadirachta indica, UN + Sphaenathus indicus, UN + Allium sativus, UN + Artemisia absenthium, UN + Fumaria indicus, UN + Caesalpinea bondusella, UN + Barberis lyceum, and an un‐amended control. Urea was applied at 200 mg N kg −1 soil, while DCD and medicinal plant materials were applied at of 1% and 20% of applied urea, respectively. Results : Medicinal plant materials inhibited nitrification of urea‐derived NH 4 + - N . On an average of medicinal plant materials treatments, 51% of NH 4 + - N was still present in soil compared to 17% NH 4 + - N in UN treatment without medicinal plant materials after 28 days. Similarly, NO 3 - - N was 76.54 mg kg −1 in UN treatment compared to 34.40 mg kg −1 in UN + medicinal plant materials treatments, indicating 55% reduction in nitrification. Apparent nitrogen recovery (ANR) in UN treatment was 65% compared to 74% in UN + DCD treatment. ANR in treatments, where UN was amended with medicinal plant materials, varied between 58 to 70%. Conclusions : The use of DCD and medicinal plant materials with UN significantly reduced NH 4 + - N oxidation and nitrification ( NO 3 - - N ). In general, medicinal plant materials were more effective in regulating N transformations and, thus, offer a suitable alternate fertilization practice to reduce N losses and improve fertilizer utilization.