Denitrification on Andosols in an intensive dairy farming region of central Japan

Evaluation of denitrification capacities is necessary to develop a sustainable manure management system in order to reduce NO3− leaching and N2O emissions from agricultural soils. Denitrification rates were measured using the acetylene inhibition technique on intact soil cores from eight Andosols under three different cropping systems in an intensive livestock catchment of central Japan. The N application rates ranged from 200 to 800 kg N ha−1 yr−1. The denitrification rates were highly variable across fields, and were influenced significantly by land uses and manure forms. Compared with upland fields, paddy rice fields had a greater denitrification rate up to 1380 and 85 mg N m−2 day−1 in the top 30-cm soil layer during flooding and non-flooding periods, respectively. In upland fields, the maximum value for the top 30-cm soils was 44 mg N m−2 day−1 and most of the rates were less than 10 mg N m−2 day−1. The greater denitrification rates were often associated with slurry application rather than composted dry manure. Overall, denitrification from Andosols in this study displayed a lower capacity than that of non-Andosols.

► Denitrification rates from different agricultural Andosols have been compared.
► Andosols in upland fields have a lower denitrification capacity than non-Andosols.
► Denitrification was more affected by slurry application than composted manure.
► Greater denitrification observed in paddy rice fields, compared to upland fields.