An Incubation Technique for Assessing the Nitrogen Status of Soils Newly Ploughed From Leys

Summary A technique is discussed whereby the level of mineral nitrogen present in the soil after incubation has been used to estimate differences in the nitrogen status of an arable soil after leys. There was an appreciable increase in the mineralization of nitrogen in arable soil after 3 years under ley, despite any immobilization which may have resulted from the decomposition of grass roots. The uptake of nitrogen by the winter wheat which followed the leys was closely related to the nitrogen status of soil so determined.