Effect of long-term compost and inorganic fertilizer application on background N2O and fertilizer-induced N2O emissions from an intensively cultivated soil

The influence of inorganic fertilizer and compost on background nitrous oxide (N2O) and fertilizer-induced N2O emissions were examined over a maize–wheat rotation year from June 2008 to May 2009 in a fluvo-aquic soil in Henan Province of China where a field experiment had been established in 1989 to evaluate the long-term effects of manure and fertilizer on soil organic status. The study involved five treatments: compost (OM), fertilizer NPK (nitrogen–phosphorus–potassium, NPK), half compost N plus half fertilizer N (HOM), fertilizer NK (NK), and control without any fertilizer (CK). The natural logarithms of the background N2O fluxes were significantly (P < 0.05) correlated with soil temperature, but not with soil moisture, during the maize or wheat growing season. The 18-year application of compost alone and inorganic fertilizer not only significantly (P < 0.05) increased soil organic carbon (SOC) by 152% and 10–43% (respectively), but also increased background N2O emissions by 106% and 48–76% (respectively) compared with the control. Total N in soils was a better indicator for predicting annual background N2O emission than SOC. The estimated emission factor (EF) of mineralized N, calculated by dividing annual N2O emission by mineralized N was 0.13–0.19%, significantly (P < 0.05) lower than the EF of added N (0.30–0.39%). The annual N2O emission in the NPK, HOM and OM soils amended with 300 kg ha− 1 organic or inorganic N was 1427, 1325 and 1178 g N ha− 1, respectively. There was a significant (P < 0.05) difference between the NPK and OM. The results of this study indicate that soil indigenous N was less efficiently converted into N2O compared with exogenous N. Increasing SOC by compost application, then partially increasing N supply to crops instead of adding inorganic N fertilizer, may be an effective measure to mitigate N2O emissions from arable soils in the North China plain.

► Background N2O fluxes were primarily affected by soil temperature other than moisture.
► The emission factor (EF) of mineralized N was significantly lower than that of added N.
► Total soil N was a better indicator for predicting annual background N2O emission.
► Compost in combination with urea is an effective measure to reduce N2O emissions.