Effect of co-application of straw and various nitrogen fertilizers on N2O emission in acid soil

Yuxuan Li; Riaz Muhammad; Babar Saba; Hao Xia; Xiangling Wang; JiYuan Wang; Xiaoyang Xia; Jiang Cuncang

doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119045

Effect of co-application of straw and various nitrogen fertilizers on N₂O emission in acid soil

J Environ Manage. 2023 Dec 1:347:119045. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119045. Epub 2023 Sep 29.

Authors

Yuxuan Li¹, Riaz Muhammad², Babar Saba³, Hao Xia⁴, Xiangling Wang⁵, JiYuan Wang⁶, Xiaoyang Xia⁷, Jiang Cuncang⁸

Affiliations

¹ Microelement Research Center, College of Resources and Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, PR China. Electronic address: lyx029@webmail.hzau.edu.cn.
² College of Resources and Environment, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou, 510225, PR China. Electronic address: Riaz1480@hotmail.com.
³ Microelement Research Center, College of Resources and Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, PR China. Electronic address: sabababar71@gmail.com.
⁴ Microelement Research Center, College of Resources and Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, PR China. Electronic address: xhzwyy@webmail.hzau.edu.cn.
⁵ Microelement Research Center, College of Resources and Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, PR China; The Key Laboratory of Oasis Ecoagriculture, Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, Shihezi University, Shihezi, Xinjiang, 832000, PR China. Electronic address: wxl2021@webmail.hzau.edu.cn.
⁶ Microelement Research Center, College of Resources and Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, PR China. Electronic address: wangjy11@webmail.hzau.edu.cn.
⁷ Microelement Research Center, College of Resources and Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, PR China. Electronic address: Xia-xiaoyang@webmail.hzau.edu.cn.
⁸ Microelement Research Center, College of Resources and Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, PR China; The Key Laboratory of Oasis Ecoagriculture, Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, Shihezi University, Shihezi, Xinjiang, 832000, PR China. Electronic address: jcc2000@mail.hzau.edu.cn.

PMID: 37778069
DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119045

Abstract

In order to explore the alteration of N transformation and N₂O emissions in acid soil with the co-application of straw and different types of nitrogen (N) fertilizers, an incubation experiment was carried out for 40 days. There are totally five treatments in the study: (a) without straw and N fertilizer (N0), (b) straw alone application (SN0), (c) straw with NH₄Cl (SN1), (d) straw with NaNO₃ (SN2), and (e) straw with NH₄NO₃ (SN3). N₂O emissions, soil physicochemical properties, and abundance/activity of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) were measured. The results showed that the combined application of straw and N enhanced N₂O emissions, particularly, SN2 and SN3 treatments. Moreover, the soil pH was lower in co-application treatments and the average decreasing rate was 9.69%. Specially, the pH was lowest in the SN1 treatment. The results of correlation analysis indicated a markedly negative relationship between pH and N₂O, as well as a negative relationship between pH and net mineralization rate. These findings suggest that pH alteration can affect the N transformation process in soil and thus influence N₂O emissions. In addition, the dominant AOA at the genus level in the SN2 treatment was Nitrosopumilus, and Candidatus nitrosocosmicus in the SN3 treatment. The reshaped AOA structure can serve as additional evidence of the changes in the N transformation process. In conclusion, as the return of straw, the cumulation of N₂O from arable acid soil depends on the form of N fertilizer. It is also important to consider how N fertilizer is applied to reduce the possibility of N being lost in the soil as gas.

Keywords: Greenhouse gas emission; N(2)O emissions; Nitrification; Nitrogen fertilizer form; Straw return.

MeSH terms

Agriculture
Archaea
Fertilizers* / analysis
Nitrogen / analysis
Nitrous Oxide / analysis
Soil* / chemistry

Substances

Soil
Fertilizers
Nitrogen
Nitrous Oxide