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Nitrogen cycling:
risks and opportunities
Keith Goulding
Head: Department for Sustainable
Soils and Grassland Systems
Rothamsted Research
Driving forces for better N utilisation
 Projected population increase requires 50% more
food by 2030; 70% more by 2050.
 Royal Society says we need ‘Sustainable
Intensification’. Cultivating more land risks
destruction of forests and large carbon losses.
 N is the key to yield in most countries, but making N
fertiliser uses fossil fuels and produces greenhouse
gases.
 Must improve NUE to reduce costs, fossil fuel use
and losses to air and water.
NB some room for greater use of legumes but not
wholesale switch.
Example: problem of poor NUE of meat
production. Intensive pig production from field to
fork
‘Reactive nitrogen in the environment.’ UNEP 2007
Example: N surpluses on some UK farms
N surplus (= N inputs – N in product; kg N/ha)
Fertiliser N input (kg N/ha)
sheep
arable
dairy
pig/arable
organic
dairy (clover)
At the core, the complicated nitrogen cycle
Organic
Matter
Microbial
Biomass
NH4
+
NO3
-
Immobilisation
NitrificationAmmonification
Death &
decomposition
Mineral N
Organic Matter Mineral N
Approximate N content (kg ha-1
) : 2000-20000 10-500
Mineralisation
Importance of N in soil organic matter
But still no quick and easy way of predicting
N release from soils
Worst case scenario for SMN?
kg ha-1
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
21/10/03 10/11/03 30/11/03 20/12/03 09/01/04 29/01/04 18/02/04 09/03/04 29/03/04 18/04/04
SoilWaterNitrate(ppm)
0
5
Temperature(°C)
Low N Plot
High N Plot
N release very variable through the season:
nitrate in soil on Broadbalk field, Rothamsted
Tony Miller, Rothamsted
Improving NUE
 No quick fixes
RB209: The Basis of Good Practice
 Reliable information: soil type; regular soil
analysis; cropping fertiliser and manure history;
nutrient balances; winter rainfall.
 Realistic estimate of crop yields and fertiliser
needs; take account of fertiliser prices.
 Estimate SNS: RB209; PLANET, ‘Tried and
Tested’
 Utilise available nutrients in organic manures.
 Careful selection of fertilisers – price and
quality.
 Correct rate, method and timing of fertiliser
and manure applications; accuracy.
 Good record keeping.
Probably not like this!
Better manure management
Better manure management
 Estimate or measure N content
(RB209; MANNER); make allowance
when calculating fertiliser
applications
 Recycle effectively – band
spreading; injection
 Where possible, apply from late
winter onwards
 Measure application rate
 Manure Management Plan
‘Tried & Tested’ SNS
calculator
You can use our SNS calculator
to help you determine the Soil
Nitrogen Supply of your soil. You
will need this index number when
using the ‘Fertiliser Manual
(RB209)’ for guidance on
fertiliser application rates.
Tried & Tested SNS Calculator
Improving NUE involves assessing risk and
eliminating ‘leaky’ practices
N leached
(kg ha-1
)
Could also consider:
 Min Till
 Precision seeding and fertiliser
application
 Fertigation
Acknowledgements
Rothamsted Research is an
institute of the UK Biotechnology
and Biological Sciences
Research Council.
The UK Department for
Environment, Food and Rural
Affairs funded some of the
research described in this talk.

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Nitrogen Cycling: Risks and Opportunities - Keith Goulding (Rothamsted Research)

  • 1. Nitrogen cycling: risks and opportunities Keith Goulding Head: Department for Sustainable Soils and Grassland Systems Rothamsted Research
  • 2. Driving forces for better N utilisation  Projected population increase requires 50% more food by 2030; 70% more by 2050.  Royal Society says we need ‘Sustainable Intensification’. Cultivating more land risks destruction of forests and large carbon losses.  N is the key to yield in most countries, but making N fertiliser uses fossil fuels and produces greenhouse gases.  Must improve NUE to reduce costs, fossil fuel use and losses to air and water. NB some room for greater use of legumes but not wholesale switch.
  • 3. Example: problem of poor NUE of meat production. Intensive pig production from field to fork ‘Reactive nitrogen in the environment.’ UNEP 2007
  • 4. Example: N surpluses on some UK farms N surplus (= N inputs – N in product; kg N/ha) Fertiliser N input (kg N/ha) sheep arable dairy pig/arable organic dairy (clover)
  • 5. At the core, the complicated nitrogen cycle
  • 6. Organic Matter Microbial Biomass NH4 + NO3 - Immobilisation NitrificationAmmonification Death & decomposition Mineral N Organic Matter Mineral N Approximate N content (kg ha-1 ) : 2000-20000 10-500 Mineralisation Importance of N in soil organic matter But still no quick and easy way of predicting N release from soils
  • 7. Worst case scenario for SMN? kg ha-1
  • 8. 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 21/10/03 10/11/03 30/11/03 20/12/03 09/01/04 29/01/04 18/02/04 09/03/04 29/03/04 18/04/04 SoilWaterNitrate(ppm) 0 5 Temperature(°C) Low N Plot High N Plot N release very variable through the season: nitrate in soil on Broadbalk field, Rothamsted Tony Miller, Rothamsted
  • 9. Improving NUE  No quick fixes
  • 10. RB209: The Basis of Good Practice  Reliable information: soil type; regular soil analysis; cropping fertiliser and manure history; nutrient balances; winter rainfall.  Realistic estimate of crop yields and fertiliser needs; take account of fertiliser prices.  Estimate SNS: RB209; PLANET, ‘Tried and Tested’  Utilise available nutrients in organic manures.  Careful selection of fertilisers – price and quality.  Correct rate, method and timing of fertiliser and manure applications; accuracy.  Good record keeping.
  • 11. Probably not like this! Better manure management
  • 12. Better manure management  Estimate or measure N content (RB209; MANNER); make allowance when calculating fertiliser applications  Recycle effectively – band spreading; injection  Where possible, apply from late winter onwards  Measure application rate  Manure Management Plan
  • 13. ‘Tried & Tested’ SNS calculator You can use our SNS calculator to help you determine the Soil Nitrogen Supply of your soil. You will need this index number when using the ‘Fertiliser Manual (RB209)’ for guidance on fertiliser application rates. Tried & Tested SNS Calculator
  • 14. Improving NUE involves assessing risk and eliminating ‘leaky’ practices N leached (kg ha-1 )
  • 15. Could also consider:  Min Till  Precision seeding and fertiliser application  Fertigation
  • 16. Acknowledgements Rothamsted Research is an institute of the UK Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council. The UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs funded some of the research described in this talk.