Fate of nitrogen derived from ¹⁵N-labeled cattle manure compost applied to a paddy field in the cool climate region of Japan

To estimate the fate of nitrogen (N) derived from cattle manure compost with sawdust (CMC) in a paddy field in the cool climate region of Japan, well-composted ¹⁵N-labeled CMC was applied to a microplot field experiment. Throughout the experimental period of three crop seasons, N from CMC was taken up by rice plants without a marked decline. The percentages of N taken up derived from CMC to applied N as CMC (%CNRp) were 2-3% for each year. The N from CMC was taken up by rice plants over the entire growth period by 1-2, 2 and 2-3% as %CNRp at the panicle initiation, heading and maturity stages, respectively. A significant positive linear correlation was found between the cumulative compost N uptake and the number of days transformed to standard temperature (25°C) over the entire experimental period, including the fallow season. The %CNRp was identical at CMC application rates ranging from 1 to 4 kg m^-2. Using ¹⁵N-labeled CMC, the results showed that well-composted CMC was a stable N source for rice plants for at least 3 years, regardless of the CMC application rate (ranging from 1 to 4 kg m^-2) in the cool climate region of Japan. The distribution of CMC N was 7% in the rice plants accumulated over 3 years, 66-69% in the soil and 24-27% was un-recovered at the end of the third crop season.