Mineralisation and nitrification of biuret and urea nitrogen in two New Zealand forest soils
Jianming Xue
A * , Peter W. Clinton A , Roger Sands B and Tim W. Payn C
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Scion, PO Box 29237, Christchurch 8440, New Zealand.
B School of Forestry, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch, New Zealand.
C Scion, Private Bag 3020, Rotorua, New Zealand.
Soil Research 61(1) 37-46 https://doi.org/10.1071/SR21243
Submitted: 29 January 2022 Accepted: 18 July 2022 Published: 9 August 2022
© 2023 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing
Abstract
Context: Biuret has potential to improve tree growth when applied at high rates as a slow-release nitrogen (N) fertiliser. However, there is little comparative research into the transformation of biuret and urea-N in forest soils.
Aims: This study comparatively investigated the mineralisation, nitrification and immobilisation of biuret and urea-N in two forest soils (a sandy loam soil and a silt loam soil) to further evaluate the suitability of biuret as a slow-release N source.
Methods: A 112-day long soil C and N mineralisation incubation study was conducted following application of 0, 4.08, 40.8 and 408 mg N kg−1 soil of biuret (referred to as control, B4, B41 and B408) and urea (referred to as control, U4, U41 and U408). CO2-C, microbial biomass C and N, NH4+-N and NO3−-N were measured at six times (on Days 2, 7, 14, 28, 56 and 112) to quantify net mineralisation and nitrification.
Key results: In both soils, biuret (especially in B408) was slowly mineralised with a steady increase in soil NH4+-N while urea was readily hydrolysed with a sharp increase and subsequently considerable decrease in soil NH4+-N. B408 had less nitrification than U408 in both soils, especially during the first 56 days.
Conclusions: Due to the lower mineralisation, nitrification and greater immobilisation, more biuret-N remained in the soils compared to urea-N. Biuret could be used as a potential slow-release N fertiliser in forest soils.
Implications: The research findings could have important implications for future biuret fertiliser development for plantation forests.
Keywords: biuret, dissolved organic carbon, microbial biomass C, microbial biomass N, soil incubation experiment, mineral N, mineralisation, nitrification, immobilisation, urea.
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