U.S. flagAn official website of the United States government
                    Here's how you know **Official websites use .gov**
                            
                            A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
 **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
                            
                            A **lock** (                            
                              A locked padlock                                                      
                            
                            ) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.


Menu Agricultural Research Service
						
                    U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
 Soil and Water Management Research: St. Paul, MN
 close



    Research

                    Research Projects
                                    Publications
                                    Collaborations
                                    News
                                    Software
                People

                    Staff Listing
                                    CareersSearch small
                    Search
            
            ARS Home
                                About ARS
                                Contact Us




ARS Home Midwest Area St. Paul, Minnesota Soil and Water Management Research Research Publications at this Location





- ARS National Programs
- Search for a scientific manuscript
- Search for a research project
- ARS Software
- Programs and Projects
- Collaborations
- Subjects of Investigation
- Publications

Title:   Author  item
                                            HYATT, CHARLES - University Of Minnesotaitem
                                            Venterea, Rodney

                                                         - *Rod*item
                                            ROSEN, CARL - University Of Minnesotaitem
                                            MCNEARNEY, MATTHEW - University Of Minnesotaitem
                                            WILSON, MELISSA - University Of Minnesotaitem
                                            Dolan, Michael
  Submitted to: Soil Science Society of America Journal
                                    Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
                                    Publication Acceptance Date: 10/6/2009
                                    Publication  Date: 3/1/2010
                                    Citation: Hyatt, C.R., Venterea, R.T., Rosen, C.J., Mcnearney, M., Wilson, M.L., Dolan, M.S. 2010. Polymer-Coated Urea Maintains Potato Yields and Reduces Nitrous Oxide Emissions in a Minnesota Loamy Sand. Soil Science Society of America Journal. 74(2):419-428.Interpretive Summary: Large amounts of nitrogen fertilizer are required for high-value crops such as potatoes. These fertilizer inputs can result in large emissions of nitrous oxide (N2O), which is a potent greenhouse gas. Specialized, coated urea fertilizer products are designed to release nitrogen slowly over the growing season, and thereby better match N supply to plant uptake. This slower release may result in lower N2O emissions. The objective of this study was to compare N2O emissions in a coarse-textured soil fertilized with 270 kg N per ha using sulfur-coated urea (KS), two different polymer-coated urea (PCU) products (ESN and KP), and conventional urea (CU). Crop yields following single, pre-plant applications of KS, ESN, and KP were no different than following multiple split CU applications. N2O emissions with CU tended to be higher than with the coated fertilizers. Of the two PCUs, the product with the greater mass of polymer coating (KP) released N more slowly and also emitted less N2O. Over both seasons, N2O emissions from KP and ESN were approximately 15% and 44% lower than CU, respectively. The amount of N2O emitted was equivalent to 0.10, 0.39, and 0.48% of the amount of fertilizer added for KP, ESN, and CU, respectively. These results show that coated urea can maintain yields while reducing N2O emissions and also reducing costs associated with split applications of conventional fertilizer. The N2O emissions results obtained in this study will assist both scientists and policy makers in improving their estimates of greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture, and in developing improved management practices for mitigating these emissions.
                                Technical Abstract: Large inputs of nitrogen (N) fertilizer required for crops such as potatoes have the potential to generate soil-to-atmosphere emissions of nitrous oxide (N2O), which is a potent greenhouse gas. Coated urea fertilizer products are designed to better match N supply to plant uptake and thereby minimize N losses. The objective of this study was to compare N2O emissions and irrigated potato yields over two growing seasons in a coarse-textured soil fertilized with 270 kg N ha-1 using one sulfur-coated urea (KS), two different polymer-coated urea (PCU) products (ESN and KP), and conventional urea (CU). N release rates from the PCU prills incubated in-situ were also measured. Crop yields following single, pre-plant applications of KS, ESN, and KP were no different than following multiple split CU applications, while N2O emissions with CU tended to be higher. Of the two PCUs, the product with the greater mass of polymer coating (KP) released N more slowly and also emitted less N2O. Over both seasons, N2O emissions from KP and ESN were approximately 15% and 44% lower than CU, respectively. Emissions were 1.7 to 2.7 times higher in 2008, during which 60% of total water inputs were from rain, as compared to 2007, during which 60% of inputs were from irrigation. Fertilizer-induced emissions in 2008 amounted to 0.10, 0.39, and 0.48% with KP, ESN, and CU, respectively. These results show that coated urea can maintain yields while reducing N2O emissions and also reducing costs associated with split applications of conventional fertilizer.


Return to top


Connect with ARS Sign up


ARS Home
                            USDA.gov
                            Plain Writing
                            Policies & Links
                            Civil Rights Statements
                            FOIA
                            Accessibility Statement
                            Privacy Policy
                            Non-Discrimination Statement
                            Quality of Information
                            USA.gov
                            WhiteHouse.gov