Abstract

The forms and magnitude of leaching loss of N under different sources and levels of N in the three major wetland rice soils of Cauvery delta were studied. Light textured Madukkur series registered higher leaching loss of N under all N sources, than the heavy textured Kalalthur and Padugai series soils. Out of the total leaching loss, about 11 per cent was in the form of NHâ‚‚-N, 77 per cent as NO3-N. Among the N sources tried, application of USG recorded the highest leaching loss of N irrespective of the soil studied. Use of coated fertilizers as well as ammonium chloride was found very much effective in reducing the leaching loss of N in the light textured Madukkur series compared to their performance in heavy textured soils.

Keywords: Leaching loss, N forms, N'sources, soils