Abstract
The conversion of soil nitrogen (N) from its organic into inorganic forms has been the subject of several investigations, but information on N mineralization in saline soil is scanty. The study was therefore carried out to observe trends in N mineralization in saline soils amended with manure and urea. The electrical conductivity (ECe) of saline soils was 0.2 (S0), 4.1 (S1), and 11.4 dSm−1 (S2). The N sources were applied at the rate of 300 kg N ha−1 and incubated for 8 weeks at 25°C. The pattern of N mineralization was a function of both soil salinity and N sources. The amount of NH4‐N released was significantly higher in S0 than S1 or S2, especially in urea treated soils. The NH4‐N release varied in the order of urea>manure>control with a peak period of release at the 4th week of incubation. Nitrification of NH4‐N to NO3‐N was reduced by salinity treatments. Patterns of NO3‐N release during incubation were opposite that of NH4‐N. Total mineralized N was highest in the urea treatment. Manure application increased ECe of soil by 18%.
Acknowledgments
The authors are grateful to the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) for supporting the continuation of this research through the first author.