New trends in sugarcane fertilization: Implications for NH3 volatilization, N2O emissions and crop yields

Author(s)

Oliveira, Bruna G. ; Lourenco, Kesia S. ; Carvalho, Joao Luis N. ; Gonzaga, Leandro C. ; Teixeira, Maria Carolina ; Tamara, Ana Flavia ; Soares, Johnny R. ; Cantarella, Heitor

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Journal of Environmental Management; v. 342, p. 10-pg., 2023-06-03.

Abstract

Recycling nutrients helps to reduce the environmental impact of agriculture and contributes to alleviating the effects of global climate change. A recent trend in sugarcane cultivation is the application of concentrated vinasse (CV) combined with fertilizers into an organo-mineral formulation to improve logistics, reduce costs and foster the circular economy. However, the implications of the application of such organo-mineral formulation in sugarcane fields are unclear. In this study, we evaluated the effects of the organo-mineral formulation containing granular urea (UR), and a nitrification inhibitor (NI) on crop yields, NH3 volatilization, and N2O emissions. Field experiments were conducted during two fertilization seasons, dry and wet, and the treatments were: control; UR; UR + NI; CV; CV + UR; and CV + UR + NI. CV was applied at 7 m3 ha-1. The treatments (except control and CV) were balanced to receive the same amount of N and K. Compared with UR, the organo-mineral formulation of CV + UR decreased NH3 volatilization losses from 7% to 4% in the dry season and from 3.5% to 0.5% in the wet season. Conversely, compared with UR, N2O emissions increased significantly (p & LE; 0.05) in CV + UR in the wet season from 1% to 2% of applied N. In the dry season, no differences were observed. The addition of NI was effective in mitigating N2O emissions in both seasons. Emission reductions ranged from 43 to 48% in the dry season and from 71 to 84%, in the wet season. Fertilization with UR or the organo-mineral formulation influ-enced sugarcane yield only in the dry season, with the highest yield in CV + UR. NI did not affect crop yield. In general, emission intensities (kg CO2eq Mg-1 of stalk) were highest in CV + UR. We conclude that the organo-mineral formulation reduced NH3 losses and increased N2O emissions compared with regular solid fertilizer and that NI was effective for mitigating N2O emissions. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 17/02299-4 - Nitrification inhibitor as strategy to mitigate N2O emissions in sugarcane production
• Grantee: Bruna Gonçalves de Oliveira Carvalho
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 19/12557-6 - Distinguishing microbial pathways to nitrous oxide emissions following addition of concentrated vinasse and the nitrification inhibitor DMPP to sugarcane soil
• Grantee: Bruna Gonçalves de Oliveira Carvalho
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor
• FAPESP's process: 18/20698-6 - Nitrification inhibitor as strategy to mitigate N2O emissions and its impacts on the active nitrifying and denitrifying soil microbial communities after concentrated vinasse and mineral N application
• Grantee: Késia Silva Lourenço
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 18/20793-9 - Nitrification and urease inhibitors as strategies to mitigate N2O emissions and NH3 volatilization in sugarcane production with addition of organic residues
• Grantee: Heitor Cantarella
• Support Opportunities: Program for Research on Bioenergy (BIOEN) - Regular Program Grants
• FAPESP's process: 17/11523-5 - Sugarcane - livestock integration: modeling and optimization
• Grantee: Antonio Maria Francisco Luiz Jose Bonomi
• Support Opportunities: Program for Research on Bioenergy (BIOEN) - Thematic Grants