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Effects of Cotton Stalk and Its Biochar on Ammonia Volatilization from a Drip Irrigated Cotton Field |
Received:March 05, 2014 |
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KeyWord:cotton stalk;biochar;drip irrigation;nitrogen fertilizer;ammonia volatilization |
Author Name | Affiliation | E-mail | LI Qi | Department of Resources and Environmental Science, Shihezi University, Shihezi 832003, China | | LIAO Na | Department of Resources and Environmental Science, Shihezi University, Shihezi 832003, China | | ZHANG Ni | Department of Resources and Environmental Science, Shihezi University, Shihezi 832003, China | | RU Si-bo | Department of Resources and Environmental Science, Shihezi University, Shihezi 832003, China | | HOU Zhen-an | Department of Resources and Environmental Science, Shihezi University, Shihezi 832003, China | hzatyl@163.com |
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Abstract: |
Ammonia volatilization is an important pathway of fertilizer N loss in arid regions. A field study was performed to determine the effects of cotton stalk and its biochar on soil inorganic N concentrations and ammonia volatilization in a drip-irrigated cotton field with and without N fertilization. The experiment included three soil treatments:unamended soil(control), cotton stalk-amended soil(12 t·hm-2), and biochar-amended soil(4.5 t·hm-2). The amount of C inputs was the same in both cotton stalk and biochar treatments. Nitrogen fertilizer was applied at two rates:0 or 450 kg N·hm-2. Compared with the unamended control, soil NH4+-N concentrations were 8.01%~19.88% lower in the cotton stalk-amended and 5.49%~9.90% less in the biochar-amended treatment. Both soil NO3--N concentrations and urease activities were reduced by either cotton stalk or the biochar under no N fertilization, but increased under N fertilization. Under the unfertilized treatments, soil ammonia volatilization was 22.06% and 21.27% less in the cotton stalk-amended and biochar-amended soils than in the control, respectively. Under the fertilized treatments, however, ammonia volatilization was reduced by 30.58% in the cotton stalk-amended soil and 40.59% in the biochar-amended soil compared to the control. In conclusion, applying either cotton stalk or cotton stalk-derived biochar significantly reduces ammonia volatilization in drip-irrigated cotton fields. Biochar shows more effectiveness in lowering ammonia volatilization. |
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