Erratum: Predicting Field-Apparent Nitrogen Mineralization from Anaerobically Incubated Nitrogen

The nitrogen (N) released after a 7-d anaerobic incubation (Nₐₙ) is a good estimator of the size of the soil N mineralizable pool. However, there is a lack of information on how soil properties and climate affect the apparent field N mineralization (Nₘᵢₙ) of this pool. The objective of our study was to develop and validate a simple model to estimate Nₘᵢₙ from Nₐₙ in corn (Zea mays L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) fields. To this end, we performed 100 field experiments where we measured Nₘᵢₙ, Nₐₙ, rainfall, temperature (TC), soil texture, pH, soil organic matter (SOM), and pre-sowing mineral N concentration (Nᵢₙᵢₜᵢₐₗ). We performed a stepwise analysis to develop a model to predict Nₘᵢₙ using data from 70 sites, while the rest of the data was saved for model validation. The Nₐₙ ranged from 16 to 94 mg kg–¹ while Nₘᵢₙ ranged from 22 to 232 kg ha–¹. There was a strong association between Nₐₙ and Nₘᵢₙ within regions with similar climate and edaphic properties. However, we could not fit a single significant model to estimate Nₘᵢₙ based solely on Nₐₙ to be used in all regions. By considering other variables besides Nₐₙ, we developed a model that allowed predicting Nₘᵢₙ independently from the site [Nₘᵢₙ = –252 + 12.3(TC) + 1.37(Nₐₙ) + 0.27(rainfall)] (R² = 0.89, model validation R² = 0.83). This model could be useful to adjust N fertilizer recommendations for corn and wheat, reducing the economic and environmental impact of fertilization.