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Partial substitution of urea fertilizers by manure increases crop yield and nitrogen use efficiency of a wheat–maize double cropping system

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Abstract

The Chinese government aims at reducing nutrients losses from agriculture through incentivising the substitution of synthetic fertilizer by animal manure applications. This paper addresses the question how different substitution ratios affect crop yield, nitrogen (N) utilization efficiency (NUE), ammonia (NH3) volatilization and the N balance of a typical winter wheat–summer maize double cropping system. A field experiment was conducted with six treatments, including a no N treatment and five N substitution ratios (100%, 75%, 50%, 25% and 0%), between October 2016 and September 2018. The yield and NUE were highest with a partial N substitution (75% inorganic N fertilizer + 25 manure N). Mean yields were 8553 kg ha−1 for wheat and 10,620 kg ha−1 for maize in the treatment with 75% inorganic N + 25% manure N. Mean NUE was 55% for wheat and 45% for maize in this treatment. The mean N balance, N uptake, and soil residual Nmin increased, while NH3 emissions and N surpluses decreased with an increasing substitution of synthetic N fertilizer by manure N. A substitution of 25% of the inorganic N fertilizer by manure N showed the best performance. Selecting the appropriate ratio of synthetic N fertilizer to manure is an effective pathway for green agricultural development, as it ensures a high crop yield and N utilization, and reduces the environmental cost of food production.

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Acknowledgements

This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Number 31272247) and the Program of International S&T Cooperation, Ministry of Science and Technology, China (Grant Number 2015DFG91990).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Hebei Agricultural University, No. 289 Lingyusi Street, Baoding, 071001, China

    Bingxin Tong, Shiqiang Wang & Wenqi Ma

  2. College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, National Academy of Agriculture Green Development, Key Laboratory of Plant-Soil Interactions, Ministry of Education, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China

    Bingxin Tong & Yong Hou

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  1. Bingxin Tong
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Tong, B., Hou, Y., Wang, S. et al. Partial substitution of urea fertilizers by manure increases crop yield and nitrogen use efficiency of a wheat–maize double cropping system. Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst 127, 11–21 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10705-022-10219-z

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