Iodine-Enriched Urea Reduces Volatilization and Improves Nitrogen Uptake in Maize Plants

Urea is the primary source of nitrogen (N) used in agriculture. However, it has a high N loss potential through volatilization. Various mechanisms can be employed to reduce N volatilization losses by inhibiting urease. When added to urea, iodine (I) has high potential for this purpose. Thus, this st...

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Main Authors: João Victor da Costa Cezar, Everton Geraldo de Morais, Jucelino de Sousa Lima, Pedro Antônio Namorato Benevenute, Luiz Roberto Guimarães Guilherme
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-10-01
Series:Nitrogen
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2504-3129/5/4/57
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author João Victor da Costa Cezar
Everton Geraldo de Morais
Jucelino de Sousa Lima
Pedro Antônio Namorato Benevenute
Luiz Roberto Guimarães Guilherme
author_facet João Victor da Costa Cezar
Everton Geraldo de Morais
Jucelino de Sousa Lima
Pedro Antônio Namorato Benevenute
Luiz Roberto Guimarães Guilherme
author_sort João Victor da Costa Cezar
collection DOAJ
description Urea is the primary source of nitrogen (N) used in agriculture. However, it has a high N loss potential through volatilization. Various mechanisms can be employed to reduce N volatilization losses by inhibiting urease. When added to urea, iodine (I) has high potential for this purpose. Thus, this study aimed to determine whether adding I to urea reduces volatilization losses and increases N uptake in maize plants. Maize plants were cultivated in greenhouse conditions for 36 days. Urea treatments were applied at 15 days of testing, including iodine-enriched urea, conventional urea, and no urea application. Additionally, a study concerning N volatilization from urea was conducted using the same treatments under the same environmental conditions. Iodine was incorporated and adhered to urea, at an I concentration of 0.2%, using potassium iodate (KIO<sub>3</sub>). Under controlled conditions and over a short period of time, it was observed that the application of iodine-enriched urea increased the chlorophyll <i>b</i> content, root N accumulation, and total N accumulation in maize plants compared with conventional urea. Moreover, iodine-enriched urea reduced N losses from volatilization by 11% compared with conventional urea. The reduction in N volatilization correlated positively with the increased chlorophyll <i>b</i>, total chlorophyll, root N accumulation, and total N accumulation favored by the iodine-enriched urea treatment. Our findings demonstrated that adding I to urea is an efficient and promising strategy to reduce N losses and increase N uptake in plants.
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spelling doaj-art-ce574da84b9547aa90d4f68e629f3f642025-08-20T02:01:09ZengMDPI AGNitrogen2504-31292024-10-015489190210.3390/nitrogen5040057Iodine-Enriched Urea Reduces Volatilization and Improves Nitrogen Uptake in Maize PlantsJoão Victor da Costa Cezar0Everton Geraldo de Morais1Jucelino de Sousa Lima2Pedro Antônio Namorato Benevenute3Luiz Roberto Guimarães Guilherme4Department of Soil Science, Federal University of Lavras, University Campus, P.O. Box 3037, Lavras 37203-202, Minas Gerais, BrazilDepartment of Soil Science, Federal University of Lavras, University Campus, P.O. Box 3037, Lavras 37203-202, Minas Gerais, BrazilDepartment of Biology, Institute of Natural Sciences, Federal University of Lavras, University Campus, P.O. Box 3037, Lavras 37203-202, Minas Gerais, BrazilDepartment of Soil Science, Federal University of Lavras, University Campus, P.O. Box 3037, Lavras 37203-202, Minas Gerais, BrazilDepartment of Soil Science, Federal University of Lavras, University Campus, P.O. Box 3037, Lavras 37203-202, Minas Gerais, BrazilUrea is the primary source of nitrogen (N) used in agriculture. However, it has a high N loss potential through volatilization. Various mechanisms can be employed to reduce N volatilization losses by inhibiting urease. When added to urea, iodine (I) has high potential for this purpose. Thus, this study aimed to determine whether adding I to urea reduces volatilization losses and increases N uptake in maize plants. Maize plants were cultivated in greenhouse conditions for 36 days. Urea treatments were applied at 15 days of testing, including iodine-enriched urea, conventional urea, and no urea application. Additionally, a study concerning N volatilization from urea was conducted using the same treatments under the same environmental conditions. Iodine was incorporated and adhered to urea, at an I concentration of 0.2%, using potassium iodate (KIO<sub>3</sub>). Under controlled conditions and over a short period of time, it was observed that the application of iodine-enriched urea increased the chlorophyll <i>b</i> content, root N accumulation, and total N accumulation in maize plants compared with conventional urea. Moreover, iodine-enriched urea reduced N losses from volatilization by 11% compared with conventional urea. The reduction in N volatilization correlated positively with the increased chlorophyll <i>b</i>, total chlorophyll, root N accumulation, and total N accumulation favored by the iodine-enriched urea treatment. Our findings demonstrated that adding I to urea is an efficient and promising strategy to reduce N losses and increase N uptake in plants.https://www.mdpi.com/2504-3129/5/4/57ammoniachlorophyllnitrogen lossesplant metabolismurease
spellingShingle João Victor da Costa Cezar
Everton Geraldo de Morais
Jucelino de Sousa Lima
Pedro Antônio Namorato Benevenute
Luiz Roberto Guimarães Guilherme
Iodine-Enriched Urea Reduces Volatilization and Improves Nitrogen Uptake in Maize Plants
Nitrogen
ammonia
chlorophyll
nitrogen losses
plant metabolism
urease
title Iodine-Enriched Urea Reduces Volatilization and Improves Nitrogen Uptake in Maize Plants
title_full Iodine-Enriched Urea Reduces Volatilization and Improves Nitrogen Uptake in Maize Plants
title_fullStr Iodine-Enriched Urea Reduces Volatilization and Improves Nitrogen Uptake in Maize Plants
title_full_unstemmed Iodine-Enriched Urea Reduces Volatilization and Improves Nitrogen Uptake in Maize Plants
title_short Iodine-Enriched Urea Reduces Volatilization and Improves Nitrogen Uptake in Maize Plants
title_sort iodine enriched urea reduces volatilization and improves nitrogen uptake in maize plants
topic ammonia
chlorophyll
nitrogen losses
plant metabolism
urease
url https://www.mdpi.com/2504-3129/5/4/57
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