Optimizing rice yield: Evaluating the nitrogen supply characteristics of slow- and controlled-release fertilizers using the leaf nitrogen balance index

doi:10.1016/j.jia.2024.03.010

Journal of Integrative Agriculture

2025, Vol. 24

Issue (11): 4182-4194 DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2024.03.010

Crop Science

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Optimizing rice yield: Evaluating the nitrogen supply characteristics of slow- and controlled-release fertilizers using the leaf nitrogen balance index

Weike Tao^{1, 3}, Qiuli Chen^{1, 3}, Weiwei Li^{1, 3#}, Shen Gao^{1, 3}, Jiaqi Li^{1, 3}, Yuhui Wang^{1, 3}, Sajjad Ahmad^{1, 3}, Yanfeng Ding^{1, 2, 3}, Ganghua Li^{1, 3#}

¹Sanya Institute/Key Laboratory of Crop Physiology Ecology and Production Management, Nanjing Agricultural University/Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Crop Production, Nanjing 210095, China

²National Engineering and Technology Center for Information Agriculture, Nanjing 210095, China

³China–Kenya Belt and Road Joint Laboratory on Crop Molecular Biology, Nanjing 210095, China

Highlights
● The study developed a novel diagnostic approach using the leaf nitrogen balance index to evaluate the nitrogen supply characteristics of slow- and controlled-release nitrogen fertilizers (SCRNFs).
● Integration of long-acting with short/medium-acting SCRNFs achieved synchronized nitrogen supply across the rice growth cycle, enhancing yield and nitrogen use efficiency.

Abstract
References

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摘要

缓控释氮肥(SCRNF)的氮供应与水稻氮需求同步，是用一次基施SCRNF代替多次施用尿素的关键。传统的氮供应特性评估主要关注氮释放模式，这仅适用于包衣SCRNF，忽视了氮转化机制，因此需要一个更通用、更可靠的指标。基于作物氮状态能够识别氮缺乏或过剩，我们假设应用叶片氮平衡指数(NBI)作为氮状态的衡量指标，可以为评估SCRNF的氮供应特性提供新的视野。我们进行了大田试验，包含四种单一的SCRNF-腐殖酸尿素(HAU)、硫包衣尿素(SCU)、脲酶抑制剂尿素(UIU)和树脂包衣尿素(PCU)-及它们的四种配方，并以高产分次施肥作为对照(CK)。结果表明，NBI动态可以反映不同SCRNF的氮供应潜力，并将它们分为短效、中效和长效肥料。含有长效SCRNF(PCU)的配方在整个水稻生育期具有更一致、有效的氮供应特性，在产量(提高5.5%)和氮利用效率(提高42.8%)方面始终优于其他配方。籽粒产量与SCRNF和CK间NBI动态差异呈负相关，表明一次应用SCRNF的氮供应与常规高产施肥相同步是实现高产的关键。我们的研究结果确认了通过叶片NBI诊断氮状态来评估SCRNF的氮供应特性的潜力，并强调了同步氮供应在一次应用SCRNF中的重要作用。

Abstract

Synchronizing the nitrogen (N) supply of slow- and controlled-release N fertilizers (SCRNFs) with rice N demand is essential in replacing multiple urea applications with a single basal application of SCRNFs. Traditional assessment of N supply characteristics primarily examines N release patterns, which are limited to coated SCRNFs and disregard N transformation mechanisms, necessitating a more universal and reliable index. Based on the capacity of crop N status to detect N deficiency or excess, we hypothesized that utilizing leaf N balance index (NBI) as a measure of N status could offer novel insights into assessing N supply characteristics of SCRNFs. Field experiments were conducted with four individual SCRNFs-humic acid urea (HAU), sulfur-coated urea (SCU), urease inhibitor urea (UIU), and polymer-coated urea (PCU) and their four combined forms, alongside high-yield urea split application as control (CK). The results revealed that NBI dynamics relative to CK reflected the N supply potential of different SCRNFs while categorizing them as short-, medium-, and long-acting fertilizers. Combinations incorporating the long-acting SCRNF (PCU) consistently demonstrated superior performance in yield (by 5.5%) and N use efficiency (by 42.8%) through providing more consistent and efficient N supply throughout the rice growth cycle. Grain yield exhibited negative correlation with the difference in NBI dynamics between SCRNFs and CK, suggesting that synchronizing N supply between one-time application of SCRNFs and conventional high-yield fertilization is crucial for high yield. These findings demonstrate the potential of N status diagnosed by leaf NBI to evaluate N supply characteristics of SCRNFs and highlight the importance of synchronized N supply for a one-time SCRNF application.

Keywords: rice slow- and controlled-release fertilizer nitrogen balance index nitrogen supply yield

Received: 30 October 2023 Accepted: 29 December 2023 Online: 02 March 2024

Fund:

The funding was provided by the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province, China (BK20200539), the Jiangsu Provincial Key Research and Development Program, China (BE2019377 and BE2019343), and the Science and Technology Planning Program of Suzhou, China (ST202228).

About author: #Correspondence Ganghua Li, Tel: +86-25-84396475, E-mail: lgh@njau.edu.cn; Weiwei Li, E-mail: li1990@njau.edu.cn

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Weike Tao, Qiuli Chen, Weiwei Li, Shen Gao, Jiaqi Li, Yuhui Wang, Sajjad Ahmad, Yanfeng Ding, Ganghua Li. 2025. Optimizing rice yield: Evaluating the nitrogen supply characteristics of slow- and controlled-release fertilizers using the leaf nitrogen balance index. Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 24(11): 4182-4194.

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