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 Sulfur Fertilizer Application Methods on Grain Protein Content During Filling Stage of Winter Wheat

[ Objective] The experiment aimed to provide a theoretical base of optimal cultivation management for the high yield and good quality and high efficiency of winter wheat. [ Method] The effects of two sulfur fertilizer application methods on dynamic changes of grain protein content and glutenin content of Yumai 49 and Yumai 66 during wheat grain filling stage were studied under the field conditions. [Result] Both the grain protein and glutenin content of two cultivars were increased by sulfur fertilizer, particularly, the effects on Yumai 49 were more significant.[ Conclusion] The grain content and glutenin content of different wheat cultivars could be increased by taking different sulfur fertilizer application methods.

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.

Effects of Different Soil Preparation and Fertilizer Application Methods on the Growth and Yield of the Rice-Crayfish Rotation Direct Seeding Rice Nongxiang 32

In order to improve the yield and fertilizer utilization of the ricecrayfish rotation and direct seeding rice Nongxiang 32,the effects of different soil preparation and fertilizer application methods on the growth,yield and fertilizer utilization of the variety were studied.The results showed that,under the rice-crayfish rotation and direct seeding farming mode,the contributions of seed setting rate,1000-grain weight,yield,and fertilizer contribution rate to yield of Nongxiang 32 in the treatments with rotary tillage with base fertilizer,rotary tillage without base fertilizer and no-tillage with base fertilizer were relatively higher than those in the treatments with rotary tillage without fertilizer,no-tillage without fertilizer and no-tillage without base fertilizer,and there were no significant differences between the three treatments.Rotary tillage with base fertilizer and rotary tillage without base fertilizer significantly increased the total number of stems and tillers,total number of ears,and number of effective ears.Rotary tillage and application of base fertilizer also significantly increased the number of tillers,plant weight and weed suppression ability in the early stage of rice growth.Therefore,in the different soil preparation and fertilizer application methods,the application of base fertilizer with rotary tillage was the best,followed by rotary tillage without base fertilizer and no-tillage with base fertilizer.

The Relationship between Forestland Soil Fertility and Gathering Firewood in the Zhuxi Watershed in the Red Soil Hilly Region of China

Declining soil fertility has become an increasingly urgent problem and gathering firewood is one of the important contributing factors.Due to the excessive exploitation of natural resources especially for firewood,the red soil hilly region has become one of the most vulnerable eco-environment regions in China.The pressure of gathering firewood on forestland soil fertility in forestland has been generally estimated by geographical information system and questionnaire method in this paper in the Zhuxi watershed of Changting County,Fujian Province,China,a typical representative in the red soil hilly region of China.The results of this study show that：i） Forestland soil fertility is negatively affected by gathering firewood,which is more intensive in the integrated buffer zone than out of zone.The forestland soil fertility grade,OM,total N,available N,total P,available P,total K,available K,pH and ＆lt;2μm clay content are lower and bulk density is higher in the integrated buffer zone than those out.ii） The forestland soil fertility grade,OM,total N,available N,total P,available P,total K,available K,pH and ＆lt;2μm clay content tend to be lower and bulk density tends to be higher in the village buffer zones than those out in Datian,Chenguang and Youfang respectively.iii） The population density,economic development and terrain might be the key driving forces contributing to the relationship between gathering firewood and forestland soil fertility.Higher population density leads to more massive firewood collection and imposes more pressure on forestland soil fertility.Decreasing the use of firewood stove may reduce firewood consumption and thus release the pressure of gathering firewood on forestland soil fertility.Terrain affects the accessibility to gathering firewood thus affects forestland soil fertility.Other driving forces influencing the relationship between gathering firewood and forestland soil fertility should also be taken into account in the further study.

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.

Effects of split applications of nitrogen fertilizers on the Cd level and nutritional quality of Chinese cabbage

Cadmium（Cd） contamination in soil is an increasingly serious problem.Management of plant nutrients has been proposed as a potentially promising strategy for minimizing Cd accumulation in crops grown in contaminated soil.This study investigated the effects of split applications of nitrogen（N） fertilizers on the Cd concentration in Chinese cabbage（Brassica chinensis L.） plants grown in Cd-contaminated soil.Compared with single applications, split applications of ammonium or urea resulted in significantly lower Cd concentrations, and higher biomass production and antioxidant-associated nutritional quality in the edible plant parts.However, when nitrate was used as the N fertilizer, there were no significant differences between the split and single applications for the same parameters.We conclude that a split application could be more beneficial than a single application method when ammonium or urea is used as the N fertilizer for vegetable cultivation in Cd-contaminated soil.