Quantifying N response and N use efficiency in rice–wheat (RW) cropping systems under different water management

2009 ◽  
Vol 147 (3) ◽  
pp. 303-312 ◽  
Author(s):  
Q. JING ◽  
H. VAN KEULEN ◽  
H. HENGSDIJK ◽  
W. CAO ◽  
P. S. BINDRABAN ◽  
...  

SUMMARYAbout 0·10 of the food supply in China is produced in rice–wheat (RW) cropping systems. In recent decades, nitrogen (N) input associated with intensification has increased much more rapidly than N use in these systems. The resulting nitrogen surplus increases the risk of environmental pollution as well as production costs. Limited information on N dynamics in RW systems in relation to water management hampers development of management practices leading to more efficient use of nitrogen and water. The present work studied the effects of N and water management on yields of rice and wheat, and nitrogen use efficiencies (NUEs) in RW systems. A RW field experiment with nitrogen rates from 0 to 300 kg N/ha with continuously flooded and intermittently irrigated rice crops was carried out at the Jiangpu experimental station of Nanjing Agricultural University of China from 2002 to 2004 to identify improved nitrogen management practices in terms of land productivity and NUE.Nitrogen uptake by rice and wheat increased with increasing N rates, while agronomic NUE (kg grain/kg N applied) declined at rates exceeding 150 kg N/ha. The highest combined grain yields of rice and wheat were obtained at 150 and 300 kg N/ha per season in rice and wheat, respectively. Carry-over of residual N from rice to the subsequent wheat crop was limited, consistent with low soil nitrate after rice harvest. Total soil N hardly changed during the experiment, while soil nitrate was much lower after wheat than after rice harvest. Water management did not affect yield and N uptake by rice, but apparent N recovery was higher under intermittent irrigation (II). In one season, II management in rice resulted in higher yield and N uptake in the subsequent wheat season. Uptake of indigenous soil N was much higher in rice than in wheat, while in rice it was much higher than values reported in the literature, which may have consequences for nitrogen fertilizer recommendations based on indigenous N supply.

1995 ◽  
Vol 87 (2) ◽  
pp. 193-199 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karl Guillard ◽  
Gary F. Griffin ◽  
Derek W. Allinson ◽  
M. Moosa Rafey ◽  
William R. Yamartino ◽  
...  

1983 ◽  
Vol 100 (2) ◽  
pp. 461-471 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. H. Leitch ◽  
L. V. Vaidyanathan

SummarysLabelled fertilizer N (15N depleted ammonium sulphate) was used to investigate both soil and fertilizer N use by winter wheat established in contrasting seed beds, these being soil cultivated to 20 cm depth or left undisturbed. The crop's response to, and recovery of, a range of N levels from 0 to 280 kg/ha given as a divided application in spring, were measured over two seasons. It was found that during the first season the direct-drilled wheat took up, on average, more fertilizer N but less soil N than wheat in cultivated soil, probably through differences in organic-matter mineralization. The different cultivation systems produced similar grain yields at all rates of applied N; however, when no fertilizer N was given, dry-matter production and soil-N uptake by the crop in the undisturbed soil were substantially less than by the crop in the cultivated soil. Crop recovery of the fertilizer N at harvest was between 29 and 40% of that given. After harvest, an average of one third of the applied fertilizer N was found in the top 60 cm of the soil profile. In the following season on the same plots a second winter wheat crop, receiving no fertilizer N, was drilled. At harvest there was shown to be an increase in grain yield and soil- and fertilizer-N uptake at the higher srates of N given in the previous season. In spite of this the recovery of the labelled residues was small, no more than 6% of the original application, or 15% of the residues remaining in the soil, irrespective of cultivation system.


2020 ◽  
Vol 56 (3) ◽  
pp. 355-370
Author(s):  
Julie Dusserre ◽  
Patrice Autfray ◽  
Miora Rakotoarivelo ◽  
Tatiana Rakotoson ◽  
Louis-Marie Raboin

AbstractIn response to the extensive development of upland rice on the hillsides of the Malagasy highlands, alternative cropping systems have been designed based on conservation agriculture (CA). As the promotion of CA in smallholder farming systems is still the subject of debate, its potential benefits for smallholder farmers require further assessment. In the context of resource-poor farmers and low-input production systems, nitrogen (N) is a major limiting nutrient. The effects of contrasted cropping systems have been studied on upland rice yield and N uptake in rainfed conditions: conventional tillage (CT) and CA with a mulch of maize or a legume (Stylosanthes or velvet bean). Decision Support Systems for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT) crop growth model was used to quantify the soil N balance according to the season and the cropping system. The lowest yields were obtained in CA with a mulch of maize and were also associated with the lowest crop N uptake. Upland rice yields were higher or equivalent under CA with a legume mulch than under CT cropping systems. The supply of N was considerably higher in CA with a legume mulch than in CT, but due to higher leaching and immobilization in CA, the final contribution of N from the mulch to the crop was reduced although not negligible. DSSAT has been shown to be sufficiently robust and flexible to simulate the soil N balance in contrasting cropping systems. The challenge is now to evaluate the model in less contrasted experimental conditions in order to validate its use for N uptake and yield prediction in support to the optimization and design of new cropping systems.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guangfu Huang ◽  
Yujiao Zhang ◽  
Shilai Zhang ◽  
Jing Zhang ◽  
Shuxian Gan ◽  
...  

Abstract Aims: In the absence of tillage, perennial rice is an innovation and supplement to rice production. Evaluating crop N uptake and N requirements and maintaining soil N balance are essential for informing decisions regarding optimal N management and the accessibility of the soil environment benefits of perennial rice cropping systems. Methods: To assess the soil nitrogen cycle and balance, formulate optimal N fertilizer management for perennial rice, a field experiment with four nitrogen rates (N0, N1, N2 and N3 refer to 0, 120, 180 and 240 kg N ha-1, respectively) integrated with three planting densities (D1, D2 and D3 refer to 100×103, 167×103 and 226×103 plants ha-1, respectively) was conducted for two years over four seasons (2016-2017) in southern China. Results: The results showed that N2D3 mode could sustainably produce higher dry matter accumulation (15.15 t ha-1) and grain yields (7.67 t ha-1) over four seasons, showed significantly higher N uptake (201 kg ha-1 each season) and less soil N loss (27.1%). Additionally, the N2D3 mode could reach the optimal N balance (-0.2 kg ha-1) in perennial rice fields with low N requirements (23.9 kg N Mg-1 grain), resulting in higher N use efficiency (NAE: 26.5 kg N kg-1, NRE: 64.9%). Conclusion: In the perennial rice cropping system, 180 kg N ha-1 integrated with 226×103 plants ha-1 resulted in higher grain yields with lower N requirements, higher N use efficiencies, and lower soil N losses, thereby maintaining the soil N balance for sustainable perennial rice production.


2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 483-493
Author(s):  
Marcos Renan Besen ◽  
Antonio Feijo Goes Neto ◽  
Michel Esper Neto ◽  
Eder Junior de Oliveira Zampar ◽  
Eunápio José de Oliveira Costa ◽  
...  

The use of Azospirillum brasilense has the potential to improve plant nitrogen (N) use efficiency, while a better understanding of alternative management practices with inoculation is necessary. The aim was to examine the effects of the leaf application of A. brasilense in association with nitrogen fertilization on the wheat crop. The experiment was conducted in Lidianópolis, Paraná, Brazil, in a completely randomized block design with four replications. The treatments included four doses of A. brasilense for leaf application (0, 200, 400, and 600 ml ha-1) and four doses of N (0, 40, 80, and 120 kg N ha-1). The nutritional content, yield components, quality, and yield of the wheat crop were evaluated. There was no interaction among the factors, nor did the treatments have an isolated effect on spike length, the number of spikelets per spike, spikes per m2, thousand grain weight, and test weight. However, doses of A. brasilense increased calcium and magnesium absorption at 283 and 380 ml ha-1, respectively. Similarly, nitrogen application increased the content of calcium, magnesium, and copper in the leaf at 61, 47, and 49 kg N ha-1, respectively. Nitrogen also increased the number of grains per spike and yield at 56 and 54 kg N ha-1, respectively. Yield correlated with the number of grains per spike and the manganese and copper content in the leaf. The results demonstrate that the inoculation of leaves with A. brasilense favored a higher absorption of divalent cationic macronutrients and that N was fundamental to increasing the yield, with the best responses observed between 47 and 61 kg ha-1.


Agronomy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 1906
Author(s):  
Dibakar Ghosh ◽  
Koushik Brahmachari ◽  
Marian Brestic ◽  
Peter Ondrisik ◽  
Akbar Hossain ◽  
...  

Increasing productivity of maize while decreasing production costs and maintaining soil health are emerging challenges for the rice–maize system in South Asia. A range of integrated nutrient and weed management practices were tested in winter maize for their effects on yield, profitability, and soil health. The nutrient management treatments were a partial substitution of nitrogen with bulky (Farmyard manure; vermicompost) and concentrated organic manures (Brassicaceous seed meal, BSM; neem cake), whereas weed management practices compared chemical controls only versus an integrated approach. The N supplementation through BSM diminished the weed growth by reducing weed N uptake, and enhanced the maize crop uptake of nutrients. As compared to the sole chemical approach, atrazine-applied pre-emergence followed by hoeing reduced weed density by 58 and 67% in years 1 and 2, respectively. The N supplementation through BSM resulted in the maximum yield of maize grain (6.13 and 6.50 t ha−1 in year 1 and year 2, respectively) and this treatment increased yield in year 2 compared to N application through synthetic fertilizer. Hoeing in conjugation with herbicide enhanced the maize grain yield by 9% over herbicide alone. The maximum net return and economic efficiency were achieved with the application of BSM for N supplementation, together with the integrated weed management practice.


Agronomy ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (9) ◽  
pp. 192 ◽  
Author(s):  
William Cox ◽  
John Hanchar ◽  
Jerome Cherney

Crop producers transitioning to an organic cropping system must grow crops organically without price premiums for 36 months before certification. We evaluated red clover-maize, maize-soybean, and soybean-wheat/red clover rotations in organic and conventional cropping systems with recommended and high inputs in New York, USA to identify the best rotation and management practices during the transition. Organic compared with conventional maize with recommended inputs in the maize-soybean rotation (entry crop) averaged 32% lower yields, $878/ha higher production costs, and $1096/ha lower partial returns. Organic maize compared with conventional maize with recommended inputs in the red clover-maize rotation (second transition crop) had similar yields, production costs, and partial returns. Organic compared with conventional soybean with recommended inputs in soybean-wheat/red clover or maize-soybean rotations had similar yields, production costs, and partial returns. Organic compared with conventional wheat with recommended inputs in the soybean-wheat/clover rotation had similar yields, $416/ha higher production costs, and $491/ha lower partial returns. The organic compared with the conventional soybean-wheat/red clover rotation had the least negative impact on partial returns during the transition. Nevertheless, all organic rotations had similar partial returns ($434 to $495/ha) so transitioning immediately, regardless of entry crop, may be most prudent. High input management did not improve organic crop yields during the transition.


1997 ◽  
Vol 48 (3) ◽  
pp. 305 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. C. R. Holford ◽  
G. J. Crocker

Six treatments were compared for their effects on wheat yields, nitrogen (N) uptake, protein content, and fertiliser N requirements in a long-term rotation study on a black earth and a red clay in northern New South Wales. Three of the treatments were lucerne, subterranean clover, and snail medic, all grown simultaneously from 1988 to 1990 and all followed by 3 years of wheat. The other 3 treatments were biennial rotations of chickpea–wheat and long-fallow–wheat as well as a continuous wheat monoculture, all lasting 6 years. With the exception of the first wheat crop, which experienced very low growing-season rainfall, lucerne was more beneficial than other legumes to following wheat crops in terms of yield, protein content, and fertiliser N requirement. Clover closely followed lucerne in the magnitude of its positive effects, whereas medic and chickpea produced much smaller effects. Because of the amount of N removed in the chickpea grain, it appeared that the small positive effects of chickpea were due to soil N sparing or rapid mineralisation from crop residues rather than any net contribution of N fixation to soil N accretion. Average yields of the 3 wheat crops following lucerne and clover were much higher than average yields 20 years previously following lucerne, even though average yields of continuously grown wheat have declined over the past 20 years. However, lucerne eliminated the need for N fertiliser for no more than 2 following wheat crops, and clover for only the first wheat crop. It appears that the longer duration of lucerne benefits reported in earlier studies was due to the higher background soil N levels as well as the lower yield potential in the earlier years. Nevertheless, lucerne lowered the fertiliser requirement of the third wheat crop by more than 50%. In contrast to lucerne, annual legumes are probably most beneficial if grown in alternate years with wheat. The large benefits of long fallowing particularly on the black earth were apparently caused by its enhancement of soil moisture and mineral N accumulation. However, these N effects were surprisingly large considering the degree of depletion of organic matter in long-fallowed soils.


1997 ◽  
Vol 48 (8) ◽  
pp. 1187 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. C. R. Holford ◽  
J. F. Holland ◽  
A. J. Good ◽  
C. Leckie

Sorghum fertiliser experiments at 40 sites on the north-western slopes andplains of New South Wales demonstrated that many soils are severely deficientin nitrogen (N), but most yield responses to fertiliser N occurred on sites inthe southern part of the region. Grain yields responded to fertiliser in fewerthan half of the experiments but protein concentrations responded in about75%.There were 4 distinct types of protein response curve, and the type of curvewas related to the degree of N deficiency. In the most deficient experiments(mean protein 6·1% or less), response curves were convex to thex -axis or linear; at intermediate deficiency (mean protein7·2%), response curves were sigmoid; and at low deficiency (meanprotein 9·7%), response curves were Mitscherlich. Yield responsenever occurred where grain protein was >10%.Maximum grain yield responses and amounts of fertiliser N for maximum profit,estimated by fitting the Mitscherlich equation to response curves, weresignificantly correlated with soil nitrate N levels at various depths in thesouthern experiments, but not in the northern experiments. This difference inN responses appeared to be caused by lower rainfall and higher soil N in mostof the northern experiments. Nitrate-N levels in soils sampled to 15 or 30 cmdepth were better correlated with yield response ( r> 0·81) and fertiliser requirement (r >0·72) than N levels to deeper depths.There was little or no fertiliser N recovery in the grain in the northern experiments but substantial recovery in the south where it was generallygreater than recovery by wheat in earlier experiments in the same region.Fertiliser requirement in relation to soil nitrate-N levels was lower thanthat of these wheat experiments. This was attributed to mid-spring soilsampling for sorghum which underestimates the soil N available to the sorghum


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document