Optimized NPK fertilizer recommendations based on topsoil available nutrient criteria for wheat in drylands of China

The optimized management of crop fertilization is very important for improving crop yield and reducing the consumption of chemical fertilizers.Critical nutrient values can be used for evaluating the nutritional status of a crop,and they reflect the nutrient concentrations above which the plant is sufficiently supplied for achieving the maximum potential yield.Based on on-farm surveys of 504 farmers and 60 field experimental sites in the drylands of China,we proposed a recommended fertilization method to determine nitrogen(N),phosphorus(P),and potassium(K)fertilizer input rates for wheat production,and then validated the method by a field experiment at 66 different sites in northern China.The results showed that wheat grain yield varied from 1.1 to 9.2 t ha^(-1),averaging 4.6 t ha^(-1),and it had a quadratic relationship with the topsoil(0-20 cm)nitrate N and soil available P contents at harvest.However,yield was not correlated with the inputs of N,P,and K fertilizers.Based on the relationship(exponential decay model)between 95–105%of the relative yield and topsoil nitrate N,available P,and available K contents at wheat harvest from 60 field experiments,the topsoil critical nutrient values were determined as 34.6,15.6,and 150 mg kg^(-1)for soil nitrate N,available P,and available K,respectively.Then,based on five groups of relative yield(>125%,115–125%,105–115%,95–105%,and<95%)and the model,the five groups of topsoil critical nutrient levels and fertilization coefficients(Fc)were determined.Finally,we proposed a new method for calculating the recommended fertilizer input rate as:Fr=Gy×Nr×Fc,where Fr is the recommended fertilizer(N/P/K)input rate;Gy is the potential grain yield;Nr is the N(N_(rN)),P(N_(rP)),and K(N_(rK))nutrient requirements for wheat to produce 1,000 kg of grain;and Fc is a coefficient for N(N_c)/P(P_c)/K(K_c)fertilizer.A 2-year validated experiment confirmed that the new method reduced N fertilizer input by 17.5%(38.5 kg N ha^(-1))and P fertilizer input by 43.5%(57.5 kg P_(2)O_(5) ha^(-1))in northern China and did not reduce the wheat yield.This outcome can significantly increase the farmers’benefits(by 7.58%,or 139 US$ha^(-1)).Therefore,this new recommended fertilization method can be used as a tool to guide N,P,and K fertilizer application rates for dryland wheat production.

Effects of Different Application Methods and Application Rates of Biological Nano-Selenium on the Quality of Passion Fruit

[Objectives]To study the effects of different application methods and application rates of biological nano-selenium on the quality of passion fruit.[Methods]In this experiment,passion fruit Tainong 1 was sprayed with biological nano-selenium.The concentration of spraying refers to the recommended application rate of biological nano-selenium manufacturers.Three treatments with different concentrations were carried out:3,4.5 and 6 L/ha biological nano-selenium was sprayed on 100%root,(50%root+50%leaf surface)and 100%leaf surface of passion fruit,respectively.[Results]From the aspects of economic cost and rational utilization of resources,spraying 3 L/ha selenium fertilizer on the leaves of passion fruit played the best role in improving the quality of passion fruit.[Conclusions]To study the selenium-rich production technology of agricultural products and improve the quality of agricultural products is of great significance for improving human health and producing high-quality agricultural products.

Recent advances in the chemistry of nitrogen,phosphorus and potassium as fertilizers in soil:A review

The advent of civilization has made humans dependent on plants for food and medicine,leading to the intensification of agricultural production.The intense cultivation of crops has resulted in the depletion of available nutrients from soil,thereby demanding the application of excess nutrients to soil to improve yield.Thus,mineral fertilizer discovery and application have,in many ways,contributed greatly to meeting global food demands.However,aside from the positive effects of mineral fertilizers,their excessive application to soil produces large amounts of pollutants that affect environmental sustainability.This necessitates the study of the major mineral fertilizer elements(nitrogen(N),phosphorus(P),and potassium(K)),the forms in which they are applied to soil,and their chemistry/reactions in soil.Here,we reviewed the forms of different N,P,and K mineral fertilizers to provide current knowledge on their constituents,the chemistry of N,P,and K in soil to understand the reactions they undertake in soil,the efficient methods of fertilizer application for environmental sustainability,the effects of mineral fertilizer loss to the environment,and improved fertilization technologies for environmental sustainability.Nanofertilizers are a promising technology for sustainable agricultural production and are discussed in detail in this review.