African Journal of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development

African Journal of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development ISSN 2375-0693 Vol. 7 (8), pp. 001-005, August, 2019. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

An experimental study of the residue inorganic N content at various intervals after incubation

*Kareena Kohli, B. G. Chand and Bhagat Tilak

Division of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi–12, India.

Accepted 22 February, 201

Abstract

A laboratory incubation experiment was carried out for 85 days to monitor the N mineralization during the decomposition of ¹⁵N labeled wheat and rice straws incorporated at 5 g kg^-1 soil at varying temperatures and with soils of varying clay content. Results have shown that N mineralization surpass immobilization 40th day onwards. Irrespective of temperature and clay content, mineralization of rice residue N was found to be significantly higher than that of wheat residue throughout the incubation period. Increasing temperature and clay content both had positive effect on residue N mineralization. At 85th day after incubation N mineralization from the residues was found to be 13 - 14%. Clay content, temperature, composition of the residues are important factors controlling plant residues decomposition under laboratory conditions.

Key words: Rice and wheat residues, straw, N-mineralization, immobilization.