Effect of temperature and moisture on kinetics of urea hydrolysis and nitrification

Abstract

The effects of temperature and moisture regimes on kinetics of urea hydrolysis in soils of Hisar (Typic Camborthids) and Hansi (Typic Ustochrepts) were studied. The rate constant (K) for first-order reaction increased with temperature from 10 to 35°C. Energy of activation (Ea), activation free energy (ÄF*) and activation entropy (ÄS*) between 10 and 35°C were 33.8, 81.8 kJ mol-1 and -176.55 K-1I in a sandy loam soil, and 29.2, 81 -6 kJ mol-I and - 155.3 J K-I in a clay loam soil, respectively. The hydrolysis rate was not a linear function of moisture content but increased with field capacity (F.C.). The rate of hydrolysis in both the soils followed the order: 20% F.C. < 40% F.C. < 80% F.C. = 100% F.C. The rate for flooded soil was between those for 20% and 40% F.C. for sandy loam, and between 40 and 80% F.C. for the clay loam. The added urea was completely hydrolysed in 3 days at all moisture regimes except 20% F.C.; maximum NH4+-N was found at the third day, then decreased thereafter. The time at which NO2- first appeared varied with treatments, but then it persisted throughout the 24-day incubation in all treatments.