| Popis: |
Nitrification inhibitors have the potential to reduce N _2 O emissions from maize fields, but optimal results may depend on deployment of integrated N fertilizer management systems that increase yields achieved per unit of N _2 O lost. A new micro-encapsulated formulation of nitrapyrin for liquid N fertilizers became available to US farmers in 2010. Our research objectives were to (i) assess the impacts of urea–ammonium nitrate (UAN) management practices (timing, rate and nitrification inhibitor) and environmental variables on growing-season N _2 O fluxes and (ii) identify UAN treatment combinations that both reduce N _2 O emissions and optimize maize productivity. Field experiments near West Lafayette, Indiana in 2010 and 2011 examined three N rates (0, 90 and 180 kg N ha ^−1 ), two timings (pre-emergence and side-dress) and presence or absence of nitrapyrin. Mean cumulative N _2 O–N emissions ( Q _10 corrected) were 0.81, 1.83 and 3.52 kg N _2 O–N ha ^−1 for the rates of 0, 90 and 180 kg N ha ^−1 , respectively; 1.80 and 2.31 kg N _2 O–N ha ^−1 for pre-emergence and side-dress timings, respectively; and 1.77 versus 2.34 kg N _2 O–N ha ^−1 for with and without nitrapyrin, respectively. Yield-scaled N _2 O–N emissions increased with N rates as anticipated (averaging 167, 204 and 328 g N _2 O–N Mg grain ^−1 for the 0, 90 and 180 kg N ha ^−1 rates), but were 22% greater with the side-dress timing than the pre-emergence timing (when averaged across N rates and inhibitor treatments) because of environmental conditions following later applications. Overall yield-scaled N _2 O–N emissions were 22% lower with nitrapyrin than without the inhibitor, but these did not interact with N rate or timing. |
