Summary
A procedure is described that allows assay of soil urease activity. The method uses a phosphate buffer (pH 8.8) and a urea substrate concentration of 0.007 M. Incubation for 4 h at 37°C is recommended and urease activity is estimated by determining the amount of ammonium produced by urea hydrolysis in soil. The method is precise, and compares favourably with other procedures. re]19750710
Article PDF
Explore related subjects
Discover the latest articles, news and stories from top researchers in related subjects.Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Allison, F. E., Methods of Soil Analysis, Black, C. A. (ed.) Amer. Soc. Agron., Madison, Wisc. Part 2, 1367–1378 (1956).
Bremner, J. M., J. Agric. Sci. 55, 11–33 (1960).
Bremner, J. M. and Keeney, D. R., Soil Sci. Soc. Am. Proc. 30, 577–582 (1956).
Bremner, J. M. and Douglas, L. A., Soil Biol. Biochem. 3, 297–307 (1971).
Bremner, J. M. and Douglas, L. A., Soil Sci. Soc. Am. Proc. 37, 225–226 (1973).
Conrad, J. P., Soil Sci. 50, 119–134 (1940).
Day, P. R., Methods of Soil Analysis, Black, C. A. (ed.) Amer. Soc. Agron., Madison, Wisc. Part 1, 545–566 (1965).
Edwards, A., P. Can. J. Soil Sci. 47, 140–142 (1967).
Hoffman, G and Teicher, K., Z. Pflanzenernaehr. Dueng. Bodenk. 95, 55–63 (1962).
Hoffman, E. and Schmidt, W., Biochem. Z. 324, 125–127 (1953).
McGarity, J. W. and Myers, M. G., Plant and Soil 27, 217–238 (1967).
McLaren, A. D. and Esterman, E. F., Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 68, 157–160 (1957).
Porter, L. K., Methods of Soil Analysis, Black, C. A. (ed.), Amer. Soc. Agron., Madison, Wisc. Part 2, 1536–1549 (1965).
Pugh, K. B. and Waid, J. S., Soil Biol. Biochem. 1, 195–206 (1969).
Skujins, J. J. and McLaren, A. D., Soil Biol. Biochem. 1, 89–99 (1969).
Stojanovic, B. J., Soil Sci. 88, 251–255 (1959).
Tabatabai, M. A. and Bremner, J. M., Soil Biol. Biochem. 4, 479–487 (1972).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
May, P.B., Douglas, L.A. Assay for soil urease activity. Plant Soil 45, 301–305 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00011156
Received:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00011156