Application of Urea and Ammonium Sulfate Accelerates Soil Acidification in Red Soils
The researchers studied how urea and ammonium sulfate affect nitrification and acidification in red soils with different initial pH levels. They found that urea sped up nitrification and soil acidification in all soils tested. Ammonium sulfate also accelerated nitrification in high pH soil but inhibited it in low pH soil. The rate of soil acidification was directly related to nitrification rates. This suggests that nitrification of ammonium nitrogen in soil plays a key role in soil acidification, and different fertilizers can have varying effects on this process in red soils.
