• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.230-235
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• 2022

BACKGROUND: Ammonia gas emitted from nitrogen fertilizers applied in agricultural land is an environmental pollutant that catalyzes the formation of fine particulate matter (PM2.5). A significant portion (12-18%) of nitrogen fertilizer input for crop cultivation is emitted to the atmosphere as ammonia gas, a loss form of nitrogen fertilizer in agricultural land. The widely practiced method for fertilizer use in agricultural fields involves spraying the fertilizers on the surface of farmlands and mixing those with the soils through such means as rotary work. To test the potential reduction of ammonia emission by nitrogen fertilizers from the soil surface, we have added N, P, and K at 2 g each to the glass greenhouse soil, and the ammonia emission was analyzed. METHODS AND RESULTS: The treatment consisted of non-fertilization, surface spray (conventional fertilization), and soil depth spray at 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 cm. Ammonia was collected using a self-manufactured vertical wind tunnel chamber, and it was quantified by the indophenol-blue method. As a result of analyzing ammonia emission after fertilizer treatments by soil depth, ammonia was emitted by the surface spray treatment immediately after spraying the fertilizer in the paddy soil, with no ammonia emission occurring at a soil depth of 10 cm to 30 cm. In the upland soil, ammonia was emitted by the surface spray treatment after 2 days of treatment, and there was no ammonia emission at a soil depth of 15 cm to 30 cm. Lettuce and Chinese cabbage treated with fertilizer at depths of 20 cm and 30 cm showed increases of fresh weight and nutrient and potassium contents. CONCLUSION(S): In conclusion, rather than the current fertilization method of spraying and mixing the fertilizers on the soil surface, deep placement of the nitrogen fertilizer in the soil at 10 cm or more in paddy fields and 15 cm or more in upland fields was considered as a better fertilization method to reduce ammonia emission.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.48 no.5
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• pp.340-350
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• 2015

This experiment was carried out to find out the mitigation of greenhouse gases (GHGs) emission and changes of soil carbon contents in the cropland. In order to minimize the soil disturbance, this study was conducted without crop cultivation at the pots treated with different biomass. Different biomass was buried in the soil for 12 months. Decomposition rates of expander rice hull, pig manure compost and carbonized rice hull were 18%, 11~11.5% and 0.5~1.2%, respectively. It was appeared that carbonized rice hull was slightly decomposed. No difference was shown between chemical fertilizer treatment plot and non-application plot. It was appeared that soil carbon content in the non chemical fertilizer application plot was high when compared to its chemical fertilizer. Its content at soil depth of 20 cm more decreased than the upper layer of soil. Accumulative emission of $CO_2$ with different treatments of biomass was highest of 829.0~876.6 g $CO_2m^{-2}$ in the application plot of PMC (Pig Manure Compost) regardless of chemical fertilizer treatment during 16 months of experiment. However, the emission for expander rice hull treatment plot was lowest of 672.3~808.1 g $CO_2m^{-2}$. For application plot of the carbonized rice hull, it was shown that non chemical fertilizer plot, 304.1 mg $N_2Om^{-2}$, was higher than the chemical fertilizer treatment, 271.6 mg $N_2Om^{-2}$. Greenhouse gas emissions in the PMC treatment were highest of 0.94 ton $CO_2eqha^{-1}yr^{-1}$. However, it was estimated to be the lowest in the expander rice hull treatment.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.288-295
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• 2013

Nitrogen dioxide ($NO_2$) gas damage on vegetable crops commonly occurs in plastic film houses where relatively large amounts of $NO_3{^-}$ are applied in acid soils. In acid soils, $HNO_2$ can be formed from the $NO_2{^-}$ accumulated during denitrification, and $NO_2$ can be evolved from the chemical self-decomposition of $HNO_2$. In this study, $NO_2$ gas production and its detrimental effects on plants were investigated in soils of various conditions to elucidate the mechanisms involved in the gas production. A silty loam soil was amended with $NO_3{^-}$ (500 mg N $kg^{-1}$) and glucose, and pH and moisture of the soil were adjusted respectively to 5.0 and 34.6% water holding capacity (WHC) with 0.01 M phosphate buffer. The soil was placed in a 0.5-L glass jar with strawberry leaf or $NO_2$ gas absorption badge in air space of the jar, and the jar was incubated at $30^{\circ}C$. After 4-5 days of incubation, dark burning was observed along the outside edge of strawberry leaf and $NO_2$ production was confirmed in the air space of jar. However, when the soil was sterilized, $NO_2$ emission was minimal and any visible damage was not found in strawberry leaf. In the soil where water or $NO_3{^-}$ content was reduced to 17.3% WHC or 250 mg N $kg^{-1}$, $NO_2$ production was greatly reduced and toxicity symptom was not found in strawberry leaf. Also in the soil where glucose was not amended, $NO_2$ production was significantly reduced. In soil with pH of 6.5, $NO_2$ was evolved to the level causing damage to strawberry leaf when the soil conditions were favorable for denitrification. However, compared to the soil of pH 5.0, the $NO_2$ production and its damage to plants were much less serious in pH 6.5. Therefore, the production of $NO_2$ damaging plants might be occurred in acid soils when the conditions are favorable for denitrification.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.327-334
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• 2014

Emission reduction of $CH_4$ (methane gas) from rice paddy soil is a very important measure for climate change mitigation in agricultural sector. In this study, we investigated the changes in crop yield and $CH_4$ emissions in response to application of biochar and fertilizers. The experimental site is located in Hwasung, Kyunggido and experimental design is the split-plot method with three replicates. Treatments included rice straw (RS) and biochar (BC) amendments nested with the conventional NPK fertilizer (NPK) and slow release fertilizer (SRF). Control was also prepared with the soil with the conventional NPK fertilization with no amendment. Measurement of $CH_4$ emission was conducted during the growing season of 2014 using a dynamic chamber method. The results showed that application of rice straw increased daily $CH_4$ emission rate by 15%, while application of biochar reduced daily $CH_4$ emission rate by 38%. When we combined biochar application with slow release fertilizer, $CH_4$ emission was reduced by 45%. Further, the crop yield was also increased in all treatments compared with the control except for the treatment of rice straw application with slow release fertilizer. Overall results imply that biochar amendment to agricultural soil can be an effective strategy to decrease annual $CH_4$ emission with no reduction in crop yield.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.50 no.6
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• pp.574-587
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• 2017

Excessive application of nitrogen (N) fertilizer to support switchgrass growth for bioenergy production may cause adverse environmental effects. The objective of this study was to determine optimum N application rate to increase biomass yield of switchgrass and to reduce adverse environmental effects related to N. Switchgrass was planted in May 2008 and biomass yield, N uses of switchgrass, nitrate ($NO_3$) leaching, and nitrous oxide ($N_2O$) emission were evaluated from 2010 through 2011. Total N removal significantly increased with N rate despite the fact that yield did not increased with above $56kg\;N\;ha^{-1}$ of N rate. Apparent nitrogen recoveries were 4.81 and 5.48% at 56 and $112kg\;N\;ha^{-1}$ of N rate, respectively. Nitrogen use efficiency decreased into half with increasing N rate from 56 to $112kg\;N\;ha^{-1}$. Nitrate leaching and $N_2O$ emission were related to N use of switchgrass. There was no significant difference of cumulative $NO_3$ leaching between 0 and $56kg\;N\;ha^{-1}$ but, it significantly increased at $112kg\;N\;ha^{-1}$. There was no significant difference of cumulative $N_2O$ emission among N rates in crest, but it significantly increased at $112kg\;N\;ha^{-1}$ in toe. Excessive N application rate (above $56kg\;N\;ha^{-1}$) beyond plant requirement could accelerate $NO_3$ leaching and $N_2O$ emission in switchgrass field. Overall, $56kg\;N\;ha^{-1}$ might be optimum N application rate in reducing economic waste on N fertilizer and adverse environmental impacts.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.214-220
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• 2007

The effects of soil percolation rate on $CH_4$ and $N_2O$ emissions were investigated from paddy fields with different drainage systems. Subsurface tile drainage plot of soil percolation rate $11.9mm\;d^{-1}$ and non-subsurface drainage plots of soil percolation rate $7.4mm\;d^{-1}$ and $6.9mm\;d^{-1}$ were designed. The effects of rice straw application were measured at each drainage plots. The subsurface tile drainage plot of soil percolation rate $11.9mm\;d^{-1}$ showed the lower emission amount both of $CH_4$ and $N_2O$ among treatments. In the subsurface tile drainage plot of $11.9mm\;d^{-1}$ percolation rate, 46% of $CH_4$ and 33% of $N_2O$ emission amounts were reduced in comparison of non-subsurface drainage plot of $6.9mm\;d^{-1}$ percolation rate. With rice straw application, the $CH_4$ emission amount was 2.1 times to that from no-applied plot, the $N_2O$ emission amount was not affected by rice straw application.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.225-241
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• 2007

A closed flux chamber system was used for measuring major greenhouse gas (GHG) emission from tideland and/or wetland soils in estuarine area at Saemankum, Kunsan in southwestern Korea during from months of February to June 2006. Hourly averaged GHG soil emissions were measured two to three times a day during the ebb tide hours only. Site soils were analyzed for soil parameters (temperature, pH, total organic contents, N and C contents in soil) in the laboratory. Soil GHG fluxes were calculated based on the GHG concentration rate of change measured inside a closed chamber The analysis of GHG was conducted by using a Gas Chromatography (equipped with ECD/FID) at laboratory. Changes of daily, monthly GHGs' fluxes were examined. The relationships between the GHG emissions and soil chemical contents were also scrutinized with respect to gas production and consumption mechanism in the soil. Soil pH was pH $7.47{\pm}0.49$ in average over the experimental period. Organic matter contents in sample soil was $6.64{\pm}4.98\;g/kg$, and it shows relatively lower contents than those in agricultural soils in Kunsan area. Resulting from the soil chemistry data, soil nitrogen contents seem to affect GHG emission from the tidal land surface. The tidal soil was found to be either source or sink for the major GHG during the experimental periods. The annual average of $CH_{4}\;and\;CO_{2}$ fluxes were $0.13{\pm}0.86\;mg\;m^{-2}h^{-1}\;and\;5.83{\pm}138.73\;mg\;m^{-2}h^{-1}$, respectively, which will be as a source of these gases. However, $N_{2}O$ emission showed in negative flux, and the value was $-0.02{\pm}0.66\;mg\;m^{-2}h^{-1}$, and it implies tidal land surface act as a sink of $N_{2}O$. Over the experimental period, the absolute values of gas fluxes increased with soil temperature in general. Averages of the ambient gas concentration were $86.8{\pm}6.\;ppm$ in $CO_{2},\;1.63{\pm}0.34\;ppm\;in\;CH_{4},\;and\;0.59{\pm}0.15\;ppm\;in\;N_{2}O$, respectively. Generally, under the presence of gas emission from agricultural soils, decrease of gas emission will be observed as increase in ambient gas concentration. We, however, could not found significant correlation between the ambient concentrations and their emissions over the experimental period. There was no GHG compensation points existed in tide flat soil.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.216-222
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• 2002

Field experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of various cultural practices on methane($CH_4$) emission in tillage and no-tillage practice in a clayey paddy soil from 1998 to 2000. The factors evaluated in tillage and no-tillage methods were types of nitrogen fertilizers, application method of chemical fertilizers, rice straw application and cultivation method. Of the nitrogen fertilizers, the amount of $CH_4$ emission in ammonium sulfate plot was the lowest, regardless of tillage and the application method. 26.4~41.1% of reduction by ammonium sulfate compared with urea. But in no-tillage which have problem of poor rice yield than tillage, coated urea was more effective nitrogen fertilizer because that showed similar $CH_4$ emission and highest rice yield at 80% of dosage of nitrogen. No-tillage plot emitted lower $CH_4$ than tillage plot where the fertilizers were incorporated. On the contrary, no-tillage plot showed a little higher $CH_4$ emission compared with tillage plot for the surface application. When rice straw was applied, no-tillage practice reduced methane emission by 26.6% compared with tillage practice, but showing a little difference of 10.7% in no application. With cultivation method, no-tillage practice reduced methane emission 26.6% compared with tillage for the 30-d-old seedling transplanting. But for the dry direct seeding practice, no-tillage was a less effective because considerable amounts of rice straw incorporated by tillage were more decomposed aerobically in the soil and emitted as $CO_2$ to the atmosphere with flooding in no-tillage soil.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.170-178
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• 2007

Rapid increases in the concentrations of greenhouse gases and many other chemically important trace gases have occurred over the last several centuries. For understanding the roles of these important gases in global change, it is essential to identify their sources and sinks, to characterize biogenic gas fluxes between the biosphere and atmosphere, and to understand the processes that control them. In this paper, enclosure-based measurements are described in a practical manner for field experiments. Theoretical reviews of mass balance equation in the enclosure and sensitivity of the flow-through dynamic flux chamber technique are presented; specifically for the case of NO flux measurements from soil surface. The physical system and theory behind the flow-through dynamic flux chamber method are examined. New calculation flux formula was introduced by considering NO chemical loss on chamber wall and uncertainties of the NO flux calculation were discussed.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.181-193
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• 2016

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of carbonized rice hull (CRH) application on soil carbon storage and $N_2O$ emissions from upland soil. It was used at different rates of 0, 5, 10 and $20Mg\;ha^{-1}$. During the Chinese cabbage cultivation, several soil chemical characteristics such as soil moisture, temperature and soil carbon were observed. Also, $CO_2$ and $N_2O$ emissions were monitored. Soil organic matter contents slightly increased with carbonized rice hull applied in all the treatments. The soil carbon contents with application rate of 0, 5, 10 and $20Mg\;ha^{-1}$ were 0, 1.3, 1.2 and $2.6g\;kg^{-1}$, respectively. It was observed that soil carbon content was higher with increasing CRH application rate. Total nitrogen contents of soil applied with CRH relatively decreased with the course of time. However, $NO_3$-N contents in the soil with CRH application rate of 5, 10 and $20Mg\;ha^{-1}$ were 28.6, 25.7 and $21.5mg\;kg^{-1}$ at the end of experiment, respectively. $CO_2$ emission at the $5Mg\;ha^{-1}$ application of CRH was higher about 18.9% than non-treatment, whereas those of $10Mg\;ha^{-1}$ and $20Mg\;ha^{-1}$ treatment were lower 14.4% and 11.8% compared to non-treatment, respectively. Also, it was shown that $N_2O$ emission reduced by 19.9, 28.3 and 54.0% when CRH was applied at 5, 10 and $5Mg\;ha^{-1}$, respectively.