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Increasing net ecosystem carbon budget and mitigating global warming potential with improved irrigation and nitrogen fertilization management of a spring wheat farmland system in arid Northwest China

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A Correction to this article was published on 15 May 2023

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Abstract

Background and aims

Inappropriate irrigation and nitrogen fertilization caused high global warming potential (GWP) while reduced carbon sequestration of farmland systems in arid regions. Understanding the effects of irrigation and nitrogen fertilization on net ecosystem carbon budget (NECB) and its components are crucial to mitigate GWP and increase carbon sequestration.

Methods

A field experiment was carried out to investigate the impact of irrigation and nitrogen fertilization on soil greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, crop net primary productivity (NPP), NECB and net GWP from spring wheat farmland in arid Northwest China. Three irrigation depth levels, 180, 315, and 450 mm and three nitrogen fertilization levels, 170, 250, and 340 kg ha–1 were designed.

Results

Irrigation and fertilization significantly affected GHG emissions and carbon sequestration of farmland system. Reducing irrigation depth from 450 to 315 mm reduced soil CO2 and N2O emissions but did not significantly reduce NPP. Increasing nitrogen fertilization from 170 kg ha–1 to 250 kg ha–1 improved NPP, but continuously increasing nitrogen input decreased NPP while increasing soil CO2 and N2O emissions. Therefore, the NECB first increased and then decreased, while the net GWP first decreased and then increased as the irrigation depth and nitrogen fertilization decreased. Overall, the moderate irrigation and fertilization treatment (i.e., 315 mm irrigation and 250 kg ha–1 nitrogen fertilization) obtained the highest NECB and the lowest net GWP.

Conclusion

Improving irrigation and fertilization management can increase carbon sequestration and mitigate the net GWP of farmland systems by increasing crop NPP and reducing soil GHG emissions.

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Data availability

All data generated or analyzed during this study are included in this published article and its supplementary information files.

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Acknowledgements

This research was jointly supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (U2243217, 52220105007) and the Key Research Project of Science and Technology in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China (2020, 2021).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Key Laboratory for Efficient Utilization of Agricultural Water Resources, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, People’s Republic of China

    Yue Li, Rong Wang, Zhijun Chen, Yunwu Xiong, Quanzhong Huang & Guanhua Huang

  2. Chinese-Israeli International Center for Research and Training in Agriculture, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, People’s Republic of China

    Yue Li, Rong Wang, Zhijun Chen, Yunwu Xiong, Quanzhong Huang & Guanhua Huang

  3. Center for Agricultural Water Research in China, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, People’s Republic of China

    Yue Li, Rong Wang, Zhijun Chen, Yunwu Xiong, Quanzhong Huang & Guanhua Huang

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  1. Yue Li
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Contributions

Yue Li: Investigation, Formal analysis, Writing—original draft. Rong Wang: Data curation. Zhijun Chen: Investigation. Yunwu Xiong: Methodology. Quanzhong Huang: Conceptualization. Guanhua Huang: Supervision, Writing—review & editing.

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Correspondence to Guanhua Huang.

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Li, Y., Wang, R., Chen, Z. et al. Increasing net ecosystem carbon budget and mitigating global warming potential with improved irrigation and nitrogen fertilization management of a spring wheat farmland system in arid Northwest China. Plant Soil 489, 193–209 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-023-06006-6

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