Despite recent instability in the global supply of phosphate-rock derived fertiliser and the potential for this to continue into the future, the recovery of phosphorus (P) from wastewater treatment systems, where P is abundant and accessible, is well below maximum potential. Considerable resource is spent on removing P from wastewater in order to comply with environmental standards and to protect aquatic ecosystems from eutrophication, yet there is little emphasis on capturing the P in a way that is optimised for re-using it as agricultural fertiliser. To address this lack of innovation in the face of climate change and food insecurity, a concept for a material capable of capturing P from wastewater was developed, with an emphasis on the utilisation of otherwise waste materials and the use of carbon neutral or negative production technologies. Based on the demonstrated P capture properties of coal minewater treatment waste (ochre) and biochar made from anaerobically digested feedstocks, a range of biochars were designed and produced using different mixtures of ochre (“OC”), sourced from the UK Coal Authority Minto minewater treatment scheme in Fife, Scotland and anaerobically digested sewage sludge (“AD”), sourced from the Newbridge wastewater treatment plant in Edinburgh. A first generation of materials consisting of either AD or a 1:1 mixture (dry weight basis) of OC and AD were produced in a small-scale batch pyrolysis unit at two pyrolysis highest treatment temperatures (HTTs) (450 and 550°C) to give the biochars AD450, AD550, OCAD450 and OCAD550. These were tested for their P capture properties in repeated P-exposure experiments with pH buffering in comparison to unpyrolysed ochre, activated carbon and a natural zeolite. After 5 days of repeated exposure to a P solution at a wastewater-relevant concentration (20 mg P l-1) replenished every 24 h, relatively high masses of P were recovered by ochre (1.73 ± 8.93×10-3 mg P g-1) and the biochars OCAD550 (1.26 ± 4.66×10-3 mg P g-1), OCAD450 (1.24 ± 2.10×10-3 mg P g-1), AD450 (1.06 ± 3.84×10-3 mg P g-1), and AD550 (0.986 ± 9.31×10-3 mg P g-1). The biochar materials had higher removal rates than both activated carbon (0.884 ± 1.69×10-2 mg P g-1) and zeolite (0.130 ± 1.05×10-2 mg P g-1). To assess the extractability of recovered P and thus potential plant bioavailability, P exposure was followed by repeated extraction of the materials for 4 days with pH 7-buffered deionised water. The AD biochars retained 55% of the P recovered, OCAD biochars 78% and ochre 100%. Assessment of potentially toxic element (PTE) concentrations in the biochars against guideline values indicated low risk associated with their use in the environment. A second generation of materials were produced to examine the scalability of the concept. Mixtures of AD and OC were pelletised with a lignin binder (89.1:9.9:1.0 ratio, dry weight basis) and AD was pelletised with binder (99:1 ratio, dry weight basis). The pelletised feedstocks were pyrolysed in a bench-scale continuous flow pyrolysis kiln at the same two HTTs to give the pelletised biochars PAD450, PAD550, POCAD450 and POCAD550. Analysis of digested biochar samples compared to the previous generation of biochars showed general similarities between the two groups, apart from the substantially lower Fe content. Sub-samples of the pelletised biochars were exposed to a 20 mg l-1 P solution over 6 days, with the solution replaced every 24 h to give the P-exposed biochars EPAD450, EPAD550, EPOCAD450 and EPOCAD550. To probe the mechanisms of P capture by these materials and how feedstock preparation and pyrolysis conditions affected these, spectroscopic analysis using laser-ablation (LA) ICP-MS, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photo-electron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray was performed. The results highlighted the general importance of Fe minerals in P capture and subsidiary roles for Al, Ca and Si. A 3-week barley (Hordeum vulgare) seedling growth experiment was conducted using the pelletised and P-exposed biochars, in comparison with other biochars produced using feedstock which contained high amounts of PTEs. The biochars were also extracted using a range of different methods used to assess the bioavailability of PTEs and nutrients in soils, and the results compared to digests of barley leaves to identify whether any of these could reliably predict plant bioavailability in biochar. The above ground biomass and its total P concentration of barley grown in a 5% mixture of EPOCAD550 in sand was significantly higher than the control (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01, respectively). A significant positive correlation between mean leaf P mass and dry weight leaf yield (R2 = 0.865, p < 0.001) was found, indicating that dry weight yield could be used as an indicator for the P fertilising capability of biochar for barley seedlings. Element concentrations in unbuffered and buffered and (pH 7) 0.01 M CaCl2 biochar extractions were significantly positively correlated with plant leaf concentration for 6 of the 18 elements investigated, more than any of the other extractions. A longer barley growth experiment was conducted, using rhizoboxes, to test the bioavailability of P in the biochars compared to conventional fertiliser. The pelletised and Pexposed biochars were applied to a sandy loam soil with P constraints. Biochar application rates were based on 2% formic acid extractable P, calculated for summer barley using Index 0 soil. Analysis of total leaf length at harvest (12 weeks), dry weight yield, leaf P concentration and leaf P mass showed no significant differences between the biochar treatments, NPK fertilised and NK fertilised controls. This shows that biochar, when applied at low total application rates based on extractable P, is as effective as conventional fertiliser. Now that AD biochar materials have been shown to have useful phosphorus recycling properties in laboratory experiments, additional work is required to optimise their use in wastewater and agricultural systems. The next stage of research should determine their performance in flow-through filtration systems with simulated and real wastewater effluent, as well as their performance in field trials with different crops of interest to demonstrate their potential as viable alternative fertilisers.

Cadmium (Cd) is absorbed through the lungs and the digestive tract; however, for most human non-smokers, the major route of Cd entry into the body is by ingestion. Perhaps 5% of ingested Cd is absorbed and once absorbed, Cd accumulates mostly in the liver and kidneys, where it can cause a variety of health problems. This applies equally to grazing stock. The major entry point of Cd into the food chain is therefore uptakes of traces of Cd by crop plants. This thesis focuses on Cd in vegetables. The study was conducted in an Australian context, where geogenic Cd contributions to soils are typically low. Most of the Cd in soils on Australian vegetable farms originates from materials added to boost crop production. Phosphate fertilisers were and remain the dominant Cd source. Most Australian soils are P-deficient and high rates of P fertiliser are essential for successful vegetable cropping. The P fertilisers used throughout Australia were formerly made from guano deposits mined on Pacific Islands. These contained high percentages of Cd. Current rock sources contain lower Cd concentrations. Studies showed that all the vegetable samples which contained excessive Cd concentrations were leafy vegetables, including cabbage, lettuce, silverbeet, parsley and bok choy. Cadmium impaired photosynthesis; reduced dry weight of the whole plant; slowed leaf elongation rate; decreased the length of fully expanded leaves; slowed the rate at which new leaves appeared; and altered foliar concentrations of Zn, Mn, Cu, Ca and S. These profound changes affected all parts of the plant; consequently, Cd did not affect the proportion of dry weight partitioned to the roots, stems and leaves. / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

In order to understand, more fully, some of the factors affecting the S requirements of pastures, S³⁵-labelled gypsum fertilizer was applied to several field trials located on soils within the recent, yellow brown earth and high country yellow brown earth soil groups in Canterbury, New Zealand. Among the major processes studied were the incorporation of the S³⁵-labelled gypsum fertilizer into the soil organic matter, its movement in the soil and its uptake by pasture plants. The results obtained showed that on the same soil type, plant uptake of fertilizer S and its incorporation into the organic matter were greater under improved pastures. However, the movement of fertilizer S was relatively unaffected by the pastoral improvement. Rainfall conditions affected all three processes studied, particularly the downward movement of fertilizer S. Over the growing seasons of the first year almost all of the added fertilizer S remained within the upper 15 cm of the soil at a low rainfall trial. On a similar textured soil, receiving almost twice as much rainfall over a similar time period, fertilizer S was distributed evenly to a depth of 60 cm. Where the rainfall was similar, but soils differed in their water holding capacity, large differences in the downward movement of fertilizer S occurred. On a steepland yellow brown earth soil almost 70% of the applied fertilizer S was lost from the 0-45 cm soil depth two months after application. While on a recent soil, with a much higher water holding capacity, greater amounts of fertilizer S remained within the upper 45 cm over the same period.. Large differences in the downward movement of fertilizer S were shown by soils with contrasting retention capacities, but under similar rainfall conditions. On a yellow brown earth soil, with a medium S retention in the subsoil, fertilizer S was found not to have moved beyond 60 cm in the winter following the spring application. In contrast, fertilizer S penetrated beyond the 60 cm on a recent low S retentive soil. Under improved pastoral conditions, applying fertilizer S in late spring rather than early spring, to two different soils gave larger (almost twofold) residual effects the following year. Total recovery of the added fertilizer S in the soil-plant systems studied were generally greater than 80%. The pattern and rate of the downward movement of fertilizer S was little affected by fertilizer rates. Pasture recovery (%) of fertilizer S at the lower rate (22.5 kgS/ha) was slightly higher than that at the higher rate (45 kgS/ha). Fertilizer rates did not produce a consistent effect on the extent of fertilizer S incorporation into soil organic matter. The magnitude of the sulphur cycling pool was determined at each trial location by using the equilibrium specific activity of pasture. This pool was found to vary between trials and showed no relationship to their respective S response patterns. The rate of S cycling appeared to be more important. At some trials a strong correlation was found between the specific activity of the S in pasture and that for phosphate-extractable sulphate in particular soil depths. This relationship was used to assess indirectly, the likely soil zones from which plants extract S to meet their nutritional requirements. A new technique was developed to study, directly, the soil zone from which plants extract S to meet their-nutritional requirements. Carrier-free S³⁵, injected horizontally into various soil depths in a recent and a yellow brown earth soil, showed that both grasses and clovers recovered S³⁵ to a depth of 52 cm, in the spring. However, most of the S³⁵ uptake by plants was found to occur in the upper 30 cm (A horizon) in both soils. In the autumn, S³⁵ uptake experiments on these soils showed uptake to occur at 100 cm on the recent soil, and cease at 52 cm on the yellow brown earth soil. Growth cabinet experiments, using S³⁵-labelled pasture residue, recovered from the field plots, and added to various soils, showed that ryegrass recovery of labelled fertilizer S ranged from 6-16% and it varied according to soil type, degree of pastoral development, type and form of plant residue added. This extent of recovery represents only a small proportion (1%) of the fertilizer S recovered by pasture in the first year. The overall experimental results were considered in relation to both the S response patterns obtained from the present field trials and also those from other similar trials conducted in recent years in the Canterbury area. Some possible reasons for the variable S responses obtained were discussed and methods for improving the efficiency of fertilizer use, at farm level, were proposed.

Major agronomic and economic losses are caused by inaccurate application of nutrients from ground based spreading vehicles. These losses come from both over and under application of fertiliser resulting from such practices as driving at inappropriate bout widths. This work reviewed current spreader testing procedures; compared the performance of international test methodologies and evaluated the use of a digital image processing program to perform spreader testing. Methods to evaluate field performance were developed; this analysis of field application was used to calculate the economic effect of using precision agricultural technologies in New Zealand dairy farming systems. A matrix of fourteen hundred 0.5 x 0.5 m fertiliser collection trays was used to evaluate individual test methodologies. Results indicated that there were major variations in calculated certifiable bout width between different methods and direct comparison should be avoided. Tray layout within ± 5 m of the centre spread line had the largest effect on calculated bout width whilst methods that incorporated rows of trays in the longitudinal direction were less variable compared to those using a single transverse test. The probability too accurately assign bout widths using different international test methods was analysed, the ACCU Spread (Australia) test method had the highest level of confidence in its bout width calculation followed by the ES (Europe) test method. The ISO(i) (World), ISO(ii) (World) and Spreadmark (NZ) tests were all found to be comparable to one another whilst the ASAE (USA) method had the lowest level of confidence in its bout width calculation because of wide collector tray spacing. A method to extract a wider range of data from spreader tests using a hybrid image processing system was developed. Results indicated that there was a strong relationship between two dimensional particle area and particle mass under laboratory (R2 = 0.991) and field (R2 = 0.988) conditions. Although transverse spreader tests provided a good indication of machine performance, they did not account for the interaction of the spreader and its operational environment. A method was developed that used the vehicle location during field application and the transverse spread pattern represented as polygons to create field application maps. Initial results showed large variations compared to the measured transverse spread pattern. A wider study over 102 paddocks on four dairy farms showed that average variation was 37.9%. An improvement to the field application method discussed is given; this tool used the geographical position, heading angle and a series of static spread pattern tests from the spreading vehicle to achieve greater accuracy in field measurements. The described field application methods were used to assess the ability to execute a nutrient plan using both actual and optimised spreading data collected during field application. A loss of $66.18 ha-1 was calculated when comparing the efficiency of using current spreading methods to those assumed in nutrient budgeting practice. If a guidance and control system were used correctly to provide optimised field application the loss could be reduced to $46.41 ha-1. This work highlighted the difficulties in achieving accurate field nutrient application; however, by developing the ability to quantify field performance, economic opportunities could be evaluated. Overall, this work found that there was a strong agronomic and economic case for the implementation of precision agricultural technologies in the New Zealand fertiliser industry. However, the current range of equipment used by the spreading industry would have difficulty in delivering these benefits.

Nitrous oxide (N2O) is a powerful greenhouse gas (GHG) which has a global warming potential 296 times greater than that of carbon dioxide (CO2). Agriculture is a major source of N2O and in the UK approximately 71 % of N2O emissions are produced by agricultural soils, mainly as a result of the application of nitrogenous fertilisers. Despite previous research into agricultural N2O emissions which has demonstrated that N2O emissions have high spatial and temporal variability, there is still a lack of knowledge surrounding the factors that influence the magnitude of emissions from agricultural soils. Agricultural N2O emissions for the UK’s annual GHG inventory are currently estimated using a 1.25 % emission factor (EF) (to be decreased to 1 % in 2015) which assumes that 1.25 % of applied nitrogen (N) fertiliser is emitted as N2O. The EF does not take into account influencing factors such as location or fertiliser type. Mitigation of N2O emissions is vital if future climate change is to be prevented, yet this must also be combined with the need to intensify agricultural production to feed the increasing global population. Biochar which is a carbon rich material produced during the pyrolysis of biomass has been identified as a potentially useful soil amendment with the ability to mitigate N2O emissions. However, most previous research has focused on laboratory scale experiments and there is a need to investigate the use of biochar in a field environment. Other N2O mitigation options such as nitrification inhibitors, or altering fertiliser management practices, require testing under different conditions to assess their suitability for use. This thesis aims to investigate a). The factors affecting N2O emissions from synthetically and organically fertilised arable soils, and b). To explore the potential of various N2O mitigation options for arable systems, including biochar. This thesis firstly investigates N2O emissions from synthetically fertilised arable soil. Varying application rates of ammonium nitrate fertiliser were applied to a Scottish arable soil during a year long field experiment and the effects of mitigation options such as a nitrification inhibitor (DCD) were assessed. N2O emissions were shown to be significantly affected by soil water filled pore space and the 1.25 % EF was demonstrated to be generally greater than those calculated in this experiment. The use of DCD significantly decreased N2O emissions and crop yields. A second year long field experiment was carried out to investigate N2O and NH3 emissions from an organically fertilised arable soil and to explore the effect of the timing, form and method of organic fertiliser application on emissions and EFs. Slurry, poultry litter, layer manure and farmyard manure were applied in the autumn and the spring. Cumulative N2O emissions were generally greater from the autumn applications and NH3 emissions were greater from the spring applications, due to wetter soil conditions and incorporation of fertiliser during the autumn. The type of fertiliser applied affected the magnitude of emissions with the greatest cumulative N2O and NH3 emissions from the layer manure. The method of fertiliser application had no effect on emissions. The following experiment investigated the ability of different biochars to retain N from a solution and the effect of biochar particle size on retention. A batch sorption experiment was used to test the affinity and capacity of six biochars for ammonium (NH4+) and nitrate (NO3-) from different concentrations of NH4NO3 solution. All of the biochars studied demonstrated the ability to retain NH4+ and NO3- from solution although greater NH4+ retention was observed. Differences in biochar affinity for N could be explained by pyrolysis temperature, but there was no effect of particle size or pH. Oil seed rape straw biochar was demonstrated to have the greatest NH4+ and NO3- retention capacity and as such was chosen for use in the next experiment. This work investigated the potential for oil seed rape straw biochar to decrease emissions of N2O, CH4 and CO2 from stored slurry and whether any GHG mitigation effects would continue following application of the slurry to arable soil. The effect on emissions of amending the biochar and slurry mixture with DCD after application to the soil was also explored. There was no significant effect of the biochar on GHG emissions from the stored slurry although the slurry initially acted as a sink for N2O and CO2. There were no significant differences between emissions from any treatments following application to the soil. The overall results of these studies indicate that N2O emissions are highly dependent on weather conditions, and hence location, in addition to fertiliser type and application timing. It was concluded that the use of a standard 1.25 % EF for synthetic and organic N fertiliser applications for the whole of the UK is inappropriate. Mitigation options such as the use of DCD, altering fertiliser application season or fertiliser type have been shown to possess the potential to mitigate N2O emissions but tradeoffs between N2O and NH3 emissions, and impacts on crop yields must be considered. Biochar was demonstrated to retain NH4+ and NO3- ions and this property may account for biochar’s N2O mitigation capabilities as observed by previous researchers. However, if N retention is taking place, the N appears to still be available for production of N2O and crop uptake.

Thesis ((MSc. Agriculture (Agronomy)) -- University of Limpopo, 2015 / An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of vermicompost on cabbage growth and yield. Vermicompost (VC) was applied at 2500 kg/ha and was compared to one organic {vita grow (VG) [N:P:K 2:3:2 (16)] and one chemical fertiliser (CF) (N:P:K 2:3:2(22)]} which were both applied at 1500 kg/ha. The other treatments were prepared as mixtures of the three fertilisers (i.e. vermicompost and vita grow; vita grow and chemical fertiliser as well as vermicompost and chemical fertiliser) at 50% recommended rate, with no fertiliser treatment as a control. The trial was laid out in a randomised complete block design with three replicates. Chemical fertiliser achieved the highest chlorophyll content (80.6 nmol/mg) which was significantly higher than the other treatments. Vermicompost and the control had the least chlorophyll content at 58.6 and 55.8 nmol/mg, respectively. VC+VG, CF and CF+VC achieved the highest numbers of marketable heads while the control had the least. VC+VG, CF and CF+VC had more than 60% of the plants producing marketable heads whilst VC and VG had less than 40% of the plants producing marketable heads. The control only had 19.93% of the plants producing marketable heads. Range of marketable heads ranged from 2.82 t/ha for the control to 12.7 t/ha for CF. VC+VG, CF and CF+VC achieved marketable yields above 10.0 t/ha.VC and VG achieved 5.45 and 8.28 t/ha. The results thus show that use of chemical fertiliser or the combinations of VC and VG and that of CF and VC are the ones that can be recommended for cabbage production. Key words: vermicompost, growth, yield, cabbage, fertiliser

While new agricultural technologies may lead to substantial yield improvements, the take-up rates in developing countries have frequently been low. There are many possible reasons why a farmer might refrain from adopting a new technology, and literature has pointed to several possible reasons in different settings. A key area for research is to understand what policies could encourage higher adoption rates. This thesis studies the research question by using a case study of fertiliser adoption in cocoa farming in Ghana. Chapter I investigates whether returns to fertiliser in cocoa farming are high and whether farmers' adoption decisions can be explained by comparative advantage. Chapter I uses data from Ghana to measure the returns to fertiliser using a correlated random model and static and dynamic panel models of homogeneous returns to fertiliser. The estimated returns in different models are positive, high and strongly significant statistically. The chapter also presents a correlated random effects model of heterogeneous technology, which allows for farmer-specific comparative advantage. The effect of the comparative advantage is found not to be statistically significant. Chapter II explores the fertiliser investment decisions and risk preferences of Ghanaian cocoa farmers in a framed field experiment. The experimental subjects decided whether to invest in fertiliser, and the fertiliser return depended on a stochastic weather realisation. An inexpensive index insurance scheme with a positive level of basis risk was found to have a minor positive effect on the fertiliser take-up, but this effect was statistically insignificant. An expensive index insurance scheme with no basis risk was found to have a substantial positive effect, and this effect was strongly significant. The experimental findings suggest that farmers are willing to pay for an index insurance if it successfully shields them from income variability. Chapter III investigates the effect of trust and of an ambiguous environment on fertiliser investments under index insurance. These two behavioural factors were studied by means of a framed field experiment conducted with Ghanaian cocoa farmers. The subjects had an option to invest in a package of fertiliser bundled with index insurance with a positive level of basis risk. The returns depended both on the subjects ́ investment choices and a stochastic weather realization. The key ingredient of the study was that for different subjects, the nature of the basis risk was framed differently. Substantially fewer subjects adopted fertiliser when possible losses of fertiliser investment were framed as resulting from the insurer ́s failure to meet its contract obligations, compared with an alternative in which the losses were framed as resulting from a mismatch between their own weather realizations and those on which the index insurance was based. A large negative effect on fertiliser investments was also found in treatments with either a small or large ambiguity regarding the exact level of basis risk. Both negative treatment effects were strongly significant. This may suggest that technologies with which farmers are relatively more experienced are more likely to be adopted under index insurance schemes. The overall experimental findings provide evidence that trust and ambiguity may be significant factors other than basis risk, limiting the effectiveness of index insurance in promoting agricultural innovation.

Submitted by Sandra Pereira (srpereira@ufrrj.br) on 2016-10-10T17:18:18Z No. of bitstreams: 1 2011 - Talita de Santana Matos.pdf: 652723 bytes, checksum: 16c30eb83b6db70231ab44534e188e6c (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-10-10T17:18:18Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2011 - Talita de Santana Matos.pdf: 652723 bytes, checksum: 16c30eb83b6db70231ab44534e188e6c (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-10-31 / Coordena??o de Aperfei?oamento de Pessoal de N?vel Superior - CAPES / A study was conducted to evaluate the agronomic efficiency of nitrogen fertilizer with slow-release urea, measuring their losses by volatilization of NH3-N, N2O emission and recovery of fertilizer nitrogen applied as top dressing compared with commercioal urea to corn crop. All experiments were conducted at Embrapa Agrobiology. Firstly, the experiments were performed under controlled conditions in a greenhouse using soil layer of 0-10 cm of a haplic planosol. In the first experiment, the plastic trays were used as experimental units for evaluation of losses due to volatilization chambers with the aid of semi-open static free (SALE). Commercial urea was applied (UC), urea + KCl (UK), humic acid + urea (UH), urea + zeolitic sandstone (UZ) and urea + gypsum (UG) in two conditions of pH (5.4 and 6,5). Secondly, the other experiment was conducted using plastic pots containing the same soil samples as experimental units where they were planted three plants of Brachiaria decumbens. In this case, fertilizers were enriched with 15N, in two pH conditions too (pH 5,4 and 6,5). Treatments UZ and UK were more efficient in retaining N in the soil than the UC, with smaller losses through volatilization of NH3-N, and 20,2 and 15,8% on condition of lime and 22 and 17,2% when Liming did not occur, respectively. The UK fertilizer and UG showed overall increase of about 149 and 146% on dry biomass production at the end of the cycle on condition of pH 5,4. At pH 6,5 UG fertilizer showed yield increases of 149,3%. The accumulation of N in the plant and was 279,2 and 270,3 mg N.vaso-1 when no lime was applied to the UK and UG treatments, respectively, and the limed, 207.4 and 200,6 mg N. vaso-1 for the treatments UG and UH, respectively. Treatments UZ and UK had the highest recovery of applied N by plants, with values of 65,5 and 61,9% without lime, 60,2 and 45,7% with lime, respectively. Thirdly, other experiment was conducted at the experimental field at Embrapa Agrobiology in order to quantify the PNV, N2O emissions and efficiency of nitrogen fertilizer use (NFUE) slow-release by a corn crop on N balance Treatments consisted of field application of nitrogen fertilizers in coverage along the rows and a control treatment. Emissions of N2O were evaluated using static chambers closed. Was used fertilizers enriched with 15N in little plots for the assessment of NFUE. The treatments UZ and UK reduced the losses of N-NH3 by volatilization in approximately 18 and 14%, respectively. These losses corresponded to 32,3 and 35,7% of total N applied to soil. For N2O emissions the UK treatment showed the largest emission of N2O losses reaching values of 2.02 kgN.ha-1. The highest yield of grain were obtained by treatments that UG and UZ had a better response of grain production reaching values of 9666 and 9940 kg ha-1 respectively. To NFUE treatment UZ showed the highest values of N recovered reaching 67% of the total N applied system soil plant. / O trabalho objetivou avaliar a efici?ncia agron?mica de fertilizantes nitrogenados de libera??o lenta baseados no uso da ureia, quantificando suas perdas por volatiliza??o de NNH3 (PNV), emiss?o de N2O e a recupera??o do N-fertilizante aplicado em cobertura em compara??o com a ureia comercial na cultura de milho. Todos os esperimentos foram conduzidos na Embrapa Agrobiologia. Os primeiros experimentos foram realizados em condi??es controladas em casa de vegeta??o, utilizando solo da camada de 0-10 cm de um Planossolo H?plico. No primeiro experimento foram usadas bandejas pl?sticas como unidades experimentais para avalia??o das perdas por volatiliza??o com aux?lio de c?maras semi-aberta livre est?tica (SALE). Aplicou-se ureia comercial (UC), ureia + KCl (UK), ureia + ?cido h?mico (UH), ureia +arenito zeol?tico (UZ) e ureia +gesso agr?cola (UG) em duas condi??es de pH (5,4 e 6,5). O outro experimento utilizou vasos pl?sticos contendo amostras do mesmo solo como unidades experimentais onde foram plantados 3 plantas de Brachiaria decumbens. Neste caso os fertilizantes foram enriquecidos com 15N, tamb?m em duas condi??es de pH (pH 5,4 e 6,5). Os tratamentos UZ e UK foram mais eficientes na reten??o do N no solo do que a UC, apresentando menores perdas por volatiliza??o de N-NH3 de 20,2 e 15,8% sob condi??o de calagem e 22 e 17,2% quando sem calagem, respectivamente. Os fertilizantes UK e UG apresentaram aumento total de aproximadamente 149 e 146% na produ??o de biomassa seca ao final do ciclo da cultura em condi??o de pH 5,4. Em pH 6,5 o fertilizante UG apresentou aumento de rendimento de 149,3%. O ac?mulo de N na planta foi de 279,2 e 270,3 mg N.vaso-1 quando n?o foi aplicado calagem para os tratamentos UK e UG, respectivamente e quando com calagem, 207,4 e 200,6 mg N.vaso-1 para os tratamentos UG e UH, respectivamente. Os tratamentos UZ e UK apresentaram maior recupera??o pelas plantas do N aplicado, com valores de 65,5 e 61,9% sem calagem e 60,2 e 45,7% com calagem, respectivamente. O outro experimento foi realizado no campo na ?rea experimental da Embrapa Agrobiologia com objetivo de quantificar as perdas por volatilza??o de am?nio, as emiss?es de N2O e a efici?ncia do uso de fertilizantes nitrogenados (EUFN) de libera??o lenta pela cultura de milho, no balan?o de N. Os tratamentos consistiram da aplica??o no campo em cobertura dos fertilizantes nitrogenados ao lado da linha de plantio e um tratamento controle. As emiss?es de N2O foram avaliadas utilizando-se c?maras est?ticas fechadas. Foi utilizado fertilizantes enriquecidos com 15N em microparcelas para a avalia??o da EUFN. Os tratamentos UZ e UK reduziram as perdas de N-NH3 por volatiliza??o em aproximadamente 18 e 14%, respectivamente. Estas perdas corresponderam a 32,3 e 35,7% do total de N aplicado no solo. Para as emiss?es de N2O o tratamento UK foi o que apresentou maiores perdas por emiss?o de N2O atingindo valores de 2,02 kg N.ha-1. As maiores produtividades de gr?o foram obtidas pelos tratamentos UG e UZ que apresentaram melhor resposta de produ??o de gr?os atingindo valores de 9.666 e 9.940 kg.ha-1, respectivamente. Para EUFN o tratamento UZ apresentou o maior valor de N recuperado chegando a 67% do total do N aplicado no sistema solo-planta.

Market gardening is commonly characterised by intensive cultivation, high inputs of both organic and inorganic fertilisers, chemical over/misuse, frequent irrigation, and a low degree of soil cover. While market gardening is readily perceived to be detrimental to waterways, there is remarkably little data to quantify the impacts. Soil and nutrient loss in stormwater runoff varies with soil type, climate and production systems. Therefore local data are needed to determine the impact of market gardening on the Hawkesbury-Nepean. This should lead to a better understanding of how land management influences runoff quantity and quality so that practices can be improved. Objectives of this research were to : quantify sediment, N and P loss and assess the implications for waterways; relate sediment, N and P losses to specific land management practices and assess their impacts on profitability; and, reflect on this research in terms of extension and adoption of better land management. An 8.8 ha property with 6.6 ha of market garden was used as a case study in the Hawkesbury-Nepean Catchment. Soil samples were collected at the beginning and end of the study. Sediment core samples were collected from the drainage channel. A rainfall simulator was used to compare runoff volume from green manure and bare fallow beds. The research produced several recommendations for the extension and adoption of improved land management. In order to reduce sediment, N and P losses in stormwater, the primary focus should be on improving soil and nutrient management, in particular matching fertiliser inputs more closely to nutrient requirements. The secondary focus should be on utilising structural measures, in particular farm dams, to prevent pollutants from entering waterways. The outcome should be decreased costs to the farmer and decreased impacts on waterways. The use of N-fixing green manure to decrease the use of poultry manure should be explored. / Master of Science (Hons)

In Limpopo Province of South Africa, poor soil fertility and low crop yields are serious problems facing resource poor smallholder farmers. A survey of over 60 farmers in 2 villages (Gabaza and GaKgoroshi) found that most of the smallholder farmers were women (68%), elderly (50% above 68 years of age) and had not attended school or only attended up to the primary level (80%). Very few farmers kept livestock (usually in small numbers) and most grew cereal and legume crops (on 1ha of land) for home consumption and livestock feed, with legumes being planted on 13% of the land. The study showed that 80% of farmers were not fully aware of the benefits of legumes in fixing nitrogen (N) and improving yield. A field study at the survey village of Gabaza found that the application of fertiliser N and grass mulch combination and fertiliser N plus guarbean mulch significantly increased plant height and maize shoot growth at 4 and 8 weeks after planting. However, when grass mulch was without N fertiliser, there was no increase in maize growth relative to the control (0N). A farming systems simulation model (Agricultural Production Systems sIMulator - APSIM) was used to simulate this field study as well as over the long-term (1971 to 2008). Simulation analysis showed poor average maize yield (<3000 kg ha⁻ ¹) with the application of grass residues even when used with 30 kg N fertiliser. However, the application of guarbean residues as mulch with or without N fertiliser and as green manure increased maize yields to >4000 kg ha⁻ ¹. Simulation showed that the grass mulch with or without the addition of N fertiliser reduced water stress and soil water evaporation but increased N stress during the reproductive phase of the crop in most seasons. When guarbean mulch was used as green manure by itself, or mulch plus N fertiliser, N stress was reduced but water stress and soil water evaporation were increased which could have been due to faster decomposition of legume mulch as compared to grass mulch. Addition of N fertiliser reduced N stress to maize but increased water stress and soil water evaporation similar to the guarbean mulch because of high soil evaporation. APSIM analysis clearly showed the importance of N x soil water interactions in determining maize growth and yield at Gabaza. Therefore, two studies were undertaken in the laboratory in Australia to determine the dynamics of carbon (C) and N where residues of different qualities [canola (C:N 43), wheat (26), pea (9) and mucuna (14)] were applied to clay loam (Tarlee) or sandy (Waikerie) soils. In experiment 1, where residues were incorporated into the two soils, the cumulative CO₂-C evolution for the wheat and canola treatments at the end of the incubation period were fairly similar but significantly higher than for pea, mucuna and the control. In general, the application of residues increased microbial biomass C more than the control, with highest increases up to 1.48 and 1.56 mg C g⁻ ¹ soil for canola and wheat in Tarlee soil, respectively and 0.82 mg C g⁻ ¹ soil for pea in Waikerie soil. Even though the Tarlee soil showed greater C release than Waikerie soil, the C turnover from the residues between the 2 soils was not significantly different except for pea residues. Canola and wheat residues were found to immobilise N whereas N content increased in both soils with the application of legumes (pea and mucuna). In experiment 2, mucuna, pea and wheat residues were either incorporated or applied as surface mulches on Waikerie soil. Initially the CO₂-C release was higher for incorporated than mulched residues and CO₂-C released was higher for pea residues. However, at the end of the incubation more CO₂-C was released with the application of wheat residue indicating differences between residue types in the pattern of soil respiration. Microbial biomass C was higher for incorporated than mulched residue treatments; pea residue showed the highest biomass C for incorporated (0.78 mg C g⁻ ¹ soil) whereas mucuna had the highest microbial biomass (0.11 mg C g⁻ ¹ soil) treatments. The method of residue application resulted in a significant difference in C turnover between residues, with pea residue showing significant increase in C utilisation than mucuna and wheat. The pea residues, which had the lowest C:N, increased soil mineral N more than other treatments in both incorporated and mulched treatments. Lower mineralisation of N observed in residues of high C:N ratio compared to the control could be due to immobilisation of N. Therefore, understanding the nutrient dynamics of different crop residues could play an important role in the management of residues in different soil types. Based on these results it can be concluded that legume residues have the potential to improve soil fertility and crop yields in dryland farmers’ fields in Limpopo. Extension programs aimed at increasing farmers’ knowledge of the benefits of N fixation by legumes may increase their adoption and thereby improve soil fertility and maize yield. / Thesis (M.Ag.Sc.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, 2010