TY - JOUR

T1 - An isotope study on nitrogen and phosphorus use efficiency and movement in soil in a mimicked vermicompost-based organo-mineral fertilizer

AU - Sitzmann, Tomas J.

AU - Sica, Pietro

AU - Zavattaro, Laura

AU - Moretti, Barbara

AU - Grignani, Carlo

AU - Oberson, Astrid

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2024 The Authors. Agrosystems, Geosciences & Environment published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Crop Science Society of America and American Society of Agronomy.

PY - 2024

Y1 - 2024

N2 - Vermicompost (VC), a stabilized organic material with high organic and humic carbon, and favorable aggregation properties, was tested as a fraction of organo-mineral fertilizers (OMFs), where organic and mineral fractions interact in hotspot areas with surrounding soil. Solutions containing 33P radioisotope and 15N-labeled mineral fertilizers were combined with VC at two ratios of organic carbon (Corg) to mineral nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) (OMF7.5C and OMF15C) to simulate OMF granules. Control treatments included unfertilized soil (N0P0), mineral fertilizer (MFNP), and sole VC at two rates (OF7.5C and OF15C). Nitrogen and P uptake by Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) were measured over in 8 weeks. Furthermore, MFNP, OMF7.5C, and OMF15C treatments were incubated for 10 days without plant to measure atom% 15N excess and 33P radioactivity, as indicators of N and P movement from two soil layers (surrounding fertilizer hotspot and below it). In the pot study, OMF15C caused 24% lower biomass and less nutrient recovery derived from fertilizer (N, 11% and P, 8.5%), compared to MFNP. In the incubation study, OMF15C exhibited +19% atom% 15N excess in the combined two soil layers, relative to MFNP, and +28% 33P radioactivity in the soil surrounding the hotspot, and −89% in the soil below it. We interpreted this as a reduction in nutrient availability of the combined VC + mineral fertilizers, due to lower P mobility in soil. The combination of VC with mineral fertilizers can reduce P movement in soil. A higher Corg:N:P ratio resulted in lower nutrient use efficiency in 2 months.

AB - Vermicompost (VC), a stabilized organic material with high organic and humic carbon, and favorable aggregation properties, was tested as a fraction of organo-mineral fertilizers (OMFs), where organic and mineral fractions interact in hotspot areas with surrounding soil. Solutions containing 33P radioisotope and 15N-labeled mineral fertilizers were combined with VC at two ratios of organic carbon (Corg) to mineral nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) (OMF7.5C and OMF15C) to simulate OMF granules. Control treatments included unfertilized soil (N0P0), mineral fertilizer (MFNP), and sole VC at two rates (OF7.5C and OF15C). Nitrogen and P uptake by Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) were measured over in 8 weeks. Furthermore, MFNP, OMF7.5C, and OMF15C treatments were incubated for 10 days without plant to measure atom% 15N excess and 33P radioactivity, as indicators of N and P movement from two soil layers (surrounding fertilizer hotspot and below it). In the pot study, OMF15C caused 24% lower biomass and less nutrient recovery derived from fertilizer (N, 11% and P, 8.5%), compared to MFNP. In the incubation study, OMF15C exhibited +19% atom% 15N excess in the combined two soil layers, relative to MFNP, and +28% 33P radioactivity in the soil surrounding the hotspot, and −89% in the soil below it. We interpreted this as a reduction in nutrient availability of the combined VC + mineral fertilizers, due to lower P mobility in soil. The combination of VC with mineral fertilizers can reduce P movement in soil. A higher Corg:N:P ratio resulted in lower nutrient use efficiency in 2 months.

U2 - 10.1002/agg2.20473

DO - 10.1002/agg2.20473

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:85185247740

VL - 7

JO - Agrosystems, Geosciences & Environment

JF - Agrosystems, Geosciences & Environment

SN - 2639-6696

IS - 1

M1 - e20473

ER -