Comparison of three field methods for measuring ammonia volatilization from urea granules broadcast on to pasture

Abstract

SUMMARY Urea granules were broadcast on to pasture ( Lolium perenne/Trifolium repens ) at a rate of 100 kg N ha −1 . The evolution of NH 3 from the soil was measured using three methods: an enclosure system with continuous air flow (EM), an unconfined micrometeorological method (integrated horizontal flux method—IHFM) and by measuring the recovery of N as urea, NH 4 + and NO 3 − (NRM). The cumulative loss after 96 h measured by the three methods was 24%, 25% and 30% of the N applied respectively. After 144 h the daily rate of loss was small. At this time, EM and IHFM estimated the loss at 28%, while the NRM estimated a 45% loss. The higher estimated loss by the NRM was attributed mainly to microbial immobilization of applied N. Hourly fluxes estimated by the EM and the IHFM were very different. This was attributed to variations in the rate of urea hydrolysis which appeared to be more rapid in the confined EM system where the rate of soil drying was slower.