Theme 04: Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition

Description

Nitrogen (N) fertilizer use on dairy pastures in south eastern Australia has increased exponentially over the past 15 years, causing increasing environmental concerns. Volatilisation, denitrification and leaching of N were measured for one year (1998-1999) in pastures receiving no N fertilizer (grass/clover), or 200 kg N/ha applied as urea (46%N) or ammonium nitrate (34.5%N). Nitrogen balances were calculated for each treatment.

Significantly more N was lost through volatilisation and denitrification when N was applied as urea compared to ammonium nitrate. Nitrate leaching losses were significantly greater with the application of N fertilizer, although the maximum loss was only 4.1 kg N/ha due to low rainfall between May and September. Nitrogen balances were -15, +87 and +82 kg N/ha per year for the grass/clover, 200 kg N/ha urea and 200 kg N/ha ammonium nitrate treatments, respectively. Given the large range in N losses and balances, there is opportunity for improving the N efficiency in dairy pastures, through lower stocking rates and more tactical use of grain and N fertilizer.

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Nitrogen Balances in High Rainfall, Temperate Dairy Pastures of South Eastern Australia

Nitrogen (N) fertilizer use on dairy pastures in south eastern Australia has increased exponentially over the past 15 years, causing increasing environmental concerns. Volatilisation, denitrification and leaching of N were measured for one year (1998-1999) in pastures receiving no N fertilizer (grass/clover), or 200 kg N/ha applied as urea (46%N) or ammonium nitrate (34.5%N). Nitrogen balances were calculated for each treatment.

Significantly more N was lost through volatilisation and denitrification when N was applied as urea compared to ammonium nitrate. Nitrate leaching losses were significantly greater with the application of N fertilizer, although the maximum loss was only 4.1 kg N/ha due to low rainfall between May and September. Nitrogen balances were -15, +87 and +82 kg N/ha per year for the grass/clover, 200 kg N/ha urea and 200 kg N/ha ammonium nitrate treatments, respectively. Given the large range in N losses and balances, there is opportunity for improving the N efficiency in dairy pastures, through lower stocking rates and more tactical use of grain and N fertilizer.