Summary
Three slow-release nitrogen fertilizers — medium- and coarse-sized granules of IBDU (isobutylidene diurea) and formalized casein — were applied before sowing or transplanting to Sitka sprucePicea sitchensis, and their effects on growth compared with that on plots not given N or given four topdressings of ‘Nitro-Chalk’ (the source of N used in practice). The comparisons were made at two sites: a very sandy podsol and a sandy loam with better nutrient retention. The experiments with seedlings were continued for four years, those with transplants for three, and the same treatments were applied to the same plots each year.
Responses to ‘Nitro-Chalk’ were large, especially during wet seasons. Formalized casein was always as effective as ‘Nitro-Chalk’ for transplants. IBDU (especially the coarse fraction) was almost as good as formalized casein for transplants at both sites and equalled it for seedlings on the sandy loam. For seedlings on the sandy podsol, both particle sizes of IBDU became steadily less effective in succeeding years, and no satisfactory reason can be offered for this decline.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Atterson, J., Fertiliser research in Scottish nurseries and forests. J. Sci. Food Agr.20, 415–416 (1969).
Benzian, Blanche, Experiments on Nutrition Problems in Forest Nurseries. Bull. For. Comm. Lond. No.37 (in two volumes). H.M.S.O. London, 251 pp. (1965).
Benzian, Blanche, Isobutylidene diurea for conifer seedlings, p. 133–134.In: Report on Forest Research for 1967, H.M.S.O., London (1967).
Benzian, Blanche, Test on three nitrogen fertilizers — ‘Nitro-Chalk’, formalized casein and isobutylidene diurea — applied to Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis) seedlings in two English nurseries.In Colloquium on forest fertilization. (Proceedings of Vth Colloquium of the International Potash Institute, Finland), pp. 171–175 (1967).
Benzian, Blanche and Freeman, S. C. R., Isobutylidene diurea (IBDU), p. 140–142.In: Report on Forest Research for 1968, H.M.S.O., London (1968).
Benzian, Blanche, Bolton, J., and Mattingly, G. E. G., Soluble and slow-release PK-fertilizers for seedlings and transplants ofPicea sitchensis andPicea abies in two English nurseries. Plant and Soil31 238–256 (1969).
Bolton, J. and Coulter, J. K., Distribution of fertilizer residues in a forest nursery manuring experiment on a sandy podsol at Wareham, Dorset, p. 90–102.In: Report on Forest Research for 1965, H.M.S.O., London (1966).
Bremner, J. M.,In Methods of Soil Analysis. 2. Chemical and microbiological properties. Ed. C.A. Blacket al. Agromony No. 9. American Society of Agronomy, Inc., Madison, U.S.A. (1965).
Gasser, J. K. R., Greenland, D. J. and Rawson, R. A. G., Measurement of losses from fertilizer nitrogen during incubation in acid sandy soils and during subsequent growth of ryegrass, using15N-labelled fertilizers., J. Soil Sci.18, 289–300 (1967).
Hamamoto, M., Isobutylidene diurea as a slow acting nitrogen fertilizer and the studies in this field in Japan. Proc. Fert. Soc. No.90, 1–77 (1966).
Hauck, R. D., Nitrogen source requirements in different soil-plant systems.In Forest Fertilization — Theory and Practice. Papers presented at the Symposium on Forest Fertilization 1967, Gainesville, Florida TVA, 47–57 (1968).
Hayase, T. and Miyazaki, T., On the slowly available nitrogen fertilizers. 2., Bull. Natn. Inst. Agr. Sci. TokyoB 20, 351–389 (1969).
Lunt, O. R. and Clark, S. B., Properties and value of 1,1-diureido isobutane (IBDU) as a long-lasting nitrogen fertilizer., Agr. Food Chem,17, 1269–1271 (1969).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Benzian, B., Freeman, S.C.R. & Mitchell, J.D.D. Isobutylidene diurea and other nitrogen fertilizers for seedlings and transplants ofPicea sitchensis in two English forest nurseries. Plant Soil 35, 517–532 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01372684
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01372684