Register      Login
Soil Research Soil Research Society
Soil, land care and environmental research
RESEARCH ARTICLE

The nitrification inhibitor DMPP applied to subtropical rice has an inconsistent effect on nitrous oxide emissions

Terry J. Rose A B D , Stephen G. Morris C , Peter Quin A , Lee J. Kearney A B , Stephen Kimber C and Lukas Van Zwieten A C
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Southern Cross Plant Science, Southern Cross University, PO Box 157, Lismore, NSW 2480, Australia.

B Southern Cross GeoScience, Southern Cross University, PO Box 157, Lismore, NSW 2480, Australia.

C NSW Department of Primary Industries, 1243 Bruxner Highway, Wollongbar, NSW 2477, Australia.

D Corresponding author. Email: terry.rose@scu.edu.au

Soil Research 55(6) 547-552 https://doi.org/10.1071/SR17022
Submitted: 16 January 2017  Accepted: 6 June 2017   Published: 7 July 2017

Abstract

Although there is growing evidence that the nitrification inhibitor 3,4-dimethylpyrazole phosphate (DMPP) can lower soil nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions in temperate environments, there is little evidence of its efficacy in subtropical or tropical environments where temperatures and rainfall intensities are typically higher. We investigated N2O emissions in field-grown aerobic rice in adjacent fields in the 2013–14 and 2014–15 seasons in a subtropical environment. Crops were topdressed with 80 kg nitrogen (N) ha–1 before rainfall, as either urea, urea + DMPP (at 1.6 kg DMPP t–1 urea: ‘urea-DMPP’) or a blend of 50% urea and 50% urea-DMPP in the 2013–14 season, and urea, urea-DMPP or polymer (3 month)-coated urea (PCU) in the 2014–15 season. DMPP-urea significantly (P < 0.05) lowered soil N2O emissions in the 2013–14 season during the peak flux period after N fertiliser application, but had no effect in 2014–15. The mean cumulative N2O emissions over the entire growing period were 190 g N2O-N ha–1 in 2013–14 and 413 g N2O-N ha–1 in 2014–15, with no significant effect of DMPP or PCU. Our results demonstrate that DMPP can lower N2O emissions in subtropical, aerobic rice during peak flux events following N fertiliser application in some seasons, but inherent variability in climate and soil N2O emissions limited the ability to detect significant differences in cumulative N2O flux over the seasonal assessment. A greater understanding of how environmental and soil factors impact the efficacy of DMPP in the subtropics is needed to formulate appropriate guidelines for its use commercially.

Additional keywords: aerobic rice, enhanced efficiency fertiliser, polymer-coated urea, upland rice, urea.


References

Abalos D, Jeffery S, Sanz-Cobena A, Guardia G, Vallejo A (2014) Meta-analysis of the effect of urease and nitrification inhibitors on crop productivity and nitrogen use efficiency. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 189, 136–144.
Meta-analysis of the effect of urease and nitrification inhibitors on crop productivity and nitrogen use efficiency.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC2cXnslGqs7Y%3D&md5=35de10a19b954afb81e1ae6701ede5d5CAS |

Akiyama H, Yan XY, Yagi K (2010) Evaluation of effectiveness of enhanced-efficiency fertilizers as mitigation options for N2O and NO emissions from agricultural soils: meta-analysis. Global Change Biology 16, 1837–1846.
Evaluation of effectiveness of enhanced-efficiency fertilizers as mitigation options for N2O and NO emissions from agricultural soils: meta-analysis.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Belastegui Macadam XM, del Prado A, Merino P, Estavillo JM, Pinto M, González-Murua C (2003) Dicyandiamide and 3,4-dimethylpyrazole phosphate decrease N2O emissions from grassland but dicyandiamide produces deleterious effects in clover. Journal of Plant Physiology 160, 1517–1523.
Dicyandiamide and 3,4-dimethylpyrazole phosphate decrease N2O emissions from grassland but dicyandiamide produces deleterious effects in clover.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Chalk PM, Craswell ET, Polidoro JC, Chen D (2015) Fate and efficiency of 15N-labelled slow- and controlled release fertilizers. Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems 102, 167–178.
Fate and efficiency of 15N-labelled slow- and controlled release fertilizers.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC2MXpsVyisr0%3D&md5=1c55069885ddfc9bbaa500125d4511abCAS |

Chen D, Suter H, Islam A, Edis R, Freney JR, Walker CN (2008) Prospects of improving efficiency of fertiliser nitrogen in Australian agriculture: a review of enhanced efficiency fertilisers. Australian Journal of Soil Research 46, 289–301.
Prospects of improving efficiency of fertiliser nitrogen in Australian agriculture: a review of enhanced efficiency fertilisers.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD1cXns1OktLw%3D&md5=42f1e1487aad16b52d011dcc1648f955CAS |

Chen D, Suter HC, Islam A, Edis R (2010) Influence of nitrification inhibitors on nitrification and nitrous oxide (N2O) emission from a clay loam soil fertilized with urea. Soil Biology & Biochemistry 42, 660–664.
Influence of nitrification inhibitors on nitrification and nitrous oxide (N2O) emission from a clay loam soil fertilized with urea.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC3cXis1Sgtrw%3D&md5=d1934bed14af1c5f5e5bac491cc172b6CAS |

De Antoni Migliorati M, Scheer C, Grace PR, Rowlings DW, Bell M, McGree J (2014) Influence of different nitrogen rates and DMPP nitrification inhibitor on annual N2O emissions from a subtropical wheat–maize cropping system. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 186, 33–43.
Influence of different nitrogen rates and DMPP nitrification inhibitor on annual N2O emissions from a subtropical wheat–maize cropping system.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC2cXmsVCjtbo%3D&md5=298ba597815f209035f442e1f0cbc94aCAS |

De Antoni Migliorati M, Bell M, Lester D, Rowlings DW, Scheer C, de Rosa D, Grace PR (2016) Comparison of grain yields and N2O emissions on Oxisol and Vertisol soils in response to fertiliser N applied as urea or urea coated with the nitrification inhibitor 3,4-dimethylpyrazole phosphate. Soil Research 54, 552–564.
Comparison of grain yields and N2O emissions on Oxisol and Vertisol soils in response to fertiliser N applied as urea or urea coated with the nitrification inhibitor 3,4-dimethylpyrazole phosphate.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC28XhtlejtL%2FM&md5=1454aa9ac476d63f301d43b1015c2ef6CAS |

Duncan EG, O’Sullivan CA, Simonsen AK, Roper MM, Peoples MB, Treble K, Whisson K (2017) The nitrification inhibitor 3,4,-dimethylpyrazole phosphate strongly inhibits nitrification in coarse-grained soils containing a low abundance of nitrifying microbiota. Soil Research 55, 28–37.
The nitrification inhibitor 3,4,-dimethylpyrazole phosphate strongly inhibits nitrification in coarse-grained soils containing a low abundance of nitrifying microbiota.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC2sXhsFei&md5=49d1ed54acf47173d091fff93cbcbc05CAS |

Gilsanz C, Bàez D, Misselbrook TH, Dhanoa MS, Càrdenas LM (2016) Development of emission factors and efficiency of two nitrification inhibitors, DCD and DMPP. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 216, 1–8.
Development of emission factors and efficiency of two nitrification inhibitors, DCD and DMPP.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC2MXhs1WjsL3J&md5=d26c2ce0c020d4794d5345161551edd5CAS |

Halvorson AD, Snyder CS, Blaylock AD, Del Grosso SJ (2014) Enhanced-efficiency nitrogen fertilizers: Potential role in nitrous oxide emission mitigation. Agronomy Journal 106, 715–722.
Enhanced-efficiency nitrogen fertilizers: Potential role in nitrous oxide emission mitigation.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Isbell RF (1996) ‘The Australian soil classification.’ (CSIRO Publishing: Melbourne)

LeMonte JJ, Jolley VD, Summerhays JS, Terry RE, Hopkins BG (2016) Polymer coated urea in turfgrass maintains vigor and mitigates nitrogen’s environmental impacts. PLoS One 11, e0146761
Polymer coated urea in turfgrass maintains vigor and mitigates nitrogen’s environmental impacts.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Lester DW, Bell MJ, Bell KL, De Antoni Migliorati M, Rowlings DW, Scheer C, Grace PR (2016) DMPP treated urea for grain sorghum in NE Australia 1. Dry matter and grain yield responses. Soil Research 54, 565–571.
DMPP treated urea for grain sorghum in NE Australia 1. Dry matter and grain yield responses.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC28XhtlejtL%2FN&md5=23857599358990b134710603f025d2c5CAS |

Linzmeier W, Gutser R, Schmidhalter U (2001) Nitrous oxide emission from soil and from a nitrogen-15-labelled fertilizer with the new nitrification inhibitor 3,4-dimethylpyrazole phosphate (DMPP). Biology and Fertility of Soils 34, 103–108.
Nitrous oxide emission from soil and from a nitrogen-15-labelled fertilizer with the new nitrification inhibitor 3,4-dimethylpyrazole phosphate (DMPP).Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3MXltlyqt7c%3D&md5=2e8050ceee91a115da532be31e72028cCAS |

Liu C, Wang K, Zheng X (2013) Effects of nitrification inhibitors (DCD and DMPP) on nitrous oxide emission, crop yield and nitrogen uptake in a wheat–maize cropping system. Biogeosciences 10, 2427–2437.
Effects of nitrification inhibitors (DCD and DMPP) on nitrous oxide emission, crop yield and nitrogen uptake in a wheat–maize cropping system.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC2cXltlGktLg%3D&md5=5a98c56d2846e5e55671a6b962864ebeCAS |

Majumdar D, Kumar S, Pathak H, Jain MC, Kumar U (2000) Reducing nitrous oxide emission from an irrigated rice field of North India with nitrification inhibitors. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 81, 163–169.
Reducing nitrous oxide emission from an irrigated rice field of North India with nitrification inhibitors.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3cXmsFyrt7k%3D&md5=bb576b96f89e6ae1c0ef4c88e9c2db17CAS |

Pett-Ridge J, Silver WL, Firestone MK (2006) Redox fluctuations frame microbial community impacts on N-cycling rates in a humid tropical forest soil. Biogeochemistry 81, 95–110.
Redox fluctuations frame microbial community impacts on N-cycling rates in a humid tropical forest soil.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD28XhtValtbfI&md5=8c91de2798d07e0bcd20a7dfbf7b2d6cCAS |

Pfab H, Palmer I, Buegger F, Fiedler S, Müller T, Ruser R (2012) Influence of a nitrification inhibitor and of placed N-fertilization on N2O fluxes from a vegetable cropped loamy soil. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 150, 91–101.
Influence of a nitrification inhibitor and of placed N-fertilization on N2O fluxes from a vegetable cropped loamy soil.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC38XjsVCksb8%3D&md5=2e8f0f6bd65da131b46159f56d64ac9cCAS |

Puttanna K, Nanje Gowda NM, Prakasa Rao EVS (1999) Effect of concentration, temperature, moisture, liming and organic matter on the efficacy of the nitrification inhibitors benzotriazole, o-nitrophenol, m-nitroaniline and dicyandiamide. Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems 54, 251–257.
Effect of concentration, temperature, moisture, liming and organic matter on the efficacy of the nitrification inhibitors benzotriazole, o-nitrophenol, m-nitroaniline and dicyandiamide.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DyaK1MXltVKqtb8%3D&md5=f8254f6ae6036cf0f6f5876123d128edCAS |

R Core Team (2015) ‘R: a language and environment for statistical computing.’ (R Foundation for Statistical Computing: Vienna, Austria). Available at https://www.R-project.org/.

Rayment GE, Lyons DJ (2010) ‘Soil chemical methods: Australasia.’ (CSIRO Publishing: Collingwood)

Rose TJ, Keen B, Morris SG, Quin P, Rust J, Kearney L, Kimber S, Van Zwieten L (2016) Application of woody biochar and woody mulch to mitigate nitrous oxide emissions from a poultry litter-amended soil in the subtropics. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 228, 1–8.
Application of woody biochar and woody mulch to mitigate nitrous oxide emissions from a poultry litter-amended soil in the subtropics.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC28Xot12htbs%3D&md5=8bb3786ca2abc59de345c561a427c4d3CAS |

Scheer C, Rowlings DW, Firrel M, Deuter P, Morris S, Grace PR (2014) Impact of nitrification inhibitor (DMPP) on soil nitrous oxide emissions from an intensive broccoli production system in sub-tropical Australia. Soil Biology & Biochemistry 77, 243–251.
Impact of nitrification inhibitor (DMPP) on soil nitrous oxide emissions from an intensive broccoli production system in sub-tropical Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC2cXht12ntL3M&md5=b30a2ba4c000821f4501c80be934b03bCAS |

Scheer C, Rowlings DW, De Antoni Migliorati M, Lester DW, Bell MJ, Grace PR (2016) Effect of enhanced efficiency fertilisers on nitrous oxide emissions in a sub-tropical cereal cropping system. Soil Research 54, 544–551.
Effect of enhanced efficiency fertilisers on nitrous oxide emissions in a sub-tropical cereal cropping system.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC28XhtlejtL%2FP&md5=dc9d33d3524f86c00722ea0a129793fbCAS |

Smith P, Martino D, Cai Z, Gwary D, Janzen H, Kumar P, McCarl B, Ogle S, O’Mara F, Rice C, Scholes B, Sirotenko O (2007) Agriculture. In ‘Climate Change 2007: Mitigation’. Contribution of working group III to the fourth assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. (Eds B Metz, OR Davidson, PR Bosch, R Dave, LA Meyer) pp. 497–540. (Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, UK)

Snyder CS, Bruulsema TW, Jensen TL, Fixen PE (2009) Review of greenhouse gas emissions from crop production systems and fertilizer management effects. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 133, 247–266.
Review of greenhouse gas emissions from crop production systems and fertilizer management effects.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD1MXptl2ht7w%3D&md5=3ec38cc26b052b68b79e8ba499a425e5CAS |

Soares JR, Cantarella H, Vargas VP, Carmo JB, Martins AA, Sousa RM, Andrade CA (2015) Enhanced-efficiency fertilizers in nitrous oxide emissions from urea applied to sugarcane. Journal of Environmental Quality 44, 423–430.
Enhanced-efficiency fertilizers in nitrous oxide emissions from urea applied to sugarcane.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC2MXkvFSjs74%3D&md5=601e8dc5d52eeaa59f3618c8c04d366bCAS |

Timilsena YP, Adhikari R, Casey P, Muster T, Gilla H, Adhikari B (2015) Enhanced efficiency fertilisers: a review of formulation and nutrient release patterns. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 95, 1131–1142.
Enhanced efficiency fertilisers: a review of formulation and nutrient release patterns.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC2cXhtlarurjJ&md5=ab50be417dc2a6bb24c33e211d024acbCAS |

van Kessel C, Clough T, van Groenigen JW (2009) Dissolved organic nitrogen: an overlooked pathway of nitrogen loss from agricultural systems? Journal of Environmental Quality 38, 393–401.
Dissolved organic nitrogen: an overlooked pathway of nitrogen loss from agricultural systems?Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD1MXjt12itLs%3D&md5=e70cea051842861d08fe17b024b1e356CAS |

van Zwieten L, Kimber S, Morris S, Downie A, Berger E, Rust J, Scheer C (2010) Influence of biochars on flux of N2O and CO2 from Ferrosol. Australian Journal of Soil Research 48, 555–568.
Influence of biochars on flux of N2O and CO2 from Ferrosol.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC3cXht1Sru7bP&md5=9a4d43bcc5a28b36c9fa917f5198a793CAS |

Van Zwieten L, Kimber SW, Morris SG, Singh BP, Grace PR, Scheer C, Rust J, Downie AE, Cowie AL (2013) Pyrolysing poultry litter reduces N2O and CO2 fluxes. The Science of the Total Environment 465, 279–287.
Pyrolysing poultry litter reduces N2O and CO2 fluxes.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC3sXktFChsro%3D&md5=abc2013fb1143e31f2680a4ad931043bCAS |

Weiske A, Benckiser G, Ottow JCG (2001) Effect of the new nitrification inhibitor DMPP in comparison to DCD on nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions and methane (CH4) oxidation during 3 years of repeated applications in field experiments. Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems 60, 57–64.
Effect of the new nitrification inhibitor DMPP in comparison to DCD on nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions and methane (CH4) oxidation during 3 years of repeated applications in field experiments.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD38Xkt1Sitw%3D%3D&md5=914dc55d7404da85416cdf4b4c949dfbCAS |

Weller S, Kraus D, Ayag KRP, Wassmann R, Alberto MCR, Butterbach-Bahl K, Kiese R (2015) Methane and nitrous oxide emissions from rice and maize production in diversified rice cropping systems. Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems 101, 37–53.
Methane and nitrous oxide emissions from rice and maize production in diversified rice cropping systems.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC2cXitVamu7fF&md5=757526061e447da524e06a8e34ec46a0CAS |

Xing GX, Zhu ZL (2000) An assessment of N loss from agricultural fields to the environment in China. Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems 57, 67–73.
An assessment of N loss from agricultural fields to the environment in China.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Zerulla W, Barth T, Dressel J, Erhardt K, von Locquenghien KH, Pasda G, Radle M, Wissemeier AH (2001) 3,4-Dimethylpyrazole phosphate (DMPP) – a new nitrification inhibitor for agriculture and horticulture. Biology and Fertility of Soils 34, 79–84.
3,4-Dimethylpyrazole phosphate (DMPP) – a new nitrification inhibitor for agriculture and horticulture.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3MXltlyqt7g%3D&md5=9632dd36b638929ebef9a71367a16d4dCAS |