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63
Key words:
Abstract
The viability of a 'urea-rubber matrix' (URM) as a slow-release nitrogen fertilizer was assessed by field
trials and incubation studies. Encapsulation of urea in the rubber matrix apparently prevented the
inhibition of seed germination experienced at high temperatures (>20C) following high urea applications. The release of urea from URM increased with temperature and was well described by a diffusion
model which allowed for the temperature-dependence of both the diffusion coefficient in water and the
saturated concentration of urea. Initial results suggest that the effect of varying the size of URM
cuboids on both their release characteristics in moist soil and N-supply to plants is also reasonably well
predicted by the diffusion model. In a ryegrass field trial over 24 weeks, the URM gave higher dry
matter yields than either prilled urea or ( N H 4 ) 2 S O 4 (following a single application at sowing) through
efficient matching of nitrogen supply and crop demand.
Introduction
Losses of nitrogen following urea application are
relatively high and are associated mainly with the
processes of ammonia volatilization, nitrate
leaching and denitrification. Urea hydrolysis is
quite rapid in soils and proceeds via conversion
to ammonium carbonate [4]. As (NH4)2CO 3 accumulates, soil pH values increase resulting in
volatilization of ammonia gas [3]. Volatilization
losses have been reported as being 50% within
2-3 weeks of application [13]. The remaining
NH4, which is retained in the soil, will be nitrified to NO 3 which is then subject to losses
through leaching and, under anaerobic condition, denitrification.
To reduce such potential losses, it is desirable
to maintain as low a concentration of inorganicN (NH 4 and NO3) in soil-water systems as
possible, without imposing a nutrient stress on
crops. Slow release fertilizers can fulfil this func-
64
impact or abrasion in use may cause breakdown
of the coatings and may alter or destroy the slow
release characteristics of the product [7].
An alternative to a single protective shell may
be the use of a foam matrix to encapsulate
water-soluble fertilizers. A new slow-release
medium for urea fertilizer called 'Urea-Rubber
Matrix (URM)' has recently been developed [7].
A natural rubber (grade SMR 20) was used to
encapsulate prilled urea (46% N) in the form of
a foam matrix, so that the dispersed phase consists of urea crystals. A special mixing technique
in rubber technology known as 'split feeding' was
used to produce the material [6, 7, 8].
The objective of this paper is to appraise the
agronomic significance of URM through the following studies.
a. Germination trials to test URM against prilled urea in terms of the damaging effect to
germinating seedlings caused by NH 3 generation at high temperatures and urea applications.
b. Incubation trials in soil and 0.01 M CaC12 solution to quantify the rate of urea release
from URM at different temperatures and so
develop a predictive model of urea solubilization from the slow release matrix.'
c. A micro-plot ryegrass field trial of URM
against (NH4)2SO4 and urea to examine the
usefulness of the slow release mechanism
under field conditions.
Material
Urea-rubber matrix was prepared in strips 0.4 cm
thick as described by Arizal [1] and cut into
small cuboids according to sizes required. A
standard size was adopted to 0.5 x0.5
(x0.4) cm.
65
with distilled water for 1.50h to remove free
urea from surface pores so that the slow release
of urea could be studied with greater accuracy.
The urea released after 1.50 h shaking amounted
to 9.0% of total for the standard size of URM.
The cubes were then placed in the pre-incubated
CaCI 2 solution. The resulting suspensions were
regularly shaken and sampled to measure urea
and ammonium concentrations. The urea in the
analytical samples were hydrolysed by incubation
with 0.2% urease for 2 h at 25C and the resulting N H 4 analysed using standard automated flow
analysis. At the end of the incubating period the
U R M cubes were removed, oven dried at 80C
and then digested to determine the residual N.
(4)
(5)
-5
)Tab Sexp(-2135/T~us)
D =
(6)
(7)
66
and covered with 1 cm of soil one week after
fertilizer application. Watering of 0.5cm was
done as necessary up to 1 month after sowing.
All the treatments were replicated 5 times using
an RCBD design. The grass was harvested 3
times with each cut being taken at 8 week intervals. The grass samples were oven dried at 80C
for 3 days, weighed, then ground and digested
for nitrogen analysis. The U R M cubes were
removed from the field after 30 weeks in the
microplots, washed, and analysed for residual N
after Kjeldahl digestion.
Treatments
kg N ha- 1
Seedling"
numbers
% of control
Control
URM
URM
URM
Urea
Urea
Urea
0
100
300
500
100
300
500
100
93.6
98.8
92.2
93.5
55.6
0.0
DMRT b
A
A
A
A
A
B
C
o;
(D
c~
tt~
10
15
2o
TINE, WEEKS
25
67
Table 2. Variation in diffusion model parameters with temperature
Table 3. The effect of cuboid size on residual urea in soilincubated URM (Temperature 18.8C)
Temperature
(C)
D 1 Csat *
(xlO -6)
Cuboid dimensions
1.0
9.8
16.5
18.8
26.4
2.88
4.30
5.71
6.28
8.46
1.23
1.22
1.17
1.69
1.92
(cm)
0.25
0.50
0.50
1.00
x
x
x
x
0.50
0.50
1.00
1.00
x
x
x
0.40
0.40
0.40
0.40
Measured
98
97
85
74
99
97
86
76
(oc)
Model
Measured
1.0
9.8
16.5
18.8
26.4
74
84
89
97
99
60
78
99
97
99
68
550, a)
~.50.
300] b)
z0
/f,oot
350.
a)
181
16
""
ltd.
1Z:
Z50.
--
2z b)
I0
"7
IS0
"7
o
5o
5Q!
o
180
c}
,<
8oo-
d)
10. c)
s00 z
sc;o
50, ~)
l.S.O(1%)I
60o-
= 8
l.
30
100'
60,
kO
t,.O0
?.0.
200
10
,l,OI
kbO ~0
N,
Kg
ha-1
sdo
69
Table 5. A comparison of theoretical urea release and measured N uptake by ryegrass, under field conditions, over 24
weeks
Cuboid dimension
(cm)
0.25 x 0.50 x 0.40 (SV)*
0.50 x 0.50 x 0.40
0.50 x 1.00 x 0.40
1.00 x 1.00 x 0.40
Urea release
as % SV*
100
94
82
69
N uptake
as % SV*
100
97
83
74
* Smallest volume
0.4cm) cuboid. The same 4 different cuboid
volumes described previously were also tested
and showed an ability to supply N over the 24
weeks growth period which was fairly consistent
with the extent of urea release predicted by the
diffusion model. In table 5 we present both the
urea release (24 weeks, t e m p e r a t u r e 13.4C) and
the total nitrogen uptake by ryegrass as a percentage of that for the smallest cuboid volume
(0.25 x 0.5 x 0.4 cm). The average soil t e m p e r a ture ( 1 0 c m depth) over the growing season
(13.4C) was taken from the Sutton Bonington
meteorological station. Again, the model values
are corrected for the small amount of urea which
is released instantaneously. Clearly the theoretical urea release given in Table 5 must be regarded as approximate as this will depend on
specific soil t e m p e r a t u r e fluctuations; taking an
average t e m p e r a t u r e is not strictly valid. The soil
moisture content will also affect the diffusion of
urea from the cuboid; in another series of incubation trials it was found that the rate of urea
release fell dramatically when the volumetric soil
water content fell below 0.074 for Wick series
soil.
It is possible that the availability of urea from
U R M is affected by processes other than simple
Temperature
(C)
1.0
9.8
16.5
18.8
26.4
* Corrected for residual urea
Mass of rubber*
(g)
0.034
0.036
0.041
0.035
0.033
70
a cheap alternative to natural rubber a worthwhile goal.
References
Conclusions