Potentially mineralizable Nitrogen as affected by tillage duration (the case of Kenana Sugar Company)

Abstract

Tillage duration may impose different effects on Nitrogen mineralization from soil organic matter. This study was carried out to monitor the effect of tillage duration on potentially mineralizable nitrogen in the Kenana sugarcane project, which estate (13 N, and 30 E). The soil samples (from 0-30cm and 30-60cm depth) were taken from Area two ( 30 year of cultivation) to represent long-term cultivation, from Area five ( 26 year of cultivation) to represent medium-term cultivation, and from Area six ( 11year of cultivation ) to represent short-term cultivation, Similarly one sample was taken from open grassland area to represent the control. Samples were incubated for 12 weeks at 80 % water holding capacity at room temperature (around 25-30c). Mineral N (NH4-NO3-N) were determined two weeks interval (0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12) Results showed that tillage lead to reduced soil mineral N. also when tilled the soil for long periods of times decreases the amount of mineral Nitrogen