N2O emissions from a cultivated Andisol after application of nitrogen fertilizers with or without nitrification inhibitor under soil moisture regime

The aim of this work was to examine the emission of N2O from soils following addition of nitrogen fertilizer with a nitrification inhibitor (+inh) or without the nitrification inhibitor(-inh) at different soil water regime. Higher soil moisture contents increased the total N2O emissions in all treatments with total emissions being 7 times larger for the CK and > 20 times larger for the fertilizer treatments at 85% WFPS (soil water filled pore space) than at 40% WFPS. The rates of N2O emissions at 40% WFPS under all treatments were small. The maximum emission rate at 55% WFPS without the nitrification inhibitor (-inh) occurred later (day 11) than those of 70% WFPS (-inh) samples (day 8). The inhibition period was 4-22 d for 55% WFPS and 1-15 d for 70% WFPS comparing the rates of N2O emissions treated (+inh) with (-inh). The maximum emission rates at 85% WFPS were higher than those at the other levels of soil water content for all treatments. The samples (+inh) released less N2O than (-inh) samples at the early stage. Nevertheless, N2O emissions from (+inh) samples lasted longer than in the (-inh) treatment. Changes in mineral N at 55%, 70% and 85% WFPS followed the same pattern. NH4(+) -N concentrations decreased while NO3(-) -N concentrations increased from the beginning of incubation. NH4(+) -N concentrations from 40% WFPS treatment declined more slowly than those of the other three levels of soil water content. Nitrification was faster in the (-inh) samples with 100% NH4(+) -N nitrified after 22 d (50% WFPS) and 15 d (70% and 85% WFPS). N2O emissions increased with soil water content. Adding N-fertilizer increased emissions of N2O. The application of the nitrification inhibitor significantly reduced total N2O emissions from 30.5% (at 85% WFPS) to 43.6% (at 55% WFPS).