Efficacy and Degradation of Commerically Available Nitrification Inhibitors

Alex Ludolph is a second-year M.S. student in Sustainable Agriculture, with research focused on improving nitrogen management in agricultural systems. Her work centers on evaluating the efficacy of different commercial nitrification inhibitors (NI), which are designed to slow the microbial conversion of ammonium (NH₄⁺) to nitrate (NO₃⁻) and reduce nitrogen losses from agricultural soils.

To assess their performance, she conducted a controlled laboratory incubation experiment examining seven inhibitor products across a range of environmental and management conditions. These experiments systematically vary soil type, temperature, moisture, and application rate to capture the complexity of real-world agricultural systems. Soil samples are collected over a 150-day period and analyzed for ammonium and nitrate concentrations to quantify changes in soil nitrogen dynamics over time. Statistical analyses are then used to evaluate treatment effects and identify the conditions under which these products are most effective.

By improving understanding of when and where these products perform best, her work aims to support more sustainable and efficient nutrient management strategies, particularly in nitrogen-intensive agricultural regions such as the Midwest.

Roth ICM Conference 2024- Nitrification Inhibitors.pptx

Funding: INREC