Effects of Corn Stalks and Urea on N2O Production from Corn Field Soil

Returning corn stalks to the field is an important and widely used soil management practice which is conducive to the sustainable development of agriculture. In this study, the effects of corn stalks and urea on N2O production in corn field soil were investigated through a 21-day incubation experiment. This study showed that increasing amounts of urea added to soil with a history of corn cultivation leads to increasing overall N2O emissions, by increasing both the intensity and the duration of emissions. Although N2O production was affected primarily by urea-derived NH4+-N and NO3--N, its main source was native soil nitrogen, which accounted for 78.5 to 94.5% of N2O. Returning corn stalk residue to the field reduced the production of N2O, and the more urea was applied, the stronger the effect of corn residue on reducing N2O emissions. Combining the application of corn stalks and urea could reduce the concentration of NH4+-N and NO3--N derived from urea, and then reduce the substrate required for N2O production in nitrification and denitrification processes. In addition, the combined application of corn stalks and urea could effectively inhibit the abundance of key N2O-producing genes AOA amoA, nirS and nirK.

Automated summary

Returning corn stalks to the field can reduce N2O emissions, especially when combined with urea application. By lowering the concentrations of NH4+-N and NO3--N derived from urea, the substrate required for N2O production in nitrification and denitrification processes is reduced. Additionally, the combination of corn stalks and urea can effectively inhibit the abundance of key N2O-producing genes AOA amoA, nirS, and nirK.