The fast nitrification of ammoniacal nitrogen (N) of organic and mineral sources in soil can result in losses of nitrate (NO3-) to the environment. One strategy to reduce these losses involves the use of nitrification inhibitors. The objective of this study was to evaluate, in laboratory conditions, the efficiency of Agrotain® Plus (AP), which contains dicyandiamide (DCD), as a nitrification inhibitor of ammoniacal nitrogen from poultry manure (PM) in soil. Were evaluated five treatments, one with PM incorporated into the soil, three with PM incorporated into the soil with AP at the doses of 3.5, 7.0 e 14.0kg ha-1 and one treatment without PM and AP. Nitrification was monitored by measuring changes in soil mineral N (NH4+ and NO3-) periodically over 69 days. The highest rate of nitrification occurred in the treatment in which PM was incorporated into the soil without AP. The doses of 3.5 and 7.0kg ha-1 of AP inhibited partially the nitrification of ammoniacal nitrogen of PM in the initial phase of incubation, losing the ability to inhibit this process in the period between 12 and 27 days. The treatment with the higher dose of AP (14kg ha-1) was on in which the DCD exerted more inhibitory effect on nitrification, preserving most NH4+ and delaying the onset of NO3- in soil. The results of this study indicate that the DCD, contained in the Agrotain® Plus, reduces the nitrification rate of ammoniacal nitrogen from PM in soil, that may contribute to reduce NO3- losses to the environment.
N dynamics; NO3- leaching; denitrification; DCD
