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Purebred
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Wildcat District 27
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Sheep & Goat Meeting: Survey Results
Most producers are aware of the impact of nutrient deficiencies on crop performance and how nitrogen plays a very important role in economic returns. The uncertainty exists when nitrogen loss occurs, particularly due to saturated soils. Managing crops for nitrogen loss may be just as important as monitoring nutrient deficiencies.
Nitrogen is a naturally occurring element and exists in the soil system in many forms and may change from one form to another. The Nitrogen Cycle explains the route that N follows in and out of the soil system. There are many ways that N can be lost from the soil system. Denitrification, part of the Nitrogen Cycle, is the term used to define the permanent removal of nitrogen out of both soils and aquatic environments by microbial activity.
Soil microorganisms need oxygen to survive. When the soils become saturated, there is little room for oxygen between soil particles. When there is enough organic matter to provide energy, some microorganisms can get the oxygen needed to survive from nitrite (NO₂-) and NO₃-. When microbes utilize this oxygen, dinitrogen gas is created in a process called denitrification. These gases are then lost to the atmosphere.
The amount of nitrogen loss is very difficult to predict and depends on many factors. Denitrification is mainly impacted by the oxygen supply in the soil and the microorganisms, but many factors can change either of these components. These can include the soil pH, organic matter, soil temperature, soil type and even factors such as fertilizer application timing, nitrogen source and quantity applied. Significant losses occur when the soils are waterlogged for two or three days.
Denitrification is one way nitrogen loss can occur in a soil system, although losses can also occur from leaching, volatilization, crop removal and soil erosion and runoff. There are many environmental and economic issues that can lead to uncertainty when it comes to producing crops, but having a better understanding of nitrogen in the soil will help to better manage loss.
Denitrification: A Wet Weather Problem