Response of Nematodes in a Hapli-Udic Argosol to Urea Amended with Urease and Nitrification Inhibitors1

ABSTRACTEffects of urea amended with urease and nitrification inhibitors on soil nematode communities were studied in a Hapli-Udic Argosol (Cambisol, FAO) in Liaoning Province of Northeast China. A completely random design with four treatments, i.e., conventional urea (CU), slow-release urea amended with a liquid urease inhibitor (SRU1), SRU1 + nitrification inhibitor dicyandiamide (SRU2), and SRU1 + nitrification inhibitor 3, 5-dimethylpyrazole (SRU3) and four replicates were applied. Thirty-nine genera of nematodes were identified, with Cephalobus and Aphelenchus being dominant; and in all treatments, the dominant trophic group was bacterivores. In addition, during the growth period of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), soil urease activity was lower in SRUs than in CU. The numbers of total nematodes and bacterivores at wheat heading and ripening stages, and omnivores-predators at ripening stage were higher in SUR3 than in CU, SRU1 and SRU2 (P < 0.05).