Biochar decreases the efficacy of the nitrification inhibitor nitrapyrin in mitigating nitrous oxide emissions at different soil moisture levels.

Unprecedented increases in agricultural nitrous oxide (N 2 O) emissions in recent years have caused substantial environmental pollution that leads to ozone depletion and global warming. Application of biochar and/or nitrification inhibitors (NIs) has the potential to reduce N 2 O emissions; however, it is not clear how biochar application may affect the efficacy of NI in reducing nitrification rates, soil enzyme activities, and N 2 O emissions under different soil moisture regimes. We conducted a 60-day laboratory incubation experiment to study the effects of manure biochar and nitrapyrin (as a NI) on N 2 O emissions from a urea fertilized soil with either 60 (low) or 80% (high) water-filled pore space (WFPS). Nitrification rates were significantly affected by biochar × NI × WFPS and biochar × WFPS interactions. Biochar initially increased and then decreased the rates, resulting in 45.2 and 26.6% (P < 0.001 for both) overall reductions in low and high WFPS, respectively while NI reduced the rates only in the first 10 days at 60% WFPS. Biochar decreased (P < 0.001) and NI increased (P = 0.007) β-1,4-N-acetyl glucosaminidase activities while urease activities were increased (P < 0.001) by biochar across WFPS. Biochar had significant interaction with NI in cumulative N 2 O emissions with the efficacy of NI being reduced when co-applied with biochar. Cumulative N 2 O emissions were greater at high than at low WFPS; the emissions were decreased by biochar at 60% WFPS and NI at both 60 and 80% WFPS. We conclude that biochar reduces efficacy of nitrapyrin in mitigating N 2 O emissions and their effects on net nitrification rates, enzyme activities and N 2 O emissions are dependent on soil moisture level. • Biochar reduces the impact of nitrapyrin on N 2 O emission mitigation from the cropland soil. • Nitrapyrin has short-term but biochar has persistent effects on reducing nitrification rates. • Efficiency of nitrapyrin increases with soil moisture levels but decreases by biochar application. • Biochar decreased but nitrapyrin increased soil NAG activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]