Scientia Agricultura Sinica ›› 2018, Vol. 51 ›› Issue (15): 2937-2947.doi: 10.3864/j.issn.0578-1752.2018.15.009

• SOIL & FERTILIZER·WATER-SAVING IRRIGATION·AGROECOLOGY & ENVIRONMENT • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Recommended Methods for Optimal Nitrogen Application Rate

ZHANG YiTao1, WANG HongYuan1, LEI QiuLiang1, ZHANG JiZong1, ZHAI LiMei1REN TianZhi2, LIU HongBin1   

  1. 1Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences/ Key Laboratory of  Nonpoint Source Pollution Control, Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing 100081; 2Agro-Environmental Protection Institute, Ministry of Agriculture, Tianjin 300191
  • Received:2017-10-11 Online:2018-08-01 Published:2018-08-01

Abstract: In order to obtain high crop yield and low environmental nitrogen (N) pollution risk simultaneously, identifying the optimal N application rate is one of the most effective methods. Based on the theory of optimal N application and the present situation of N fertilizer application in China, we summarized the recommended methods for optimal N rate used in current research. The existing recommended methods for optimal N rate were soil nutrient regulation during crop growth, N application effect curve, balance of N input and output, and the critical N rate based on standard nitrate-N of leaching water from farmland. The first three methods, which focused on agronomy effect firstly and then assessed its environmental effect, were for the purpose of obtaining better agronomic benefits. All of these three methods were scientific and reasonable, which had proved their application in practice. The forth method focused on environmental effect firstly and then estimates its effect on yield intending to prevent nitrate pollution of groundwater, which could quantify the actual environmental effect of optimal N application rate. However, the critical N application rate of the forth method has some uncertainty because of many influencing factors, and its variation under different years, different regions and different soil types need be further studied.

Key words: optimal N application rate, agronomy effect, environmental effect, N rate for the highest yield, critical N rate based on standard nitrate-N

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