Nitrogen mineralization dynamics in acid vineyard soils amended with bentonite winery waste

ABSTRACT

An excess of available nitrogen (N) in vineyard soil is considered detrimental for vine growth, making a thorough assessment of N mineralization dynamics in vineyard soils before the addition of winery waste necessary. This study assesses the changes in N mineralization in acid vineyard soils amended with bentonite winery waste (BW). Non-amended soil (control), BW and soil-waste mixtures (SBWM) with a low (+L) or high (+H) dose of BW were incubated for six weeks. After 7, 14, 21 and 42 days of incubation, the control soils, BW and SBWM were analysed for net ammonified N, net nitrified N and net mineralized N. Parameters related to the kinetics of N mineralization were also determined. The addition of BW increased the potentially mineralizable N (N₀) in the amended soils (58–144% for the highest BW dose), although the mineralization rate was governed by the soil characteristics. Mineralizable N was only a small fraction (<4%) of the total organic nitrogen added to the soil through the BW addition, mainly due to the dominance of the nitrification process in the BW amended soils. These experimental results suggest that the addition of BW may be a suitable amendment for nitrogen fertilization in acid vineyard soil.

KEYWORDS:

• Ammonification
• nitrification
• winery waste
• vineyard soil
• N mineralization kinetics

Acknowledgements

This work was partially supported by the Consellería de Medio Rural from Xunta de Galicia (FEADER2009-22) through the CO-106-09 contract between the Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry Area of the University of Vigo and Bodegas Cunqueiro. The technical assistance of CACTI for several chemical analyses is also acknowledged.

Xunta de Galicia is acknowledged by the post-doctoral contract of P. P. R. (ED481B 2017/31) and the pre-doctoral fellowship of A. G. A. (ED481A-2016/220).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Consellería de Cultura, Educación e Ordenación Universitaria, Xunta de Galicia [ED481B 2017/31];Consellería de Medio Rural from Xunta de Galicia [FEADER2009-22];Xunta de Galicia [ED481A-2016/220].