Options for reducing the negative effects of nitrogen in agriculture

After addition to farms by fertilizer, crop residues, biological fixation and animal excreta, nitrogen can be lost through gaseous emission, runoff and leaching to contaminate the atmosphere and water bodies, and cause adverse health effects. The efficiency of fertilizer nitrogen can be increased and losses reduced, by matching supply with crop demand, optimizing split application schemes, changing the form to suit the conditions, and use of slow-release fertilizers and inhibitors. In addition, agronomic practices such as higher plant densities, weed and pest control and balanced fertilization with other nutrients can also increase efficiency of nitrogen use. Efficiency of use by animals can be increased by diet manipulation. Feeding dairy cattle low degradable protein and high starch diets, and grazing sheep and cattle on grasses high in water soluble carbohydrate result in less nitrogen excretion in urine and reduced ammonia volatilization.     

Options for reducing the negative effects of nitrogen in agriculture

After addition to farms by fertilizer, crop residues, biological fixation and animal excreta, nitrogen can be lost through gaseous emission, runoff and leaching to contaminate the atmosphere and water bodies, and cause adverse health effects. The efficiency of fertilizer hitrogen can be increased and losses reduced, by matching supply with crop demand, optimizing split application schemes, changing the form to suit the conditions, and use of slow-release fertilizers and inhibitors. In addition, agronomic practices such as higher plant densities, weed and pest control and balanced fertilization with other nutrients can also increase efficiency of nitrogen use. Efficiency of use by animals can be increased by diet manipulation. Feeding dairy cattle low degradable protein and high starch diets, and grazing sheep and cattle on grasses high in water soluble carbohydrate result in less nitrogen excretion in urine and reduced ammonia volatilization.     

Effect of soil compaction and nitrogen placement on weed population,yield and moisture use pattern of rainfed wheat

Summary Field experiments showed that soil compaction did not affect wheat yield significantly under rainfed conditions. Weed population was significantly reduced due to soil compaction. Compaction decreased total moisture use and increased water use efficiency. There was better and profitable utilization of stored soil moisture from the compaction treatments as compared to no compaction treatment.Placement of nitrogen about 10 to 15 cm deep in the soil directly below the seed resulted in significant increase in the yield of wheat crop grown under rainfed conditions. Weed population was not affected due to nitrogen placement. Total moisture use reduced due to nitrogen placement. Under rainfed conditions, deep placement of nitrogen was important for increasing the efficiency of fertilizer as well as water utilization by wheat crop.     

长期施肥对黄土高原黄绵土氮肥利用率的影响

氮肥利用率是确定推荐施氮量和施氮效果评价的关键参数.本文通过黄土高原黄绵土区持续34年(1981—2015年)的长期定位试验,研究了长期不同施肥处理对氮肥当季利用率和累积利用率的影响及氮肥当季利用率与累积利用率的关系.结果表明: 除试验起始年(1982)外,不同施肥处理对小麦、油菜和胡麻3种作物氮肥的当季利用率和累积利用率都有显著影响,其中小麦以氮磷钾配施(NPK)处理平均氮肥当季利用率最高,其次为氮磷配施(NP)处理,分别较单施氮肥(N)处理提高了77.7%和62.0%;油菜也以氮磷钾配施(NPK)处理平均氮肥当季利用率最高,其次为有机肥与氮磷钾配施(MNPK)处理,分别较单施氮肥处理提高了93.7%和65.6%.有机肥与氮肥配施(MN)处理氮肥当季利用率较单施氮肥(N)处理显著增加,而有机肥与氮磷配施(MNP)和氮磷钾配施(MNPK)处理氮肥当季利用率较相应氮磷配施(NP)和氮磷钾配施(NPK)处理明显降低.氮肥当季利用率与作物籽粒产量存在显著的线性正相关关系,而累积利用率与作物籽粒产量的相关关系不明显.表明与氮肥累积利用率相比,当季利用率能较及时地反映特定土壤肥力、作物种类、品种和环境条件下的肥料利用率特征.     

花期渍水逆境下氮素对油菜产量及氮肥利用效率的影响

温室盆栽试验条件下,设置渍水和对照2个水分处理,每个水分处理下设置3个施氮水平(0.05、0.2、0.3 g N·kg^-1土),研究了花后渍水逆境下氮素营养对两个氮高效基因型‘Monty’、‘湘油15’和两个氮低效基因型‘R210’、‘Bin270’油菜产量、产量性能及氮肥利用效率的影响.结果表明:与对照相比,花后渍水处理显著降低了油菜的单株角果数、千粒重、每角粒数和籽粒产量.在适宜水分条件下,增施氮肥显著增加了油菜籽粒产量,而在渍水逆境处理下,增施氮肥对油菜籽粒产量的形成贡献不大.氮高效基因型较氮低效基因型对花后渍水逆境下的籽粒灌浆充实具有一定的促进作用.在同一水分处理下,花后渍水明显降低了油菜氮肥利用率、氮肥偏生产力、氮肥农学利用率、氮素吸收效率和氮收获指数,渍水显著影响了不同基因型油菜的氮素吸收利用能力,而氮高效基因型在渍水逆境下较氮低效基因型更有利于将氮素转运、再分配到角果中,提高籽粒生产效率.油菜产量性能参数存在显著的水氮互作效应,水分、氮肥及水氮互作对油菜籽粒产量和产量性能参数的影响因基因型的不同而异.     

有机肥替代部分化肥对水稻光合速率、氮素利用率和产量的影响

农业生产中合理施用有机肥对实现化肥零增长、提高土壤肥力和保证粮食稳产高产至关重要.本试验在辽宁省沈阳市稻田以'沈农9816'为供试材料,设置7种不同处理,分别为不施氮肥(CK)、低氮150 kg ? hm-2(LN)、中氮240 kg ? hm-2(MN)、高氮330 kg·hm-2(HN)、中氮有机肥替代10％(OM...     

Responses of soil water balance and precipitation storage efficiency to increased fertilizer application in winter wheat

Increased fertilizer use over many years may have detrimental effects on crop production due to its high soil water consumption in rainfed regions. In this study, based on a long-term fertilization experiment initiated in 1984, we report the effect of increased fertilization on soil water balance, precipitation storage efficiency (PSE), yield and water use efficiency of winter wheat from 2005 to 2009. The experimental design consisted of a control treatment (CK) and three fertilizer treatments: nitrogen, phosphorus and manure (NPM), nitrogen and phosphorus (NP), and nitrogen (N). Soil water storage in NP and NPM was significantly lower than that in CK and N at both harvest and planting time. Compared with the CK, on average, treatments N, NP and NPM increased soil water recharge during the fallow period by 11%, 22% and 17%, and they also increased soil water depletion during growing season by 17%, 23% and 23% (P?<?0.05), respectively. The average value of annual soil water balance was positive for all treatments, and was not significantly different among treatments. Increased fertilizer application significantly (P?<?0.05) increased PSE during the summer fallow periods, and the average PSE was 28%, 32%, 34% and 33% for CK, N, NP and NPM, respectively. Wheat yield and water use efficiency increased significantly after long term fertilization, especially for treatments NP and NPM. The results indicated that more of rainfall was used for evapotranspiration and less was lost during the fallow season for the high fertility treatments after long term fertilizer application. In the long run, such changes in water use pattern could help to improve the sustainability of winter wheat production.     

氮肥种类及运筹技术调控土壤氮素损失的研究进展

氮肥的不合理施用导致氮肥利用率低下,大量氮素通过径流、淋溶、氨挥发、硝化-反硝化作用等途径损失到环境中,从而对水体、大气造成污染,带来严重的环境问题,影响人类健康.施氮量、施肥时间和方式,以及肥料种类对氮素流失量的影响显著.土壤氮素浓度过饱和是导致氮素大量流失的最根本原因,充分利用环境供氮量,减少化学氮肥施用量,采用深施等技术,以及配合施用有机肥,可以有效降低氮素的损失,提高氮素利用率.在开发应用新型高效氮肥和强化氮肥高效管理技术研究的同时,加强环境氮素的监测和利用力度,是实现减氮增效的有力手段.     

膜下分区交替滴灌和施氮对棉花干物质累积与氮肥利用的影响

设置高水(260 mm)、中水(200 mm)、低水(140 mm)3水平的灌水量和高氮(270 kg·hm^-2)、中氮(180 kg·hm^-2)、低氮(90 kg·hm^-2)3水平的施氮量,进行完全组合设计,研究膜下分区交替滴灌和施氮对棉花干物质累积与氮肥利用的影响.结果表明：膜下分区交替滴灌棉花干物质量在中氮高水和高氮高水处理最高;与高氮高水处理相比,中氮高水处理干物质累积的施氮利用效率提高了34.0%～ 44.6%（平均提高34.7%）,灌水利用效率降低了6.4%～10.7%（平均降低10.2%）.对于棉花氮素累积,中氮高水处理的的施氮利用效率最高,高氮中水处理的灌水利用效率最高;与高氮中水处理相比,中氮高水处理的施氮利用效率提高了29.0%～41.7%,灌水利用效率下降了5.5%～14.0%.在棉花产量较高的水氮耦合处理中,中氮高水处理的棉花氮回收率、氮肥农学利用效率和表观利用效率均高于高氮中水和高氮高水处理,而氮肥吸收比例和氮肥生理利用效率无显著差异.表明中氮高水处理最有利于膜下分区交替滴灌水氮耦合效应的发挥.     

半干旱区氮肥运筹对全膜双垄沟播玉米水肥利用和产量的影响

施肥方式不当是半干旱区全膜双垄沟播玉米水肥利用率低的主要原因之一,研究氮肥减量后移和有机肥替代对玉米水肥利用效率和产量的影响,可为该区玉米水肥高效管理提供理论依据。依托4年大田定位试验,设置3个处理,即肥料全部基施(CK)、减氮15%且在抽雄期追施(RN)、30%的化肥以有机肥替代且在抽雄期追施(RNM),研究不同施肥模式对玉米耗水特性、生长发育和水肥利用效率的影响。结果表明:施肥方式对玉米水肥利用效率和产量有显著调控作用,并与降雨年型密切相关。欠水年和平水年,RN花前耗水量较CK降低16.1%～18.8%,花后耗水量提高18.0%～22.2%;RNM花前、花后耗水量均与CK差异不显著。丰水年,RN和RNM花前耗水量分别较CK降低16.7%和6.3%,花后耗水量分别增加11.4%和29.7%。与CK相比,RN显著提高了追肥后玉米叶片叶绿素相对含量(SPAD值),花后生物量增加15.6%～44.9%,穗长、穗粒数、穗粒重和百粒重显著提高,产量增加9.8%～17.0%,水分利用效率(WUE)提高6.3%～21.4%,肥料偏生产力(PEP_T)、氮素偏生产力(PEP     

农田水氮关系及其协同管理

作物施氮反应及其氮肥利用率不仅取决于氮肥管理,还与水资源管理有关,并且受到地区气候因素的影响。针对中国灌溉农区氮肥环境污染问题日益突出,协调农田水氮管理,如通过改善水资源管理,发挥水氮协同效应,以提高水分利用效率来改善氮肥利用率,实现水氮利用率双赢,是当前农业水氮管理中亟待探讨和回答的问题。通过对农田水氮协同相关研究文献资料的综述,以华北平原集约种植体系水氮管理为例,根据历年统计数据,分析了该区年水热条件下粮食产量与水、氮及水氮利用效率之间的关系。研究表明,水和氮与作物产量在一定范围表现为水氮的协同效应。水分利用效率一般随灌溉水量减少及氮肥用量增加而提高;氮肥利用效率随氮用量增加而下降。适量节水和减氮分别有助水分利用效率和氮肥利用效率的改善。在气候变暖、变干条件下,适量施氮成为改善水氮利用效率的关键对策。     

控释配方肥氮素在芥菜连作期的去向和平衡

采用小型渗漏计,在施用水溶性肥料及其与控释肥料组成的控释配方肥条件下,研究了3个生长季连作芥菜的吸氮量、N₂O排放损失、氮素淋溶损失、氮素残留和其他损失量.结果表明： 在含25%控释氮素的控释配方肥处理下,芥菜的吸氮量逐季增加,后期显著高于水溶性肥料处理.水溶性肥料处理的N₂O累积排放量和氮素淋溶损失量明显高于控释配方肥处理,各肥料处理氮素淋失的形态均以NO₃^--N为主.相对于水溶性肥料,控释配方肥能改变氮素的去向,氮素吸收利用率提高75.4%,土壤残留增加76.0%,淋溶损失和其他表观损失分别减少27.1%和66.3%.施用控释配方肥是减少氮素各种形式损失、显著提高氮肥利用率的有效途径,控释肥料是氮素养分高效利用的环保型肥料.     

Effect of coupled reduced irrigation and nitrogen fertilizer on soil mite community composition in a wheat field

Groundwater and nitrogen fertilizer overuse severely threatens crop productions; thus, current ecological agriculture requires low irrigation and nitrogen fertilizer inputs. The effects of combined reduced irrigation and nitrogen fertilizer addition on soil organism (e.g., mite) community and biodiversity remain poorly understood. We analyzed soil mite community composition, wheat grain yield, and soil characteristics in a 10‐year manipulation experiment with two levels of irrigation (reduced and conventional irrigation) and five nitrogen fertilizer levels (0, 70, 140, 210, and 280 kg N/ha). Reduced irrigation (20% reduction, from 280 to 220 mm) and nitrogen fertilizer (25% reduction, from 280 to 210 kg N/ha) addition did not significantly influence soil mite community and wheat yield. The relative abundances of fungivores and predators showed negative quadratic relationships with wheat yield, while that of plant parasites showed a positive relationship. The relationships between soil mite trophic groups and wheat yield revealed that we can evaluate the impacts of reduced irrigation and nitrogen fertilizer addition from the perspective of soil fauna. Soil mite community composition was altered by soil abiotic factors prior to reduced irrigation and nitrogen fertilizer addition. Overall, moderate reductions of irrigation and nitrogen fertilizer may not threaten to soil mite community and diversity or decrease crop production; in contrast, such reductions will benefit mite community development and the sustainable agriculture.     

Effect of Optimal Daily Fertigation on Migration of Water and Salt in Soil,Root Growth and Fruit Yield of Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) in Solar-Greenhouse

Inappropriate and excessive irrigation and fertilization have led to the predominant decline of crop yields, and water and fertilizer use efficiency in intensive vegetable production systems in China. For many vegetables, fertigation can be applied daily according to the actual water and nutrient requirement of crops. A greenhouse study was therefore conducted to investigate the effect of daily fertigation on migration of water and salt in soil, and root growth and fruit yield of cucumber. The treatments included conventional interval fertigation, optimal interval fertigation and optimal daily fertigation. Generally, although soil under the treatment optimal interval fertigation received much lower fertilizers than soil under conventional interval fertigation, the treatment optimal interval fertigation did not statistically decrease the economic yield and fruit nutrition quality of cucumber when compare to conventional interval fertigation. In addition, the treatment optimal interval fertigation effectively avoided inorganic nitrogen accumulation in soil and significantly (P<0.05) increased the partial factor productivity of applied nitrogen by 88% and 209% in the early-spring and autumn-winter seasons, respectively, when compared to conventional interval fertigation. Although soils under the treatments optimal interval fertigation and optimal daily fertigation received the same amount of fertilizers, the treatment optimal daily fertigation maintained the relatively stable water, electrical conductivity and mineral nitrogen levels in surface soils, promoted fine root (<1.5 mm diameter) growth of cucumber, and eventually increased cucumber economic yield by 6.2% and 8.3% and partial factor productivity of applied nitrogen by 55% and 75% in the early-spring and autumn-winter seasons, respectively, when compared to the treatment optimal interval fertigation. These results suggested that optimal daily fertigation is a beneficial practice for improving crop yield and the water and fertilizers use efficiency in solar greenhouse.     

施用纳米碳对烤烟氮素吸收和利用的影响

为明确纳米碳在提高烤烟氮素吸收利用方面的效果,在盆栽条件下,研究了纳米碳不同用量对烤烟根系生长发育、干物质积累和氮素吸收利用的影响。结果表明,在常规肥料中添加纳米碳能够促进烤烟根系生长发育,明显提高烟株根系活力和单株根系生物量,增加植株干物质积累量。施用纳米碳增加了烤烟植株成熟期各器官氮素含量和积累量,而未明显影响氮素在植株不同器官的分配。施用纳米碳不仅增加了植株对肥料氮的吸收量,还增加了对土壤氮的吸收量,这与其促进烤烟根系生长发育、提高根系吸收能力有密切关系。纳米碳无论做基肥还是做追肥,均显著提高了氮肥利用率,提高幅度分别达到14.44%和9.62%,有效降低了氮素土壤残留和损失。     

氮肥影响节肢动物天敌对褐飞虱种群的自然控制作用

氮肥在增加粮食产量的同时也可能对整个农田生态系统产生负面影响。稻田过量施用氮肥后,会提高水稻对害虫的敏感性、改变害虫与天敌之间的关系,最终影响到天敌对害虫的自然控制功能,导致害虫大发生。为了合理、公正地评价施用氮肥对稻田节肢动物天敌对害虫自然控制能力的影响,探索性地应用笼罩的方法在菲律宾国际水稻研究所试验农场稻田中研究了害虫天敌在不同氮肥施用水平(0,100 kg N/hm~2和200 kg N/hm~2)稻田中对褐飞虱的捕食能力及自然控制作用。试验结果表明,旱季田间的捕食性天敌对褐飞虱若虫的捕食能力和主要天敌对褐飞虱种群的自然控制能力均随稻田氮肥施用量的增加而减弱。在雨季,虽然天敌对褐飞虱种群的自然控制能力也随稻田氮肥施用量的增加而减弱,但捕食性天敌对褐飞虱若虫捕食能力的差异不明显。本研究表明,天敌对褐飞虱自然控制能力的减弱是稻田过量施用氮肥后褐飞虱种群猖獗的主要原因之一。     

三江平原粮食作物生产水足迹时空特征及影响因素

水足迹是评价人类活动对水资源开采和水环境污染程度的重要方法,对农作物生长过程的绿水足迹、蓝水足迹和灰水足迹进行量化和分析,可以为农业用水综合评价和用水管理提供指导。以三江平原为研究区域量化粮食作物生产水足迹的时空特征,揭示粮食生产对区域水资源的占用情况,并分析水足迹的影响因素。结果表明:(1)三江平原粮食生产水足迹总量在2005-2018年间呈显著增加趋势,其中绿水足迹、蓝水足迹和灰水足迹在水足迹总量中的占比历年平均为28%、8%和64%;(2)粮食生产水足迹空间差异明显,在地市尺度,佳木斯市水足迹最高,占三江平原总量的47%,在县区尺度,富锦市、依兰县和桦南县是水足迹热点地区;(3)只考虑蓝水足迹,粮食生产给三江平原水资源造成轻度压力,而同时考虑蓝水和灰水足迹,粮食生产给三江平原水资源造成重度压力;各地市间水资源压力有较大差异,其中佳木斯市负担了该区域将近一半的粮食产量,水资源压力最高,鹤岗市则水资源压力最低;(4)降雨量、灌溉水利用效率、化肥施用量、粮食种植结构和作物单产水平等都会影响粮食作物生产水足迹,其中蓝水足迹响应种植结构的变化最敏感,灰水足迹响应化肥施用量的变化最敏感,而水足迹总量响应作物单产水平的变化最敏感。因此,建议减少化肥施用量、提高作物单产水平和优化作物种植结构纳入区域水资源可持续管理之中。     

Genetic engineering of improved nitrogen use efficiency in rice by the tissue-specific expression of alanine aminotransferase

Nitrogen is quantitatively the most essential nutrient for plants and a major factor limiting crop productivity. One of the critical steps limiting the efficient use of nitrogen is the ability of plants to acquire it from applied fertilizer. Therefore, the development of crop plants that absorb and use nitrogen more efficiently has been a long-term goal of agricultural research. In an attempt to develop nitrogen-efficient plants, rice ( Oryza sativa L.) was genetically engineered by introducing a barley AlaAT ( alanine aminotransferase ) cDNA driven by a rice tissue-specific promoter ( OsAnt1 ). This modification increased the biomass and grain yield significantly in comparison with control plants when plants were well supplied with nitrogen. Compared with controls, transgenic rice plants also demonstrated significant changes in key metabolites and total nitrogen content, indicating increased nitrogen uptake efficiency. The development of crop plants that take up and assimilate nitrogen more efficiently would not only improve the use of nitrogen fertilizers, resulting in lower production costs, but would also have significant environmental benefits. These results are discussed in terms of their relevance to the development of strategies to engineer enhanced nitrogen use efficiency in crop plants.     

The role of algae in agriculture: a mathematical study

Synthetic fertilizers and livestock manure are nowadays widely used in agriculture to improve crop yield but nitrogen and phosphorous runoff resulting from their use compromises water quality and contributes to eutrophication phenomena in waterbeds within the countryside and ultimately in the ocean. Alternatively, algae could play an important role in agriculture where they can be used as biofertilizers and soil stabilizers. To examine the possible reuse of the detritus generated by dead algae as fertilizer for crops, we develop three mathematical models building upon each other. A system is proposed in which algae recover waste nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) for reuse in agricultural production. The results of our study show that in so doing, the crop yield may be increased and simultaneously the density of algae in the lake may be reduced. This could be a way to mitigate and possibly solve the environmental and economic issues nowadays facing agriculture.     

Responses of photosynthesis and carbohydrate-partitioning to limitations in nitrogen and water availability in field-grown sunflower*

Abstract. Sunflower plants (Helianthus annuus L., cv. CGL 208) were field-grown in adjacent plots of varying resource availability. Control plants received irrigation (on a 4–5 d interval) and high levels of fertilizer nitrogen. Nutrient-stress (N-stress) plants received control levels of irrigation but no nutrient amendments and were determined to be nitrogen-limited. Water-stress (H₂O-stress) plants received control levels of fertilizer nitrogen, but no irrigation after approximately 6 weeks of plant growth. Both stress treatments reduced maximum and diurnal net photosynthesis (A) but resulted in different physiological or biochemical adjustments that tended to maintain or increase A per unit of resource (nitrogen or water) in shortest supply while decreasing the ratio of A per unit of abundant resource. Nutrient-stress reduced total foliar nitrogen, foliar chlorophyll, and initial and total RuBPCase activities, thereby enhancing or preserving photosynthetic nitrogen-use efficiency (NUE), defined as the maximum A observed per unit of leaf nitrogen, relative to the control and H₂O-stress treatments. In addition, N-stress reduced photosynthetic water-use efficiency (WUE), defined as the ratio of A to stomatal conductance to water vapour (g). The slope of A versus g increased with H₂O-stress. In addition, sunflower plants responded to H₂O-stress by accumulating foliar glucose and sucrose and by exhibiting diurnal leaf wilting, which presumably provided additional improvements in photosynthetic WUE through osmoregulation and reduction of midday radiation interception respectively. Photosynthetic NUE was decreased by H₂O-stress in that control levels of total nitrogen, foliar chlorophyll, and RuBPCase activities were maintained even after mean diurnal levels of A had fallen to less than 50% of the control level. We conclude that field-grown sunflower manages a trade-off between photosynthetic WUE and NUE, increasing use efficiency of the scarce resource while decreasing use efficiency of the abundant resource.