Evaluation of vinasse/aqua ammonia mixture applied to soil fertilization in sugar cane areas harvested lacking sugar cane trash without prior burning: losses of NH3 by volatilization and 15 N recovery

The present work aimed to evaluate the losses of NH3 by volatization, from the vinasse/aqua ammonia mixture and urea solution applied to the soil. The N dose applied for both sources was 80 Kg ha-1, with the volume of vinasse and urea solution applied to the surface being 200 and 100 m3, respectively. The nitrogen sources were applied to soil covered or not by sugarcane trash. A semi-opened static collector device was used to evaluate the ammonia volatization. The isotopic technique with 15 N was used to quantify the N recovered in the soil from the nitrogen sources applied in microplots. These microplots consisted of 96 mm-diameter PVC cylinders which were buried in the soil at 200 mm. The results show that the volatization of ammonia from the vinasse/aqua ammonia mixture, applied to the soil covered or not by sugarcane trash, ranged from 5 to 7% of the N applied. These results were similar to those observed in the treatment where urea solution was applied to the soil lacking sugarcane trash, but lower when compared to the urea applied to the soil covered with trash confirmed the volatization results, with the least 15 N recovery (57%) being obtained in this treatment. In the other treatments, i.e. urea applied to soil lacking sugarcane trash; aqua annonia/vinasse mixture applied to soil covered or not with sugarcane trash, the mean recovery of 15 N were 60.2; 70.6 and 74.2 % respectively. These results support the recommendation of the use of a fluid mixture for nitrogen fertilization in ratoon cane areas after the mechanized sugarcane harvest without prior burning. (author). 15 refs., 1 fig., 1 tab