THE EFFECT OF THE NITRIFICATION INHIBITOR NITRAPYRIN ON YIELD AND ON NITROGEN FRACTIONS IN SOIL AND TISSUE OF CORN (ZEA MAYS L.) GROWN IN THE ANNAPOLIS VALLEY OF NOVA SCOTIA

Abstract

The application of fertilizer (10-10-10) treated with the nitrification inhibitor nitrapyrin [2-chloro-6-(trichloromethyl) pyridine] was generally not effective in increasing the yields of grain corn, although at one location the addition of stabilized fertilizer increased the yield (P = 0.25) by 660 kg/ha over that from plots receiving non-stabilized N fertilizer. Nitrapyrin did not affect the levels of the N fractions in corn tissue but it did inhibit nitrification of soil NH₄-N. As might be expected, the addition of fertilizer and increasing fertilizer rates increased yields and levels of N in tissue and soil.