Summary
Losses of ammonia by volatilisation from soil were determined in laboratory experiments with urea prills or urea prills containing 7% by weight of the nitrification inhibitor dicyandiamide (DCD) applied on the surface or incorporated into soil. There was less volatilisation when the urea or urea and DCD was incorporated than when it was applied to the surface. However, inhibition of nitrification by DCD increased the amount of ammonia lost by volatilisation by 20–68% compared to soil treated with urea only. Possible benefits to be obtained from inhibiting nitrification by DCD may be counteracted by increased loss of ammonia by volatilisation.
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Rodgers, G. Effect of dicyandiamide on ammonia volatilisation from urea in soil. Fertilizer Research 4, 361–367 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01054009
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01054009