Blending of Slow-Release N Fertilizer and Urea Improve Rainfed Maize Yield and Nitrogen Use Efficiency While Reducing Apparent N Losses
Jinjin Guo,
Hanran Yang,
Yong Yuan,
Pengzhou Yin,
Nv Zhang,
Zhizhao Lin,
Qichang Ma,
Qiliang Yang,
Xiaogang Liu,
Haidong Wang,
Fucang Zhang
Affiliations
Jinjin Guo
Faculty of Modern Agricultural Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
Hanran Yang
Faculty of Modern Agricultural Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
Yong Yuan
Faculty of Modern Agricultural Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
Pengzhou Yin
Faculty of Modern Agricultural Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
Nv Zhang
Faculty of Modern Agricultural Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
Zhizhao Lin
Faculty of Modern Agricultural Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
Qichang Ma
Faculty of Modern Agricultural Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
Qiliang Yang
Faculty of Modern Agricultural Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
Xiaogang Liu
Faculty of Modern Agricultural Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
Haidong Wang
Faculty of Modern Agricultural Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
Fucang Zhang
Key Laboratory of Agricultural Soil and Water Engineering in Arid and Semiarid Areas of the Ministry of Education, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
Effective nitrogen (N) management practices are essential for achieving efficient and sustainable agricultural production. The purpose of this study was to improve N use efficiency (NUE) and minimize N loss by optimizing the rate and type of N fertilizer application while maintaining a high yield of maize. A two-year field experiment with U (urea), S (slow-release N fertilizer), and SU (blending of S and U) under four N application levels (N1: 90 kg ha−1, N2: 120 kg ha−1, N3: 180 kg ha−1, N4: 240 kg ha−1) was conducted to investigate their effects on ammonia (NH3) volatilization, residual soil nitrate N (NO3−-N), yield, NUE, apparent N losses of rainfed maize. NH3 volatilization in SU and S were 38.46% and 16.57% lower than that in U, respectively. SU and S were found to reduce the apparent N losses by 42.98% and 62.23%. SU decreased NO3−-N leaching in deep soils and increased NO3−-N content in topsoil. Compared with U and S, SU significantly increased yield, plant N accumulation, and NUE. SUN4 achieved the maximum maize yield and plant N accumulation, averaging 7968.36 kg ha−1 and 166.45 kg ha−1. In addition, the high yield and NUE were obtained when the mixing ratio of S and U was 53–58% and the N application rate was 150–220 kg ha−1. The findings highlight that SU effectively reduces N losses while ensuring high yield, which could be used as one of the optimal N fertilization strategies for rainfed maize in Northwest China.
