Sustainable nitrogen management in paddy fields: Synergistic effects of deep fertilization and urease inhibitors on ammonia volatilization and associated soil microbiome

Summary

This field study investigates synergistic interactions between deep fertiliser placement and urease inhibitor application as strategies to reduce ammonia volatilisation in flooded rice paddies. The work bridges agronomic nitrogen management with soil microbial ecology, suggesting that combined approaches may improve nitrogen use efficiency whilst shaping microbial community structure. The findings imply that understanding microbial responses is relevant to optimising sustainable nitrogen management in rice-based systems.

UK applicability

Direct applicability to UK agriculture is limited, as paddy rice cultivation is not practised at scale in the United Kingdom. However, the mechanistic insights into urease inhibitor efficacy and ammonia volatilisation control may inform nitrogen management strategies in other UK cropping systems, particularly those with high ammonia loss risk.

Key measures

Ammonia volatilisation rates, soil microbiome composition (molecular profiling), nitrogen retention, urease activity

Outcomes reported

The study examined ammonia volatilisation losses and shifts in soil microbial communities in response to combined deep fertiliser placement and urease inhibitor application in paddy rice systems. It measured the synergistic effects of these two management practices on nitrogen retention and associated soil microbiome composition.

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