Journal
PLANT AND SOIL
Volume 362, Issue 1-2, Pages 373-388Publisher
SPRINGER
DOI: 10.1007/s11104-012-1358-5
Keywords
Compost; Nitrogen; N-15; delta N-15; N mineralization; N immobilization; N fertilizers
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Funding
- Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (FAPERJ)
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The principal aim of the present review is to synthesize and evaluate published information on the N fertilizer value of composts, and their effect on the utilization of conventional N fertilizers by crops. We have examined the literature where the dynamics of N in the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum are traced using composts that were either artificially enriched in the N-15 stable isotope (in units of atom % N-15 excess) or had a natural N-15 abundance (delta N-15 in units of aEuro degrees or per mil) due to isotope discrimination processes that occur during composting. The methods used to produce artificially-enriched composts and to test uniformity of labelling are reviewed. Limited data show that composts are generally inferior sources of N for crops compared with their raw materials due to a lower N mineralization capacity. Immobilization of fertilizer N increases in compost-amended soils and may reduce recovery by a crop, but fertilizer N losses are reduced overall. However, co-application of compost and urea should be avoided due to the risk of increased NH3 volatilization due to the action of compost-derived urease. High annual rates of compost application can exacerbate environmental problems including nitrate contamination of groundwater. Efforts are required to improve the N fertilizer value of composts by minimizing NH3 volatilization losses during composting. More attention should also be given to the use of the natural N-15 abundance of compost as a tracer.
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