The objective of this study was to evaluate nitrogen (N) source tracing using N stable isotope on corn (Zea mays L.) and leached water. Five nitrogen treatments were control (No nitrogen), 2 chemical N fertilizer (urea and slow released nitrogen (SRN), 1 cattle nitrogen manure (CM), and 1 oil cake from rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) after oil extraction. N rate was 200 kg N ha -1 . The experiment was designed by a completely randomized block design with four replications. Lysimeter was filled with 4 kg of soil and corn was planted. Plant samples were collected at a growth stage of V6 and analyzed for total N and δ 15 N. Water samples were collected every week and analyzed for nitrate-N and δ 15 N. In this study, total N content at a growth stage of V6 corn plant ranged from 0.56% to 4.07%. N content was 0.56% for the control, 0.57% for the CM, 3.16% for the SRN, 3.19% for the oil cake, and 4.07% for the urea treatment. δ 15 N value at a growth stage of V6 corn plant ranged from 0.098‰ to -3.453‰. δ 15 N value in corn plant was -3.453‰ for the SRN treatment, -0.213‰ for the urea, 0.098‰ for the control, 2.935‰ for the oil cake, and 5.563‰ for the CM. Nitrate-N concentration in leached water was the lowest under control, followed by CM, SRM, oil cake, and nitrate-N concentration in leached was the highest under urea treatment. These results suggest different N mineralization from diverse N sources. Averagedδ 15 N isotope value in leached water changed from negative to positive. Averagedδ 15 N isotope under chemical N fertilizers such as urea and SRN was -16‰ and -15.0‰, respectively at the 5 th week. Averagedδ 15 N isotope values for all N treatments changed during the experiment. These results indicate that δ 15 N isotope technique can be used for leached water samples to differentiate N sources. However, further research is needed to clarify the exact timing of sampling based on different N sources.
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