Comprehensive assessment of the effects of nitrification inhibitor application on reactive nitrogen loss in intensive vegetable production systems

Abstract

Previous studies regarding environmental impacts of nitrification inhibitors (NIs) in intensive vegetable production systems mainly focused on the fate of individual nitrogen (N) compounds. Due to the influence of various N-dynamic pathways on one another, systematic observations, taking into account all key component processes, must be carried out to achieve practically useful recommendations. As well, the mechanisms of how NI application leads to increasing vegetable yields are not well understood. Therefore, we conducted a field experiment with three leading vegetable crops (lettuce, celery, and tomato), and two urea N input rates, without (N1, N2) or with a nitrification inhibitor, 2-chl..