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2025 Vol.58, Issue 4 Preview Page

Original research article

Evaluation of nitrogen dynamics under different nitrogen application levels in red pepper fields
Yunsik Shin1
,
Jong-Mun Lee1
,
Hye-Ran Park2
,
Minji Lee2
,
Hyoung-Seok Lee2
,
Jinho Kim3
,
Young-Jae Jeong2*
1Postdoctoral Researcher, Division of Climate Change, Department of Agricultural Environment, National Institute of Agricultural Science, RDA, Wanju 55365, Korea
2Researcher, Division of Climate Change, Department of Agricultural Environment, National Institute of Agricultural Science, RDA, Wanju 55365, Korea
3Senior Researcher, Division of Climate Change, Department of Agricultural Environment, National Institute of Agricultural Science, RDA, Wanju 55365, Korea
*Corresponding Author
30 November 2025. pp. 510-520
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Abstract

Excessive nitrogen (N) fertilization in agriculture leads to substantial nitrogen losses through ammonia (NH3) volatilization, nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions, and nitrate (NO3−) leaching. To address N overuse and establish appropriate fertilizer management strategies, a comprehensive evaluation of N dynamics through different pathways including plant uptake, gaseous emissions and leaching. Therefore, this study evaluated N dynamics in red pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) fields under four N application rates (0, 228, 342, and 456 kg N ha-1). As a result, the cumulative emissions of NH3 and N2O ranged from 0.97 to 17.56 kg NH3 ha-1 and 0.69 to 9.92 kg N2O ha-1, respectively, increasing clearly with higher nitrogen input. The 228 kg N ha-1 treatment showed a more balanced nitrogen distribution, with the highest crop N uptake (262.9 kg N ha-1) and the lowest total N loss (29.5 kg N ha-1). In contrast, N uptake decreased by 21.5% and 46.6% in the 342 and 456 kg N ha-1 treatments, while nitrogen losses to the atmosphere and water pathways increased more than twofold. These results show that excessive N input reduces N use efficiency and shifts N flow toward environmental losses rather than crop uptake. Although some monitoring gaps occurred and nitrate leaching was estimated empirically due to practical constraints in field management, the overall pattern of nitrogen partitioning among treatments was consistent. These findings provide a quantitative baseline that captures the shift in N flow and loss structures across fertilization levels, offering a valuable reference for future N budgeting, modeling, and management framework development in red pepper cultivation systems.

Nitrogen balance at each N application level in red pepper cultivation.
Treatment1NappliedNPNVNDNLΔN
(kg N ha-1) (kg N ha-1) (kg N ha-1) (kg N ha-1) (kg N ha-1) (kg N ha-1)
N 0 0 108.4 0.8 0.4 0 -109.6
N 1.0 228 262.9 4.9 2.5 22.1 -64.4
N 1.5 342 206.4 9.8 5.7 44.8 75.3
N 2.0 456 140.3 14.5 6.3 75.3 219.6

1Napplied, applied N; Np, N uptake by plant biomass; NV, N loss via NH3 volatilization; ND, N loss via N2O emission; NL, N loss via N leaching.

Keywords
Ammonia volatilization
Excess nitrogen
Fertilizer reduction
Nitrogen Leaching
Nitrous oxide emissions
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Information
  • Publisher :Korean Society of Soil Science and Fertilizer
  • Publisher(Ko) :한국토양비료학회
  • Journal Title :Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
  • Journal Title(Ko) :한국토양비료학회 학회지
  • Volume : 58
  • No :4
  • Pages :510-520
  • Received Date : 2025-09-16
  • Revised Date : 2025-11-10
  • Accepted Date : 2025-11-17
  • DOI :https://doi.org/10.7745/KJSSF.2025.58.4.510
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