Rice yield, nitrogen utilization and ammonia volatilization as influenced by modified rice cultivation at varying nitrogen rates

Field experiments were conducted in 2006 to investigate the impacts of modified rice cultivation systems on: grain yield, N uptake, ammonia volatilization from rice soil and N use efficiency (ANUE, agronomic N use efficiency;and PFP, partial factor productivity of applied N). The trials compared rice production using modified methods of irrigation, planting, weeding and nutrient management (the system of rice intensification, SRI) with traditional flooding (TF). The effects of different N application rates (0, 80, 160, 240 kg ha-1) and of N rates interacting with cultivation methods were also evaluated. Grain yields ranged from 5.6 to 6.9 t ha-1 with SRI, and from 4.0 to 6.1 t ha-1 under TF management. On average, grain yields under SRI were 24% higher than that with TF. Ammonia volatilization was increased significantly under SRI compared with TF and the average total amount of ammonia volatilization loss during the rice growth stage under SRI was 22% higher than TF. With increases in application rate, N uptake by rice increased, and the ratio of N in the seed to total N in the plant decreased. Furthermore, results showed that higher ANUE was achieved at a relatively low N fertilizer rate (80 kg ha-1 N) with SRI. Results of these studies suggest that SRI increased rice yield and N uptake and improved ammonia volatilization loss from rice soil compared with TF. Moreover, there were significant interactions between N application rates and cultivation methods. We conclude that it was the most important to adjust the amount of N application under SRI, such as reducing the amount of N application. Research on effects of N fertilizer on rice yield and environmental pollution under SRI may be worth further studying.

Characterization of precipitation in the background of atmospheric pollutants reduction in Guilin: Temporal variation and source apportionment

Rainfall samples were collected from three observation sites in Guilin from 2013 to 2017, and the chemical composition characteristics of precipitation and the contribution made by different ion sources were analyzed when atmospheric pollutants levels were reduced. The results showed that acid gas emissions and atmospheric pollutant concentrations continued to decline during the study period. However, the change in the volume-weighted mean p H at the three sites suggested that acid rain pollution was not alleviated and began to deteriorate after 2015. The continuing downward trend for alkaline neutralizing ions(Ca^(2+), NH_4^+) in precipitation indicated that the reduction in alkaline neutralizing substances in the atmosphere was an important factor that led to the deterioration in acid rain across Guilin. The principal component analysis and spearman correlation analysis indicated five sources of ions in precipitation. Quantitative assessment of these five sources indicated that fossil fuel combustion contributed the most ions concentration in precipitation at the three sites, followed by agriculture, terrestrial(crustal) sources, marine sources, and biomass burning. Long-distance airflow might affect the acidity, the electrical conductivity(EC), and ion concentrations in precipitation across Guilin. The airflow trajectory from the west and southeast directions corresponded to higher acidity and ion concentrations. According to the current air pollution control strategy planned by Guilin, reducing atmospheric coarse particles and NH_3 at the same time may potentially lead to further deteriorations in acid rain contents. Therefore, Guilin needs to develop more reasonable pollution prevention measures that synergistically control atmospheric pollutants and acid rain pollution.