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Crop production kept stable and sustainable with the decrease of nitrogen rate in North China Plain: An economic and environmental assessment over 8 years.

ABSTRACT: In pursuit of maximum grain yield farmers in the North China Plain usually apply excessive N fertilizer, resulting in wasted resources and environmental pollution. To assess the economic and environmental performances of different nitrogen rates will be conductive to sustain cleaner crop production. An 8-year field experiment was carried out with four treatments, N0 (0?kg?ha^-1 for winter wheat and summer maize), N1 (168?kg?ha^-1 for winter wheat and 129?kg?ha^-1 for summer maize), N2 (240?kg?ha^-1 for winter wheat and 185?kg?ha^-1 for summer maize) and N3 (300?kg?ha^-1 for winter wheat and summer maize), on the double cropping at Dawenkou research field (36°11'N, 117°06'E), Shandong Province, China. The crop production, soil physical-chemical parameters, and greenhouse gas emission are measured and the economic and environmental performances are assessed. The optimal nitrogen rate obtained the highest grain yield of summer maize in 4 of 8 year and was equivalent to conventional N rate in the other years. The nitrogen partial factor productivity and agronomic efficiency of optimal nitrogen rate was 63% and 58% higher than that of conventional nitrogen rate. The optimal nitrogen rate effectively decreased soil bulk density and increased weight percentage of water-stable aggregate and activities of urease and invertase compared to conventional nitrogen rate, which improved soil productivity. The fertilizer nitrogen loss and global warming potential of optimal nitrogen rate reduced by 76% and 35% compared to conventional nitrogen rate. The annual greenhouse gas intensity of optimal nitrogen rate decreased by 14-35% compared to others. The net ecosystem economic budget under optimal nitrogen rate is 252-604 $ ha^-1 yr.^-1 higher than other addition levels. The optimal nitrogen rate produces more grains and obtains higher economic and environmental benefits.

SUBMITTER: Liu Z

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6920463 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Crop production kept stable and sustainable with the decrease of nitrogen rate in North China Plain: An economic and environmental assessment over 8 years.

Liu Zheng Z Yu Ningning N Camberato James J JJ Gao Jia J Liu Peng P Zhao Bin B Zhang Jiwang J

Scientific reports 20191218 1

In pursuit of maximum grain yield farmers in the North China Plain usually apply excessive N fertilizer, resulting in wasted resources and environmental pollution. To assess the economic and environmental performances of different nitrogen rates will be conductive to sustain cleaner crop production. An 8-year field experiment was carried out with four treatments, N0 (0 kg ha-1 for winter wheat and summer maize), N1 (168 kg ha-1 for winter wheat and 129 kg ha-1 fo ...[more]

PMID: 31852971

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Project description:Improved prediction of optimal N fertilizer rates for corn (Zea mays L.) can reduce N losses and increase profits. We tested the ability of the Agricultural Production Systems sIMulator (APSIM) to simulate corn and soybean (Glycine max L.) yields, the economic optimum N rate (EONR) using a 16-year field-experiment dataset from central Iowa, USA that included two crop sequences (continuous corn and soybean-corn) and five N fertilizer rates (0, 67, 134, 201, and 268 kg N ha-1) applied to corn. Our objectives were to: (a) quantify model prediction accuracy before and after calibration, and report calibration steps; (b) compare crop model-based techniques in estimating optimal N rate for corn; and (c) utilize the calibrated model to explain factors causing year to year variability in yield and optimal N. Results indicated that the model simulated well long-term crop yields response to N (relative root mean square error, RRMSE of 19.6% before and 12.3% after calibration), which provided strong evidence that important soil and crop processes were accounted for in the model. The prediction of EONR was more complex and had greater uncertainty than the prediction of crop yield (RRMSE of 44.5% before and 36.6% after calibration). For long-term site mean EONR predictions, both calibrated and uncalibrated versions can be used as the 16-year mean differences in EONR's were within the historical N rate error range (40-50 kg N ha-1). However, for accurate year-by-year simulation of EONR the calibrated version should be used. Model analysis revealed that higher EONR values in years with above normal spring precipitation were caused by an exponential increase in N loss (denitrification and leaching) with precipitation. We concluded that long-term experimental data were valuable in testing and refining APSIM predictions. The model can be used as a tool to assist N management guidelines in the US Midwest and we identified five avenues on how the model can add value toward agronomic, economic, and environmental sustainability.

Dataset Information

Crop production kept stable and sustainable with the decrease of nitrogen rate in North China Plain: An economic and environmental assessment over 8 years.

Publications

Crop production kept stable and sustainable with the decrease of nitrogen rate in North China Plain: An economic and environmental assessment over 8 years.

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