Influence of temperature and soil type on inhibition of urea hydrolysis by N-(n-butyl) thiophosphoric triamide in wheat and pasture soils in south-eastern Australia

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doi:10.1071/SR10243

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Influence of temperature and soil type on inhibition of urea hydrolysis by N-(n-butyl) thiophosphoric triamide in wheat and pasture soils in south-eastern Australia

H. C. Suter ^A ^D, P. Pengthamkeerati ^A ^B, C Walker ^C and D. Chen ^A

^A Melbourne School of Land and Environment, The University of Melbourne, Vic. 3010, Australia.
^B Environmental Technology Research Unit (EnviTech), Department of Environmental Science, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand.
^C Incitec Pivot Limited, PO Box 54, North Geelong, Vic. 3215, Australia.
^D Corresponding author. Email: helencs@unimelb.edu.au

Soil Research 49(4) 315-319 http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/SR10243
Submitted: 8 November 2010 Accepted: 23 February 2011 Published: 19 May 2011





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Abstract

Incubation experiments were conducted to assess the effectiveness of N-(n-butyl) thiophosphoric triamide (NBPT) for inhibiting hydrolysis of urea in three wheat-growing soils and one pasture soil in south-eastern Australia, under a range of temperatures (5, 15, 25°C). The effectiveness of NBPT decreased with increasing temperature and with increasing urease activity. In the acidic pasture soil with high urease activity (186 μg N/g soil.h) and high organic carbon content (11%), NBPT (0.1% w/w urea) had little impact on urea hydrolysis rates over all temperatures, with <1% urea remaining at Day 14. In the alkaline, wheat-cropping soils with lower urease activity (54–90 μg N/g soil.h) and lower organic carbon content (<1.5%), NBPT was able to effectively reduce urea hydrolysis over 14–15 days at 5°C and 15°C (>55% urea remaining). At 25°C in the wheat soils, NBPT slowed the rate of urea hydrolysis, but by Days 14 and 15, <2% of the urea remained. NBPT applied at a rate of 0.1% urea would be an effective tool for slowing urea hydrolysis in the wheat-cropping soils under cool-climate conditions. The delay in urea hydrolysis in the pasture soil still provides the opportunity for increased flexibility in farm management, such as irrigation scheduling.

Additional keywords: incubation studies, NBPT, urease activity.

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