title: A new urease-inhibiting formulation decreases ammonia volatilization and improves maize nitrogen utilization in North China Plain.
abstract: Overuse of urea, low nitrogen (N) utilization, and large N losses are common in maize production in North China Plain (NCP). To solve these problems, we conducted two field experiments at Shangzhuang and Quzhou in NCP to test the ability of a newly developed urease inhibitor product Limus®to decrease NH3volatilization from urea applied to maize. Grain yield, apparent N recovery efficiency (REN) and N balance when using urea applied with or without Limus were also measured over two maize growing seasons. Cumulative NH3loss in the two weeks following urea application without Limus ranged from 9-108 kg N ha-1, while Limus addition significantly decreased NH3loss by a mean of 84%. Urea with Limus did not significantly increase maize yields (P < 0.05) compared with urea alone. However, a significant 11-17% improvement in RENwith Limus was observed at QZ. The use of urea-N plus Limus would permit a reduction in N applications of 55-60% compared to farmers' practice and/or further 20% N saving compared with optimized urea-N rate (150 kg N ha-1, based on N requirement by target yield of 7.5 t ha-1), and would achieve the same maize yields but with significantly decreased NH3loss and increased N utilization.
authors.affiliation: College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Center for Resources, Environment and Food Security, Key Lab of Plant-Soil Interaction of MOE, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
authors.forename: Qianqian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Center for Resources, Environment and Food Security, Key Lab of Plant-Soil Interaction of MOE, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoqing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.affiliation: College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Center for Resources, Environment and Food Security, Key Lab of Plant-Soil Interaction of MOE, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
authors.forename: Xuejun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Geoecology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany.|German-Chinese Agricultural Center (DCZ), 55 Nongzhan Beilu, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100125, China.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Roelcke
authors.affiliation: BASF SE, Agricultural Center Limburgerhof, Speyerer Strasse 2, 67117 Limburgerhof, Germany.
authors.forename: Gregor
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pasda
authors.affiliation: BASF SE, Agricultural Center Limburgerhof, Speyerer Strasse 2, 67117 Limburgerhof, Germany.
authors.forename: Wolfram
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zerulla
authors.affiliation: BASF SE, Agricultural Center Limburgerhof, Speyerer Strasse 2, 67117 Limburgerhof, Germany.
authors.forename: Alexander H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Wissemeier
authors.affiliation: College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Center for Resources, Environment and Food Security, Key Lab of Plant-Soil Interaction of MOE, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
authors.forename: Xinping
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: The Sustainable Soils and Grassland Systems Department, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden AL5 2JQ, UK.
authors.forename: Keith
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Goulding
authors.affiliation: College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Center for Resources, Environment and Food Security, Key Lab of Plant-Soil Interaction of MOE, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
authors.forename: Fusuo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture / Q000379:methods; D000641:Ammonia / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D018533:Biomass; D002681:China; D005308:Fertilizers; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D012621:Seasons; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry; D014508:Urea / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism; D014510:Urease / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D014835:Volatilization; D003313:Zea mays / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D005308:Fertilizers; D012987:Soil; D000641:Ammonia; D014508:Urea; D014510:Urease; D009584:Nitrogen