Crop residue interactions with fertilizer rate enhances volatilization loss and reduces nitrogen use efficiency in irrigated maize and potato

• Published in: Archiv für Acker- und Pflanzenbau und Bodenkunde 2023-08, Vol.69 (10), p.1833-1845
• Main Authors: Rahman Jahangir, Mohammad Mofizur, Rahman, Safinur, Uddin, Shihab, Mumu, Nusrat Jahan, Biswas, Chanchal, Jahiruddin, Mohammad, Müller, Christoph, Zaman, Mohammad
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Ammonia; Corn; Crop residues; Crops; emission factor; emissions; Farmers; Fertilization; Fertilizer application; Fertilizers; Fluxes; maize; Nitrogen; potato; Potatoes; Residues; Soils; Volatilization; yield-scaled emissions
• ISSN: 0365-0340; 1476-3567
• DOI: 10.1080/03650340.2022.2117303

Ammonia (NH 3 ) fluxes and their soil-related factors were quantified in irrigated maize and potato fields by two split-plot experiments with and without crop residue (CR) together with four fertilizer N rates: N zero (control), farmers' N (FP), recommended N (RD) and 25% above RD (1.25 RD). CR application together with RD increased NH 3 fluxes in maize by 8% in comparison to RD without CR. The NH 3 emission factor in maize ranged from 29% in the farmers' practice (FP-without CR) to 34% in 1.25 RD coupled with CR. Yield-scaled NH 3 fluxes increased with N fertilizer application rate. Nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) in maize was 53% higher in FP without CR than in other treatment combinations. In potato, CR coupled with FP reduced NH 3 fluxes by 23%. Crop residue and N fertilization rate interaction were significant for NUE, where 1.25 RD without CR increased NUE by 19% when compared with FP-without CR. Stepwise multiple linear regressions showed that mineral N and pH explained 95% of the variances of NH 3 fluxes. NH 3 fluxes in maize are a significant N loss pathway which is driven mainly by fertilizer N rate, soil mineral N and pH.