Capitalizing on multi-element interactions through bal-anced nutrition——A pathway to improve nitrogen use efficiency in China,India and North America

A viable option for increasing nitrogen (N) use efficiency and mitigation of negative impacts of N on the environment is to capitalize on multi-element interactions through implementation of nutrient management programs that provide balanced nutrition. Numerous studies have demonstrated the immediate efficacy of this approach in the developing regions like China and India as well as developed countries in North America. Based on 241 site-years of experiments in these countries, the first-year N recovery efficiency (RE) for the conventional or check treatments averaged 21% while the balanced treatments averaged 54% RE, for an average increase of 33% in RE due to balanced nutrition. Effective policies to promote adoption are most likely those that enable site-specific approaches to nutrient management decisions rather than sweeping, nation-wide incentives supporting one nutrient over another. Local farmers, advisers and officials need to be empowered with tools and information to help them define necessary changes in practices to create more balanced nutrient management.

Nitrogen Nutrition Index and Its Relationship with N Use Efficiency, Tuber Yield, Radiation Use Effi ciency, and Leaf Parameters in Potatoes

Knowledge about crop growth processes in relation to N limitation is necessary to optimize N management in farming system. Plant-based diagnostic method, for instance nitrogen nutrition index （NNI） were used to determine the crop nitrogen status. This study determines the relationship of NNI with agronomic nitrogen use efficiency （AEN）, tuber yield, radiation use efficiency （RUE） and leaf parameters including leaf area index （LAI）, areal leaf N content （NJ and leaf N concentration （N0. Potatoes were grown in field at three N levels： no N （N 1）, 150 kg N ha^-1 （N2）, 300 kg N ha^-1 （N3）. N deficiency was quantified by NNI and RUE was generally calculated by estimating of the light absorbance on leaf area. NNI was used to evaluate the N effect on tuber yield, RUE, LAI, NAL, and NL. The results showed that NNI was negatively correlated with AEN, N deficiencies （NNI〈 1） which occurred for N 1 and N2 significantly reduced LAI, NL and tuber yield; whereas the N deficiencies had a relative small effect on NAL and RUE. To remove any effect other than N on these parameters, the actual ratio to maximum values were calculated for each developmental linear relationships were obtained between NNI and tuber RUE to NNI. stage of potatoes. When the NNI ranged from 0.4 to 1, positive yield, LAI, NL, while a nonlinear regression fitted the response of

Postponed and reduced basal nitrogen application improves nitrogen use efficiency and plant growth of winter wheat

Excessive nitrogen(N) fertilization with a high basal N ratio in wheat can result in lower N use efficiency(NUE) and has led to environmental problems in the Yangtze River Basin, China. However, wheat requires less N fertilizer at seedling growth stage, and its basal N fertilizer utilization efficiency is relatively low; therefore, reducing the N application rate at the seedling stage and postponing the N fertilization period may be effective for reducing N application and increasing wheat yield and NUE. A 4-year field experiment was conducted with two cultivars under four N rates(240 kg N ha–1(N240), 180 kg N ha–1(N180), 150 kg N ha–1(N150), and 0 kg N ha–1(N0)) and three basal N application stages(seeding(L0), fourleaf stage(L4), and six-leaf stage(L6)) to investigate the effects of reducing the basal N application rate and postponing the basal N fertilization period on grain yield, NUE, and N balance in a soil-wheat system. There was no significant difference in grain yield between the N180 L4 and N240 L0(control) treatments, and the maximum N recovery efficiency and N agronomy efficiency were observed in the N180 L4 treatment. Grain yield and NUE were the highest in the L4 treatment. The leaf area index, flag leaf photosynthesis rate, flag leaf nitrate reductase and glutamine synthase activities, dry matter accumulation, and N uptake post-jointing under N180 L4 did not differ significantly from those under N240 L0. Reduced N application decreased the inorganic N content in the 0–60-cm soil layer, and the inorganic N content of the L6 treatment was higher than those of the L0 and L4 treatments at the same N level. Surplus N was low under the reduced N rates and delayed basal N application treatments. Therefore, postponing and reducing basal N fertilization could maintain a high yield and improve NUE by improving the photosynthetic production capacity, promoting N uptake and assimilation, and reducing surplus N in soil-wheat systems.

Integrated application of February Orchid(Orychophragmus violaceus) as green manure with chemical fertilizer for improving grain yield and reducing nitrogen losses in spring maize system in northern China

The development of more efficient management systems is crucial to achieving high grain yields with high nitrogen use efficiency（NUE）. February Orchid-spring maize rotation system is a newly established planting system with the benefits of ground cover and potential wind erosion in northern China. A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of integrated application of February Orchid as green manure with reduction of chemical fertilizers（INTEGRATED） on spring maize yield, N uptake, ammonium volatilization, and soil residual mineral N in northern China. Compared to farmers＇ traditional fertilization（CON）, integrated application of February Orchid as green manure with 30% reduction of nitrogen fertilizers（INTEGRATED） increased maize grain yield and biomass by 9.9 and 10.2%, respectively. The 0–100 cm soil residual Nmin at harvest was decreased by 58.5% and thus nitrogen use efficiency was increased significantly by 26.7%. The nitrogen balance calculation further demonstrated that the INTEGRATED approach performed better than CON with lower apparent nitrogen loss（decreased by 48.9%） which evidenced by the ammonium volatilization of top-dressing fertilizer was decreased by 31.1%, the N_（min） movement to the deeper soil layers was reduced, and the apparent nitrogen leaching loss nearly equal to 0 under the INTEGRATED treatment. Therefore, in northern China, integrated application of green manure and chemical fertilizers is an efficient management approach for improving maize yields and NUE simultaneously.

水稻氮素吸收、利用与硅素营养的关系

研究了30个水稻品种氮素吸收、利用与硅素积累的关系及高效硅肥对2个水稻品种氮素吸收与利用的影响。结果表明,水稻品种氮素积累量与硅素积累量呈极显著正相关,但氮素含量与硅素含量的相关性不显著。水稻品种的氮素干物质生产效率(NDMPE)与其体内N、P、K、Si积累的平衡有关,NDMPE与养分平衡指数呈显著正相关,与养分偏离系数呈显著负相关,但氮素吸收量与养分平衡指数和养分偏离系数的相关不显著。硅肥提高了叶片GPT转氨酶和籽粒淀粉分支酶(Q酶)活性,从而促进了水稻对氮素的吸收,但其NDMPE却随氮素积累量的增加而降低。施硅水平对灌浆期籽粒Q酶活性的下降速度产生重要影响,施硅水平愈高,Q酶活性下降愈快。

葡萄均衡营养肥对鲜食葡萄品质的影响

为了实施精准施肥,减少氮、磷、钾肥的施用量,提高葡萄树对养分的吸收利用率以及葡萄的品质和产量,以“金手指”和“龙眼”2个葡萄品种为试验对象进行了施肥对比试验,以探讨葡萄均衡营养肥的施用效果。试验结果表明:葡萄均衡营养肥在大幅降低氮、磷、钾肥施用量的情况下,可不同程度地提高葡萄的单果质量、果穗质量和产量,葡萄的可溶性固形物、可溶性总糖、有机酸、VC、总酚、黄酮、氨基酸等含量也有不同程度的提高。葡萄均衡营养肥不仅达到了减肥增效的目的,而且可以大幅改善葡萄品质。

长期定位条件下栽培模式对麦田土壤理化性质和氮素平衡的影响

【目的】基于2009—2010小麦生长季开始设置的长期定位试验,研究栽培模式对土壤理化性质、冬小麦氮素营养指数、麦田氮素供需平衡状况、氮素吸收利用和籽粒产量的影响,以期为进一步优化土壤-作物系统综合管理模式提供理论指导。【方法】试验共设置当地农户模式(T1)、农户基础上的改良模式(T2)、不计生产成本的高产更高产模式(T3)和土壤-作物系统综合管理模式(T4)4个栽培模式。【结果】历经13个小麦-玉米生长季后,T1、T2、T3、T4模式小麦播前容重分别降低6.21%、9.80%、12.25%和13.56%,有机质含量分别提高21.88%、26.80%、32.05%和36.39%,全氮含量分别提高34.16%、12.38%、39.60%和20.79%,碱解氮含量分别提高47.85%、48.87%、74.49%和62.21%,速效磷含量分别提高62.73%、36.56%、297.93%和68.68%,速效钾含量分别提高14.36%、40.00%、221.20%和59.60%。0—100 cm土层无机氮积累量分别提高了33.96%、10.32%、52.77%和19.49%。pH分别从最初的7.50下降至6.28、6.68、5.35和6.64。2020—2022生长季4个栽培模式间籽粒产量和氮素的吸收利用差异显著。与T1模式相比,T2、T3、T4模式的籽粒产量分别提高14.14%、27.65%、22.52%,氮素利用率分别提高54.80%、19.97%、49.15%,氮肥利用率分别提高72.95%、37.54%、48.15%,氮素表观损失量分别降低49.76%、11.62%、44.14%,氮素表观损失率分别降低24.63%、11.62%、26.68%。T4模式开花期的整株和成熟期的穗子处于氮素供需平衡。【结论】历经13个小麦-玉米生长季后,4个栽培模式0—20 cm土层土壤酸化趋势明显,表层土壤容重降低,有机质、全氮、速效氮磷钾养分含量升高,0—100 cm土层无机氮积累量相应升高。与其他3种模式相比,T4模式更有利于实现土壤理化性状、小麦籽粒产量和氮素吸收利用的协同改善,但其氮肥利用率仍有待进一步提高,且在现有基础上仅通过降低施氮量无法实现其产量和氮素吸收利用的进一步协同优化。

Trends of Yield and Soil Fertility in a Long-Term Wheat-Maize System

The sustainability of the wheat-maize rotation is important to China＇s food security. Intensive cropping without recycling crop residues or other organic inputs results in the loss of soil organic matter （SOM） and nutrients, and is assumed to be non- sustainable. We evaluated the effects of nine different treatments on yields, nitrogen use efficiency, P and K balances, and soil fertility in a wheat-maize rotation system （1991-2010） on silt clay loam in Shaanxi, China. The treatments involved the application of recommended dose of nitrogen （N）, nitrogen and phosphorus （NP）, nitrogen and potassium （NK）, phosphorus and potassium （PK）, combined NPK, wheat or maize straw （S） with NPK （SNPK）, or dairy manure （M） with NPK （M1NPK and M2NPK）, along with an un-treated control treatment （CK）. The mean yields of wheat and maize ranged from 992 and 2 235 kg ha-1 under CK to 5 962 and 6 894 kg ha-1 under M2NPK treatment, respectively. Treatments in which either N or P was omitted （N, NK and PK） gave significantly lower crop yields than those in which both were applied. The crop yields obtained under NP, NPK and SNPK treatments were statistically identical, as were those obtained under SNPK and MNPK. However, M2NPK gave a significant higher wheat yield than NP, and MNPK gave significant higher maize yield than both NP and NPK. Wheat yields increased significantly （by 86 to 155 kg ha-1 yr-1） in treatments where NP was applied, but maize yields did not. In general, the nitrogen use efficiency of wheat was the highest under the NP and NPK treatments; for maize, it was the highest under MNPK treatment. The P balance was highly positive under MNPK treatment, increasing by 136 to 213 kg ha-1 annually. While the K balance was negative in most treatments, ranging from 31 to 217 kg ha^-1 yr^-1, levels of soil available K remained unchanged or increased over the 20 yr. SOM levels increased significantly in all treatments. Overall, the results indicated that combinations of organic manure and inorganic nitrogen, or retuming straw with NP is likely to improve soil fertility, increasing the yields achievable with wheat-maize system in a way which is environmentally and agronomically beneficial on the tested soil.

A New Critical Nitrogen Dilution Curve for Rice Nitrogen Status Diagnosis in Northeast China

In-season diagnosis of crop nitrogen(N) status is crucial for precision N management. Critical N(N_c) dilution curve and N nutrition index(NNI) have been proposed as effective methods to diagnose N status of different crops. The N_c dilution curves have been developed for indica rice in the tropical and temperate zones and japonica rice in the subtropical-temperate zone, but they have not been evaluated for short-season japonica rice in Northeast China. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the previously developed N_c dilution curves for rice in Northeast China and to develop a more suitable N_c dilution curve in this region. A total of17 N rate experiments were conducted in Sanjiang Plain, Heilongjiang Province in Northeast China from 2008 to 2013. The results indicated that none of the two previously developed N_c dilution curves was suitable to diagnose N status of the short-season japonica rice in Northeast China. A new N_c dilution curve was developed and can be described by the equation N_c = 27.7 W^(-0.34) if W ≥ 1 Mg dry matter(DM) ha^(-1) or N_c = 27.7 g kg^(-1) DM if W < 1 Mg DM ha^(-1), where W is the aboveground biomass. This new curve was lower than the previous curves. It was validated using a separate dataset, and it could discriminate non-N-limiting and N-limiting nutritional conditions. Additional studies are needed to further evaluate it for diagnosing N status of different rice cultivars in Northeast China and develop efficient non-destructive methods to estimate NNI for practical applications.

Key variable for simulating critical nitrogen dilution curve of wheat:Leaf area ratio-driven approach

Nitrogen(N)dilution curves,a pivotal tool for N nutrition diagnosis,have been developed using different winter wheat(Triticum aestivum L.)tissues.However,few studies have attempted to establish critical nitrogen(N_(c))dilution curves based on the leaf area ratio(LAR)to improve the monitoring accuracy of N status.In this study,three field experiments using eight N treatments and four wheat varieties were conducted in Jiangsu Province of China from 2013 to 2016.The empirical relationship of LAR with shoot biomass(expressed as dry matter)was developed under different N conditions.The results showed that LAR was a reliable index,which reduced the effects of wheat varieties and years compared with the traditional indicators.The N nutrition index(NNI)based on the LAR approach(NNI-LAR)produced equivalent results to that based on shoot biomass.Moreover,the NNI-LAR better predicted accumulated N deficit and best estimated the relative yield compared with the other two indicator-based NNI models.Therefore,the LAR-based approach improved the prediction accuracy of N_(c),accumulated N deficit,and relative yield,and it would be an optimal choice to conveniently diagnose the N status of winter wheat under field conditions.

EXPLORING THE RECYCLING OF MANURE FROM URBAN LIVESTOCK FARMS:A CASE STUDY IN ETHIOPIA

Urban population growth is driving the expansion of urban and peri-urban agriculture(UPA)in developing countries.UPA is providing nutritious food to residents but the manures produced by UPA livestock farms and other wastes are not properly recycled.This paper explores the effects of four scenarios:(1)a reference scenario(business as usual),(2)increased urbanization,(3)UPA intensification,and(4)improved technology,on food-protein self-sufficiency,manure nitrogen(N)recycling and balances for four different zones in a small city(Jimma)in Ethiopia during the period 2015-2050.An N mass flow model with data from farm surveys,field experiments and literature was used.A field experiment was conducted and N use efficiency and N fertilizer replacement values differed among the five types of composts derived from urban livestock manures and kitchen wastes.The N use efficiency and N fertilizer replacement values were used in the N mass flow model.Livestock manures were the main organic wastes in urban areas,although only 20 to 40%of animal-sourced food consumed was produced in UPA,and only 14 to 19%of protein intake by residents was animal-based.Scenarios indicate that manure production in UPA will increase 3 to 10 times between 2015 and 2050,depending on urbanization and UPA intensification.Only 13 to 38%of manure N will be recycled in croplands.Farm-gate N balances of UPA livestock farms will increase to>1 t·ha−1 in 2050.Doubling livestock productivity and feed protein conversion to animal-sourced food will roughly halve manure N production.Costs of waste recycling were high and indicate the need for government incentives.Results of these senarios are wake-up calls for all stakeholders and indicate alternative pathways.