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Effect of pH and Addition of Organic Materials on Denitrification Losses from Soil

1965; Nature Portfolio; Volume: 208; Issue: 5016 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1038/2081200a0

1476-4687

D. M. Ekpete, A. H. Cornfield,

Soil and Water Nutrient Dynamics

WE have reported1 that added nitrate–nitrogen was lost by denitrification during incubation of soil at moisture levels as low as 20 per cent saturation (20 per cent of the maximum water-holding capacity). For the soil used this saturation level was equivalent to pF 4.2, whics is commonly taken as the soil moisture content at which wilting of plants occurs. this loss occurred even in the absence of added organic materials. The results do not agree with a previous report2 that denitrification of added nitrate occurred only at moisture levels greater than 60 per cent saturation and then only when decomposable organic materials were added.