Effects of nitrification inhibitor and acid addition to cattle slurry on nitrogen losses and herbage yields

Cattle slurry was applied to grassland on two contrasting soils in autumn and spring between 1987 and 1990. Slurry was applied with or without the addition of acid, to lower the pH to 5.5, and, in autumn only, with or without a nitrification inhibitor. Ammonia volatilization, denitrification and apparent recovery of N by the cut herbage accounted for 61-86% of the ammonium nitrogen (NH4+-N) applied in slurry. Estimates from lysimeter experiments indicated that nitrate leaching from autumn application may have accounted for an additional 1-2% only. Acidifying slurry reduced volatilization losses to 1-12% of the NH4+-N applied, and the nitrification inhibitor halved denitrification losses from autumn applications. Reductions in nitrogen losses were reflected in significant increases in first-cut herbage yields which, for slurry applied in the autumn with acid and the nitrification inhibitor, were generally greater than those from 120 kg ha-1 N as ammonium nitrate applied in the spring. There were no significant differences between treatments at subsequent cuts in each season but, owing to the large increases at first cut, total yields were significantly higher for autumn-applied slurry with acid and nitrification inhibitor.