NITROGEN LEACHING LOSSES ON A VOLCANIC ASH SOIL AS AFFECTED BY THE SOURCE OF FERTILISER

An intact lysimeters study was carried out to measure the potential nitrogen (N) losses on an andisoil of Southern Chile with different fertilisers. The treatments tested were: fish slurry (FS), dairy slurry (DS), potassium nitrate (IF) and a control treatment (C), with no N addition. An equivalent amount of 150 kg of total N ha-1 was applied to each lysimeter and then the equivalent to 1260 mm of rainfall was irrigated over a 90 days period. Leachate samples were analysed for nitrate, nitrite, ammonia and organic N (No). Total N losses were calculated as the product between drainage and the respective N concentration in the leachates. Lowest N losses were obtained in the control and FS treatments (66 kg N ha-1) and the greatest amount was obtained in the IF treatment (261 kg N ha-1). Nitrogen was mainly lost as nitrate and No (each was 49% of the total N losses). High soil organic matter of andisoils can be more relevant than fertiliser for N leaching losses.

Bibliographic Details

Main Authors:	Alfaro V,Marta, Salazar S,Francisco, Endress B,Denisse, Dumont L,Juan C, Valdebenito B,Aldo
Format:	Digital revista
Language:	English
Published:	Sociedad Chilena de la Ciencia del Suelo 2006
Online Access:	http://www.scielo.cl/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0718-27912006000200005
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