Ammonia and Nitrous Oxide Emissions after Landspreading of Slurry as Influenced by Application Technique and Dry Matter‐Reduction. II. Short Term Nitrous Oxide Emissions

Strategies reducing NH3 volatilisation from slurry include separation of slurry, special application techniques and additives. We studied the impact of manure separation and application technique on N2O release after manure application. Untreated and separated cattle slurry (dry matter content of 7.1% and 4.4%, respectively) was applied to winter wheat using broadcast and banded application and injection. The N2O emissions were measured at high frequency for 14 to 20 days after slurry treatment by the closed chamber method. Manured plots showed significantly higher N2O emissions than the control plots but neither dry matter reduction of slurry nor application technique significantly influenced the N2O emissions. The variability of N2O emission was influenced by the application technique and increased in the order: banded application – injection – broadcast application. There was no correlation between NH3 losses from applied slurry and N2O emissions. Thus reducing ammonia volatilisation will not necessarily increase N2O emissions.