Relay-intercropping soybean with maize maintains soil fertility and increases nitrogen recovery efficiency by reducing nitrogen input

Optimized nitrogen(N)management can increase N-use efficiency in intercropping systems.Legume-nonlegume intercropping systems can reduce N input by exploiting biological N fixation by legumes.Measurement of N utilization can help in dissecting the mechanisms underlying N uptake and utilization in legume-nonlegume intercropping systems.An experiment was performed with three planting patterns:monoculture maize(MM),monoculture soybean(SS),and maize-soybean relay intercropping(IMS),and three N application levels:zero N(NN),reduced N(RN),and conventional N(CN)to investigate crop N uptake and utilization characteristics.N recovery efficiency and 15N recovery rate of crops were higher under RN than under CN,and those under RN were higher under intercropping than under the corresponding monocultures.Compared with MM,IMS showed a lower soil N-dependent rate(SNDR)in 2012.However,the SNDR of MM rapidly declined from 86.8%in 2012 to 49.4%in 2014,whereas that of IMS declined slowly from 75.4%in 2012 to 69.4%in 2014.The interspecific N competition rate(NCRms)was higher under RN than under CN,and increased yearly.Soybean nodule dry weight and nitrogenase activities were respectively 34.2%and 12.5%higher under intercropping than in monoculture at the beginning seed stage.The amount(Ndfa)and ratio(%Ndfa)of soybean N2 fixation were significantly greater under IS than under SS.In conclusion,N fertilizer was more efficiently used under RN than under CN;in particular,the relay intercropping system promoted N fertilizer utilization in comparison with the corresponding monocultures.An intercropping system helps to maintain soil fertility because interspecific N competition promotes biological N fixation by soybean by reducing N input.Thus,a maize-soybean relay intercropping system with reduced N application is sustainable and environmentally friendly.

Magnesium fertilizer application increases peanut growth and pod yield under reduced nitrogen application in southern China

This study investigated the effect of magnesium application on peanut growth and yield under two nitrogen(N)application rates in acidic soil in southern China.The chlorophyll content,net photosynthetic rate and dry matter accumulation of the N-sensitive cultivar decreased under reduced N treatments,whereas no effect was observed on the relevant indicators in the N-insensitive variety GH1026.Mg application increased the net photosynthetic rate by increasing the expression of genes involved in chlorophyll synthesis and Rubisco activity in the leaves during the pegging stage under 50%N treatment,while no effect on the net photosynthetic rate was observed under the 100%N treatment.The rate of dry matter accumulation at the early growth stage,total dry matter accumulation and pod yield at harvest increased after Mg application under 50%N treatment by increasing the transportation of assimilates from stems and leaves to pods in both peanut varieties,whereas no effect was found under 100%N treatment.Moreover,Mg application increased the NUE under 50%N treatment.No improvement of NUE in either peanut variety was found under 100%N treatment,while Mg application under the 50%N treatment can obtain a higher economic benefit than the 100%N treatment.In acidic soil,application of 307.5 kg ha^(-1)of Mg sulfate fertilizer under 50%reduced nitrogen application is a suitable fertilizer management measure for improving carbon assimilation,NUE and achieve high peanut yields in southern China.

Impact of Silicon,Zinc,Boron Combined with Reduced Nitrogen Fertilization on Rice Growth

Under the condition of reduced application of nitrogen fertilizer, the impact of silicor）, zinc and boron on rice growth was investigated by field experiment. The results showed that when the application amount of nitrogen fertilizer was reduced by 20%, the application of silicon, zinc and boron did not reduce the yield of rice, but reduced the incidence of panicle blast in rice and optimized the structure of rice production.

Effects of Reduced Nitrogen Fertilization and Biochar Application on CO_2 and N_2O Emissions from a Summer Maize-Winter Wheat Rotation Field in North China

This experiment was conducted in Xinxiang, Henan from June 2013 to June 2014. Total four treatments were designed including farmers ’ common practice （F, 250 kg/hm^2）, 80% F （LF, 200 kg/hm^2）, 80% F＋biochar （LFC） and no fertilizer （CK） to measure the dynamic emissions of CO2 and N2O from a summer maize-winter wheat field by static chamber-gas chromatography method. The results showed that the soil CO2 emission was 21.8-1 022.7 mg/（m^2·h）, and was mainly influenced by soil temperature and moisture content. During the growth of summer maize, the soil CO2 emission was more significantly affected by soil moisture con-tent; and in winter wheat growing season, it was more significantly affected by soil temperature in the top 5 cm. The LF and LFC treatments significantly reduced the soil cumulative CO2 emission, especial y during the growth of winter wheat. Fertiliza-tion and irrigation were the main factors influencing the soil N2O emission. The soil N2O emission during the fertilization period accounted for 73.9%-74.5% and 40.5%-43.6% of the soil cumulative N2O emission during the summer maize-and winter wheat-growing season, respectively. The peak of emission fluxes was determined by fertilization amount, while the occurrence time of emission peak and emission re-duction effect were influenced by irrigation. The LF treatment reduced the soil cu-mulative N2O emission by 15.7%-16.8% and 18.1%-18.5% during the growth period of summer maize and winter wheat, respectively. Reduced nitrogen fertilization is an effective way for reducing N2O emission in intensive high-yielding farmland. Under a suitable nitrogen level （200 kg/hm^2）, the application of biochar showed no significant effect on the soil N2O emission in a short term. The N2O emission factors of the L and LF treatments were 0.60% and 0.56%, respectively. ln the intensive high-yield-ing farmland of North China, reducing the nitrogen application amount is an appro-priate measure to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions without crop yield loss.

Atmospheric deposition of inorganic nitrogen in a semi-arid grassland of Inner Mongolia, China

Due to increasing global demand for crop production and energy use, more and more reactive nitrogen（Nr） has been generated and emitted to the environment. As a result, global atmospheric nitrogen（N） deposition has tripled since the industrial revolution and the ecological environment and human health have been harmed. In this study, we measured dry and wet/bulk N deposition from July 2013 to December 2015 in a semi-arid grassland of Duolun County, Inner Mongolia, China. The samples of dry and wet/bulk N deposition were collected monthly with a DELTA（DEnuder for Long Term Atmospheric sampling） system and with Gradko passive samplers and a precipitation gauge. The measured results show that the annual mean concentrations of NH_3, NO_2, HNO_3, particulate NH_4~＋（pNH_4~＋） and particulate NO_3^-（pNO_3^-） in atmosphere were 2.33, 1.90, 0.18, 1.42 and 0.42 μg N/m3, respectively, and that the annual mean volume-weighted concentrations of NH_4~＋-N and NO_3^--N in precipitation were 2.71 and 1.99 mg N/L, respectively. The concentrations of Nr components（including NH_3, NO_2, HNO_3, p NH_4~＋, pNO_3^-, NH_4~＋-N and NO_3^--N） exhibited different seasonal variations. Specifically, NO_2 and HNO_3 exhibited higher concentrations in autumn than in summer, while the other Nr components（NH_3, pNH_4~＋, pNO_3^-, NH_4~＋-N and NO_3^--N） showed the highest values in summer. Based on measured concentrations of Nr components and their deposition velocities estimated using the GEOS-Chem global atmospheric chemical transport model, the calculated annual mean dry deposition fluxes were 3.17, 1.13, 0.63, 0.91 and 0.36 kg N/（hm^2·a） for NH_3, NO_2, HNO_3, p NH_4~＋ and pNO_3^-, respectively, and the calculated annual mean wet/bulk deposition fluxes were 5.37 and 3.15 kg N/（hm^2·a） for NH_4~＋-N and NO_3^--N, respectively. The estimated annual N deposition（including dry N deposition and wet/bulk N deposition） reached 14.7 kg N/（hm^2·a） in grassland of Duolun County, approaching to the upper limit of the N critical load（10–15 kg N/（hm^2·a））. Dry and wet/bulk deposition fluxes of all Nr components（with an exception of HNO_3） showed similar seasonal variations with the maximum deposition flux in summer and the minimum in winter. Reduced Nr components（e.g., gaseous NH_3 and p NH_4~＋ in atmosphere and NH_4~＋-N in precipitation） dominated the total N deposition at the sampling site（accounted for 64% of the total N deposition）, suggesting that the deposited atmospheric Nr mainly originated from agricultural activities. Considering the projected future increases in crop and livestock production in Inner Mongolia, the ecological and human risks to the negative effects of increased N deposition could be increased if no mitigation measures are taken.

Reduced nitrogen application rate with dense planting improves rice grain yield and nitrogen use efficiency: A case study in east China

Dense planting could be a feasible method for reducing nitrogen(N) application rates without compromising rice grain yield in northeast and central China. It is still unclear whether reduced N application with dense planting(RNDP) can achieve higher rice yield and N use efficiency(NUE) in Jiangsu, east China. Three japonica inbred rice(JI) and three indica hybrid rice(IH) cultivars were grown in a field experiment. Their grain yield, NUE, and related traits were compared under two cultivation treatments:conventional high-yielding practice(CHYP) and RNDP. JI showed similar yields under the two treatments,while IH showed lower yield under RNDP than under CHYP, and the partial factor productivity of N and N use efficiency for grain yield increased(P < 0.05) in both JI and IH under RNDP. Compared with CHYP,RNDP reduced spikelets per panicle but increased panicles per m2 and filled-kernel percentage of JI and IH, and JI's kernel weight was increased(P < 0.05) under RNDP. Shoot biomass weight and nonstructural carbohydrate(NSC) content in the stem at heading and maturity of JI and IH were reduced under RNDP, while harvest index and NSC remobilization reserve were increased(P < 0.05) under RNDP, especially for JI. Our results suggest that RNDP could achieve a higher rice grain yield and NUE, particularly for JI, a dominant rice cultivar type in Jiangsu. For JI, the increased panicles per m2, sink-filling efficiency, harvest index, and NSC remobilization after heading under RNDP contributed to a grain yield similar to that under CHYP.

Application of Aisi Si/TE Compound Bacterial Fertilizer in Rice

[Objectives]To investigate the application effect of compound microbial fertilizer on crops.[Methods]Livestock and poultry breeding waste,rapeseed cake and peanut straw were fully decomposed,and then added with compound functional microbial inoculum to produce Aisi Si/TE(active chelated silicon/trace element)compound microbial fertilizer,which was used to conduct 10%nitrogen reduction alternative fertilization experiment on rice.[Results]The yield of rice applied with 225 kg/ha Aisi Si/TE compound bacterial fertilizer was 7203 kg/ha,increased by 5.4%,6.9%and 46.9%,respectively compared to those of rice applied with 225 kg/ha inactivated Aisi Si/TE compound microbial fertilizer,conventional fertilization and blank control(P<0.01).Application of Aisi Si/TE compound microbial fertilizer to rice improved soil organic matter and effective nutrient content and showed obvious effect of saving nitrogen and increasing yield and income.In addition,it provided a good micro-ecological environment,passivated and solidified heavy metals,effectively reduced the biological mobility of heavy metals,and greatly reduced the cadmium content in rice.[Conclusions]Application of Aisi Si/TE compound microbial fertilizer is beneficial to improving the quality of agricultural products.