Using the 15N natural abundance for a quantitative approach to N recovery from organic fertilizers

ABSTRACT The influence of organic inputs, such as manure and compost, on the 15N values of growing plants suggests it may be possible to use of 15N natural abundance (NA) as a nitrogen (N) tracer. This study aimed to verify the feasibility of using the TM15N values to estimate compost-N recovery by...

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Main Authors: Caio Teves Inácio, Segundo Urquiaga, Phillip Michael Chalk
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Ciência do Solo 2025-07-01
Series:Revista Brasileira de Ciência do Solo
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Online Access:http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0100-06832025000100906&lng=en&tlng=en
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author Caio Teves Inácio
Segundo Urquiaga
Phillip Michael Chalk
author_facet Caio Teves Inácio
Segundo Urquiaga
Phillip Michael Chalk
author_sort Caio Teves Inácio
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACT The influence of organic inputs, such as manure and compost, on the 15N values of growing plants suggests it may be possible to use of 15N natural abundance (NA) as a nitrogen (N) tracer. This study aimed to verify the feasibility of using the TM15N values to estimate compost-N recovery by plants. A field experiment was carried out by growing head lettuce, carrots and broccoli in sequence under increasing levels of compost (randomized complete blocks, six doses, four replicates). The compost was produced on-farm using horse bedding manure and vegetable waste. We found a positive and significant correlation between vegetables yield × TM15N-plant as well as between N-harvested × TM15N-plant, alongside the response to the increasing levels of compost. Positive and significant (α = 0.05) correlations were found for carrots (R = 0.91 and 0.95) meanwhile, no significant correlations were found for broccoli (R = 0.60 and 0.66). Lettuce did not respond to compost levels. We applied an equation to estimate compost-N recovery by carrots based on the variation pattern that was found in TM15N-plant. A positive and significant correlation between TM15N-plant and plant yield (or N harvested) is the first condition to obtain valid estimates. The estimated compost-N recovery for carrots was from 4.7 to 9.1 %, respectively, at 0.5 and 2.0 kg m-2 of compost (dry basis). Sources of uncertainty are also discussed, and include intra-plant 15N fractionation, which might require further studies of sampling strategies. This study shows the theoretical and experimental basis of using compost (dry basis). Sources of uncertainty are also discussed, and include intra-plantN to estimate organic fertilizer-N recovery by crops.
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spelling doaj-art-72cec6c859ce44e3b444b1bfc69815be2025-08-20T03:33:11ZengSociedade Brasileira de Ciência do SoloRevista Brasileira de Ciência do Solo1806-96572025-07-014910.36783/18069657rbcs20240182Using the 15N natural abundance for a quantitative approach to N recovery from organic fertilizersCaio Teves Ináciohttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-5376-0420Segundo Urquiagahttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-3601-1233Phillip Michael Chalkhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-4419-433XABSTRACT The influence of organic inputs, such as manure and compost, on the 15N values of growing plants suggests it may be possible to use of 15N natural abundance (NA) as a nitrogen (N) tracer. This study aimed to verify the feasibility of using the TM15N values to estimate compost-N recovery by plants. A field experiment was carried out by growing head lettuce, carrots and broccoli in sequence under increasing levels of compost (randomized complete blocks, six doses, four replicates). The compost was produced on-farm using horse bedding manure and vegetable waste. We found a positive and significant correlation between vegetables yield × TM15N-plant as well as between N-harvested × TM15N-plant, alongside the response to the increasing levels of compost. Positive and significant (α = 0.05) correlations were found for carrots (R = 0.91 and 0.95) meanwhile, no significant correlations were found for broccoli (R = 0.60 and 0.66). Lettuce did not respond to compost levels. We applied an equation to estimate compost-N recovery by carrots based on the variation pattern that was found in TM15N-plant. A positive and significant correlation between TM15N-plant and plant yield (or N harvested) is the first condition to obtain valid estimates. The estimated compost-N recovery for carrots was from 4.7 to 9.1 %, respectively, at 0.5 and 2.0 kg m-2 of compost (dry basis). Sources of uncertainty are also discussed, and include intra-plant 15N fractionation, which might require further studies of sampling strategies. This study shows the theoretical and experimental basis of using compost (dry basis). Sources of uncertainty are also discussed, and include intra-plantN to estimate organic fertilizer-N recovery by crops.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0100-06832025000100906&lng=en&tlng=ennutrient managementcompostanimal manurevegetablesplant nutrition
spellingShingle Caio Teves Inácio
Segundo Urquiaga
Phillip Michael Chalk
Using the 15N natural abundance for a quantitative approach to N recovery from organic fertilizers
Revista Brasileira de Ciência do Solo
nutrient management
compost
animal manure
vegetables
plant nutrition
title Using the 15N natural abundance for a quantitative approach to N recovery from organic fertilizers
title_full Using the 15N natural abundance for a quantitative approach to N recovery from organic fertilizers
title_fullStr Using the 15N natural abundance for a quantitative approach to N recovery from organic fertilizers
title_full_unstemmed Using the 15N natural abundance for a quantitative approach to N recovery from organic fertilizers
title_short Using the 15N natural abundance for a quantitative approach to N recovery from organic fertilizers
title_sort using the 15n natural abundance for a quantitative approach to n recovery from organic fertilizers
topic nutrient management
compost
animal manure
vegetables
plant nutrition
url http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0100-06832025000100906&lng=en&tlng=en
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