FACTORS AFFECTING THE CHEMICAL BEHAVIOUR OF SOME AMMONIACAL NITROGEN FERTILIZERS IN TWO DIFFERENT SOILS

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Soil Sci., Dept., Fac. Agric., Zagazig Univ., Egypt

Abstract

Chemical behaviour of certain ammoniacal nitrogen fertilizers in a clay soil and a sand soil was studied. In a laboratory study, water soluble ammonium values in the sandy soil was greater than those in the clay one. Exchangeable ammonium values in the clay soil were more than those in the sandy soil. The greatest percent of nitrified nitrogen was found in the clay and sandy soils treated with NH4 NO3, whereas the clay and sandy soils showed the lowest one when NH4 OH was used. The loss volatilization of nitrogen as NH3 or the leaching loss from soil columns was greater from the sandy soil than from the clay soil. The NH3 volatilization was greater from NH4 OH compared with (NH4)2SO4, NH4NO3 and NH4Cl. Loss through leaching was greater from NH4NO3 compared with (NH4)2SO4, NH4 OH and NH4Cl.

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