Summary
Studies of urease activity in an Indian Vertisol and Alfisol using both buffer (THAM pH 9.0) and non-buffer methods for assay of the urease activity showed that activity increased with increase in temperature from 10°C to a maximum at 60°C (Vertisol) and 70°C (Alfisol). Further increase in temperature decreased urease activity which was nearly totally inhibited at 100°C. Urease activity was not detected in soil samples collected in late summer when the soil moisture content was far below — 15 bar pressure. Urease activity increased with increase in moisture content up to field capacity and remained constant with further increase in moisture content. The relevance of these findings to the ICRISAT improved management practices for Vertisols, which involve seeding of crops into dry soil just before the onset of rains is discussed.
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Approved as Journal Article No. 288 by the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT).
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Sahrawat, K.L. Effects of temperature and moisture on urease activity in semi-arid tropical soils. Plant Soil 78, 401–408 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02450373
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02450373