Chemical fractionation of soil nitrogen in six soils from southern New South Wales

Abstract

The nitrogen in six surface soils from southern New South Wales was chemically fractionated into the mineral nitrogen; hydrolysed ammonium + amino sugar; hydrolysed non-distillable acid soluble nitrogen; intercalary ammonium and insoluble humin nitrogen fractions. These fractions were determined before and after a glasshouse study in which ryegrass (Lolium perenne) was grown. There was no significant relationship between any of the fractions and the dry matter producion of ryegrass at three harvest dates. The levels of each fraction varied between the soils ; however, each fraction as a percentage of the total nitrogen showed little variation, either before or after plant growth. In four soils the hydrolysed ammonium + amino sugar fraction was increased during the glasshouse study, while the hydrolysed non-distillable acid soluble fraction was decreased on three soils, increased on two, and was unchanged in the remaining soil. Two methods of hydrolysis were compared and found to give significantly different results for some soils. On the basis of the data presented, the chemical fractionation of soil nitrogen following acid hydrolysis was of no practical value as a predictor of plant yield.