Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Reduced mineral fertilization coupled with straw return in field mesocosm vegetable cultivation helps to coordinate greenhouse gas emissions and vegetable production

  • Soils, Sec 1 • Soil Organic Matter Dynamics and Nutrient Cycling • Research Article
  • Published:
Journal of Soils and Sediments Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

The partial substitution of mineral fertilizers with straw in agricultural soils could help to control soil acidification, reduce the risk of eutrophication from agricultural runoff, and increase the utilization efficiency of straw. However, the effects of such coupled practices on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and production yields in vegetable fields are not clear. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to (1) understand methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions in response to the same amounts of straw return with varied amounts of mineral fertilizers, and (2) to identify a solution which could better coordinate GHG emissions, vegetable production yield, and the utilization of agricultural straw following disposal.

Materials and methods

We conducted four-season (lettuce-cabbage-chili-lettuce) vegetable cultivation for 1 year using a control treatment (CT), mineral fertilization only (F), and four mineral fertilization treatments plus maize straw (FS, 0.7FS, 0.6FS, and 0.5FS). We then examined seasonal changes of CH4 and N2O fluxes, CH4 and N2O cumulative emissions, soil organic carbon (SOC), nitrate nitrogen (NO3−-N) and ammonium nitrogen (NH4+-N) content, vegetable yields, global warming potential (GWP), greenhouse gas intensity (GHGI), and N2O emission factors (EF).

Results and discussion

Compared to the F treatment, the application of maize straw increased the N2O flux significantly in the FS, 0.7FS, 0.6FS, and 0.5FS treatments. In treatments with added straw, the reduced application of mineral fertilizer led to a reduction in the cumulative N2O emission; this was due to the reduced content of NO3−-N content. The lowest CH4 flux and cumulative CH4 emission were observed in the 0.7FS treatment; this may be due to a form of competitive oxidation between CH4 and NH4+-N from urea. Furthermore, the application of maize straw in combination with a full dose of mineral fertilizers led to high GWP and GHGI values, which showed increases of 88.7% and 78.8%, respectively, in comparison with the F treatment. When taking SOC storage variations into account, which were caused by straw decomposition during cultivation, we identified a negative net GHGI (NGHGI) value (− 0.0448 kg CO2-eq kg−1 yield) in the 0.7FS treatment. This indicated that the NGHGI had decreased by 116.2% relative to the F treatment when based on similar vegetable yields.

Conclusions

Straw combined with 70% mineral fertilizer led to better GHG emissions and vegetable yield when taking into account the carbon sequestration and decomposition caused by the addition of straw.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Allen DE, Kingston G, Rennenberg H, Dalal RC, Schmidt S (2010) Effect of nitrogen fertilizer management and waterlogging on nitrous oxide emission from subtropical sugarcane soils. Agric Ecosyst Environ 136:209–217

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Baggs EM, Stevenson M, Pihlatie M, Regar A, Cook H, Cadisch G (2003) Nitrous oxide emissions following application of residues and fertiliser under zero and conventional tillage. Plant Soil 254:361–370

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bateman EJ, Baggs EM (2005) Contributions of nitrification and denitrification to N2O emissions from soils at different water-filled pore space. Biol Fertil Soils 41:379–388

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cao CC, Qi YC, Dong YS, Peng Q, Liu XC, Sun LJ, Jia JQ, Guo SF, Yan ZQ (2014) Effects of nitrogen deposition on critical fractions of soil organic carbon in terrestrial ecosystems. Acta Prataculturae Ainica 23:323–332 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Ceschia E, Béziat P, Dejoux JF, Aubinet M, Bernhofer C, Bodson B, Buchmann N, Carrara A, Cellier P, Di Tommasi P, Elbers JA, Eugster W, Gruenwald T, Jacobs CMJ, Jans WWP, Jones M, Kutsch W, Lanigan G, Magliulo E, Marloie O, Moors EJ, Moureaux C, Olioso A, Osborne B, Sanz MJ, Saunders M, Smith P, Soegaard H, Wattenbach M (2010) Management effects on net ecosystem carbon and GHG budgets at European crop sites. Agric Ecosyst Environ 139:363–383

    Google Scholar 

  • Chan ASK, Steudler PA (2006) Carbon monoxide uptake kinetics in unamended and long-term nitrogen-amended temperate forest soils. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 57:343–354

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chen C, Pan J, Lam SK (2014) A review of precision fertilization research. Environ Earth Sci 71:4073–4080

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen D, Wang C, Shen J, Li Y, Wu J (2018) Response of CH4 emissions to straw and biochar applications in double-rice cropping systems: insights from observations and modeling. Environ Pollut 235:95–103

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chen H, Zhou J, Li B, Xiong ZQ (2019) Yield-scaled N2O emissions as affected by nitrification inhibitor and overdose fertilization under an intensively managed vegetable field: a three-year field study. Atmos Environ 206:247–257

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cheng Y, Wan J, Wang SQ, Zhang JB, Cai ZC (2014) Effects of soil moisture on gross N transformations and N2O emission in acid subtropical forest soils. Biol Fertil Soils 50:1099–1108

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Conrad R (2002) Control of microbial methane production in wetland rice fields. Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst 64:59–69

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dalal RC, Wang W, Robertson GP, Parton W (2003) Nitrous oxide emission from Australian agricultural lands and mitigation options: a review. Aust J Soil Res 41:165–195

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dendooven L, Patino-Zuniga L, Verhulst N, Luna-Guido M, Marsch R, Govaerts B (2012) Global warming potential of agricultural systems with contrasting tillage and residue management in the central highlands of Mexico. Agric Ecosyst Environ 152:50–58

    Google Scholar 

  • Dossouyovo ER, Brüggemann N, Ampofo E, Igue AM, Jesse N, Huat J, Agbossou EK (2016) Combining no-tillage, rice straw mulch and nitrogen fertilizer application to increase the soil carbon balance of upland rice field in northern Benin. Soil Tillage Res 163:152–159

    Google Scholar 

  • Gao B, Ju XT, Zhang Q, Christie P, Zhang FS (2011) New estimates of direct N2O emissions from Chinese croplands from 1980 to 2007 using localized emission factors. Biogeosciences 8:3011–3024

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gao B, Ju XT, Su F, Meng Q, Oenema O, Christie P, Chen X, Zhang F (2014) Nitrous oxide and methane emissions from optimized and alternative cereal cropping systems on the North China plain: a two-year field study. Sci Total Environ 472:112–124

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Htun YM, Tong YN, Gao PC, Ju XT (2017) Coupled effects of straw and nitrogen management on N2O and CH4 emissions of rain fed agriculture in Northwest China. Atmos Environ 157:156–166

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hu N, Wang B, Gu Z, Tao B, Zhang Z, Hu S, Zhu L, Meng Y (2016) Effects of different straw returning modes on greenhouse gas emissions and crop yields in a rice-wheat rotation system. Agric Ecosyst Environ 223:115–122

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Huang Y, Tang YH (2010) An estimate of greenhouse gas (N2O and CO2) mitigation potential under various scenarios of nitrogen use efficiency in Chinese croplands. Glob Chang Biol 16:2958–2970

    Google Scholar 

  • Huang Y, Zou JW, Zheng XH, Wang YS, Xu XK (2004) Nitrous oxide emissions as influenced by amendment of plant residue with different C: N ratios. Soil Biol Biochem 36:973–981

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Huang JX, Chen YQ, Sui P, Gao WS (2013a) Estimation of net greenhouse gas balance using crop- and soil-based approaches: two case studies. Sci Total Environ 456–457:299–306

    Google Scholar 

  • Huang T, Gao B, Christie P, Ju X (2013b) Net global warming potential and greenhouse gas intensity in a double-cropping cereal rotation as affected by nitrogen and straw management. Biogeosciences 10:7897–7911

    Google Scholar 

  • Huang R, Lan ML, Liu J, Gao M (2017) Soil aggregate and organic carbon distribution at dry land soil and paddy soil: the role of different straws returning. Environ Sci Pollut Res 24:27942–27952

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Huang R, Tian D, Liu J, Lv S, He XH, Gao M (2018) Responses of soil carbon pool and soil aggregates associated organic carbon to straw and straw-derived biochar addition in a dryland cropping mesocosm system. Agric Ecosyst Environ 265:576–586

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Huang R, Wang YY, Liu J, Li JC, Xu GX, Luo M, Xu C, Ci E, Gao M (2019) Variation in N2O emission and N2O related microbial functional genes in straw- and biochar-amended and non-amended soils. Appl Soil Ecol 37:57–68

    Google Scholar 

  • Hütsch BW (2001) Methane oxidation in non-flooded soils as affected by crop production d invited paper. Eur J Agron 14:237–260

    Google Scholar 

  • IPCC, Climate change (2007) The physical science basis. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, p 2007

    Google Scholar 

  • IPCC, Climate change (2014) Mitigation of climate change. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, p 2014

    Google Scholar 

  • Jia JX, Sun LY, Kong XW, Yan XY, Xiong ZQ (2012a) Annual N2O and CH4 emissions from intensively managed vegetable fields in Nanjing, China. Soil Sci Plant Nutr 58:91–103

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jia JX, Ma YC, Xiong ZQ (2012b) Net ecosystem carbon budget, net global warming potential and greenhouse gas intensity in intensive vegetable ecosystems in China. Agric Ecosyst Environ 150:27–37

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jiang Y, Van Groenigen KJ, Huang S, Hungate BA, Van Kessel C, Hu S et al (2017) Higher yields and lower methane emissions with new rice cultivars. Glob Chang Biol 23:4728–4738

    Google Scholar 

  • Ju X, Liu X, Zhang F, Roelcke M (2004) Nitrogen fertilisation, soil nitrate accumulation, and policy recommendations in several agricultural regions of China. AMBIO A J Hum Environ 33:300–305

    Google Scholar 

  • Kang LY, Fan BQ, Chen S, Chen Q (2018) Fertigation combined with catch crop maximize vegetable yield and minimize N and P surplus. Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst 112:89–99

    Google Scholar 

  • King GM, Schnell S (1994) Effect of increasing atmospheric methane concentration on ammonium inhibition of soil methane consumption. Nature 370:282–284

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kuzyakov Y, Friedel JK, Stahr K (2000) Review of mechanisms and quantification of priming effects. Soil Biol Biochem 32:1485–1498

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lan ZM, Chen CR, Rashti MR, Yang H, Zhang DK (2017) Stoichiometric ratio of dissolved organic carbon to nitrate regulates nitrous oxide emission from the biochar-amended soils. Sci Total Environ 576:559–571

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li D, Wang X (2007) Nitric oxide emission from a typical vegetable field in the Pearl River Delta, China. Atmos Environ 41:9498–9505

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li B, Fan CH, Zhang H, Chen ZZ, Sun LY, Xiong ZQ (2015) Combined effects of nitrogen fertilization and biochar on the net global warming potential, greenhouse gas intensity and net ecosystem economic budget in intensive vegetable agriculture in southeastern China. Atmos Environ 100:10–19

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liu H, Jiang G, Zhuang H, Wang K (2008) Distribution, utilization structure and potential of biomass resources in rural China: with special references of crop residues. Renew Sust Energ Rev 12:1402–1418

    Google Scholar 

  • Lu F, Wang X, Han B, Ouyang Z, Duan X, Zheng H (2010) Net mitigation potential of straw return to Chinese cropland: estimation with a full greenhouse gas budget model. Ecol Appl 20:634–647

    Google Scholar 

  • Luo GJ, Kiese R, Wolf B, Butterbach-Bahl K (2013) Effects of soil temperature and moisture on methane uptake and nitrous oxide emissions across three different ecosystem types. Biogeosci Discuss 10:927–965

    Google Scholar 

  • Mosier AR, Halvorson AD, Reule CA, Liu XJ (2006) Net global warming potential and greenhouse gas intensity in irrigated cropping systems in northeastern Colorado. J Environ Qual 35:1584–1598

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mu ZJ, Huang AY, Ni JP, Li JQ, Liu YY, Shi S, Xie DT, Hatano R (2013) Soil greenhouse gas fluxes and net global warming potential from intensively cultivated vegetable fields in southwestern China. J Soil Sci Plant Nutr 13:566–578

    Google Scholar 

  • Nakajima M, Cheng WG, Tang SR, Hori Y, Yaginuma E, Hattori S, Tawaraya K, Xu XK (2016) Modeling aerobic decomposition of rice straw during the off-rice season in an Andisol paddy soil in a cold temperate region of Japan: effects of soil temperature and moisture. Soil Sci Plant Nutr 62:90–98

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • NBSC (2014) China statistical Yearbook-2014, national bureau of statistics of China. China Statistics Press, Beijing

    Google Scholar 

  • NBSC (2017) China statistical Yearbook-2017, national bureau of statistics of China. China Statistics Press, Beijing

    Google Scholar 

  • Robertson GP, Grace PR (2004) Greenhouse gas fluxes in tropical and temperate agriculture: the need for a full-cost accounting of global warming potentials. Environ Dev Sustain 6:51–63

    Google Scholar 

  • Shan J, Yan X (2013) Effects of crop residue returning on nitrous oxide emissions in agricultural soils. Atmos Environ 71:170–175

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tang S, Cheng W, Hu R, Guigue J, Kimani SM, Tawaraya K, Xu X (2016) Simulating the effects of soil temperature and moisture in the off-rice season on rice straw decomposition and subsequent CH4 production during the growth season in a paddy soil. Biol Fertil Soils 52:739–748

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tariq A, Vu QD, Jensen LS, De Tourdonnet S, Sander BO, Wassmann R, Mai TV, De Neergaard A (2017) Mitigating CH4 and N2O emissions from intensive rice production systems in northern Vietnam: efficiency of drainage patterns in combination with rice residue incorporation. Agric Ecosyst Environ 249:101–111

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vera JC, Valeiro A, Posse G, Acreche MM (2017) To burn or not to burn: the question of straw burning and nitrogen fertilization effect on nitrous oxide emissions in sugarcane. Sci Total Environ 587:399–406

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang YQ, Guo XS (2008) Decomposition characteristics of crop-stalk under different incorporation methods. Chin J Eco-Agric 16:607–610 (in Chinese)

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang JY, Xiong ZQ, Yan XY (2011) Fertilizer-induced emission factors and background emissions of N2O from vegetable fields in China. Atmos Environ 45:6923–6929

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Xiong ZQ, Zhang XX (2017) Key role of efficient nitrogen application in low carbon agriculture. J Plant Nutr Fertil 23:1433–1440 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Xiong ZQ, Xie YX, Xing GX, Zhu ZL, Butenhoff C (2006) Measurements of nitrous oxide emissions from vegetable production in China. Atmos Environ 40:2225–2234

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yang JH, Wang CL, Dai HL (2008) Agricultural soil analysis and environmental monitoring. China Land Press, Beijing (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhang AF, Bian RJ, Pan GX, Cui LQ, Hussain Q, Li LQ, Zheng JW, Zheng JF, Zhang XH, Han XJ, Yu XY (2012) Effects of biochar amendment on soil quality, crop yield and greenhouse gas emission in a Chinese rice paddy: a field study of 2 consecutive rice growing cycles. Field Crops Res 127:153–160

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhang WF, Dou ZX, He P, Ju XT, Powlson D, Chadwick D, Norse D, Lu Y, Zhang Y, Wu L, Chen X, Cassman K, Zhang FS (2013) New technologies reduce greenhouse gas emissions from nitrogenous fertilizer in China. Proc Natl Acad Sci 110:8375–8380

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang M, Fan CH, Li QL, Li B, Zhu YY, Xiong ZQ (2015a) A 2-yr field assessment of the effects of chemical and biological nitrification inhibitors on nitrous oxide emissions and nitrogen use efficiency in an intensively managed vegetable cropping system. Agric Ecosyst Environ 201:43–50

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang ZS, Guo LJ, Liu TQ, Li CF, Cao CG (2015b) Effects of tillage practices and straw returning methods on greenhouse gas emissions and net ecosystem economic budget in rice-wheat cropping systems in Central China. Atmos Environ 122:636–644

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang M, Chen ZZ, Li QL, Fan CH, Xiong ZQ (2016a) Quantitative relationship between nitrous oxide emissions and nitrogen application rate for a typical intensive vegetable cropping system in southeastern China. Clean- Soil Air Water 44:1725–1732

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang M, Li B, Xiong ZQ (2016b) Effects of organic fertilizer on net global warming potential under an intensively managed vegetable field in southeastern China: a three-year field study. Atmos Environ 145:92–103

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang X, Zhang J, Zheng CY, Guan DH, Xie FJ, Chen JF, Hang XN, Jiang Y, Deng AX, Afreh D, Zhang WJ (2017) Significant residual effects of wheat fertilization on greenhouse gas emissions in succeeding soybean growing season. Soil Tillage Res 169:7–15

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhang FG, Che YY, Xiao Y (2019) Effects of rice straw incorporation and N fertilizer on ryegrass yield, soil quality, and greenhouse gas emissions from paddy soil. J Soils Sediments 19:1053–1063

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao YC, Wang MY, Hu SJ, Zhang XD, Ouyang Z, Zhang GL, Huang B, Zhao SW, Wu JS, Xie DT, Zhu B, Yu DS, Pan GX, Xu SX, Shi XZ (2018) Economics- and policy-driven organic carbon input enhancement dominates soil organic carbon accumulation in Chinese croplands. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 115:4045–4050

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zheng XH, Han SH, Huang Y, Wang YS, Wang MX (2004) Re-quantifying the emission factors based on field measurements and estimating the direct N2O emission from Chinese croplands. Glob Biogeochem Cycles 18:GB2018

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhu TB, Zhang JB, Cai ZC (2011) The contribution of nitrogen transformation processes to total N2O emissions from soils used for intensive vegetable cultivation. Plant Soil 343:313–327

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhu TB, Zhang JB, Yang WY, Cai ZC (2013) Effects of organic material amendment and water content on NO, N2O, and N2 emissions in a nitrate-rich vegetable soil. Biol Fertil Soils 49:153–163

    CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Funding

This work was supported by the National Key Research and Development Plan (Reference: 2017YFD0800101) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Reference: 41461069).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China

    Rong Huang, Jiang Liu, Xinhua He, Deti Xie, Jiupai Ni, En Ci, Zifang Wang & Ming Gao

  2. School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, 6009, Australia

    Xinhua He

  3. Chongqing Municipal Tobacco Company, Chongqing, 400023, China

    Chang Xu

  4. Guizhou Institute of Soil and Fertilizer, Guiyang, 550006, China

    Yarong Zhang

  5. Science Observing and Experimental Station of Arable Land Conservation and Agriculture Environmental (Guizhou), Ministry of Agriculture, Guiyang, 550006, China

    Yarong Zhang

Authors
  1. Rong Huang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jiang Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Xinhua He
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Deti Xie
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Jiupai Ni
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Chang Xu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Yarong Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. En Ci
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Zifang Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. Ming Gao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Zifang Wang or Ming Gao.

Additional information

Responsible editor: Zucong Cai

Publisher’s note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Electronic supplementary material

ESM 1

(DOCX 592 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Huang, R., Liu, J., He, X. et al. Reduced mineral fertilization coupled with straw return in field mesocosm vegetable cultivation helps to coordinate greenhouse gas emissions and vegetable production. J Soils Sediments 20, 1834–1845 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-019-02477-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-019-02477-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation