Using PRS™ probes (ion membrane probes) to determine nitrogen mineralization
Wiederholt, R. 2008. Carrington Research Extension Center
Abstract
Introduction: A study with five treatments: no fertilizer; commercial N at a 1x rate; and manure N at
a 1x, 1.5x and 0.5x rate was established to determine N mineralization of manure N versus
commercial N. Three sets of PRS™ probes were placed in the soil at a 3" depth in each plot. The
probes were retrieved every 14 days. The probes were initially placed in plots on May 27 and
replaced every 14 days for 8 burials with the last set retrieved on September 2, 2008. There were two
sets of probes per plot, a set with and a set without root interference. Root exclusion was
accomplished by inserting three, 2', 8" irrigation pipes into the soil down the middle of each plot. The
goal of the study was to explore the performance of the probes and get a first look at the behavior of
commercial and manure N over the growing season.
