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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Parlier, California » San Joaquin Valley Agricultural Sciences Center » Water Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #321665
Title: Long-term incorporation of manure with chemical fertilizers reduced total nitrogen loss in rain-fed cropping systems

Author
item DUAN, YINGHUA - CHINESE ACADEMY OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES
item XU, MINGGANG - CHINESE ACADEMY OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES
item Gao, Suduan
item LIU, HUA - CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
item HUANG, SHAOMIN - ACADEMY OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE
item WANG, BAIREN - CHINESE ACADEMY OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES

Submitted to: Scientific Reports
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/30/2016
Publication Date: 9/21/2016
Citation: Duan, Y., Xu, M., Gao, S., Liu, H., Huang, S., Wang, B. 2016. Long-term incorporation of manure with chemical fertilizers reduced total nitrogen loss in rain-fed cropping systems. Scientific Reports. 6:33611. doi:10.1038/srep33611.

Interpretive Summary: Intensive farming using chemical nitrogen fertilizers has resulted in detrimental impact on the environment. This research utilized long-term field experimental data from various chemical fertilization with or without manure incorporation for rain-fed annual crops and estimated total N loss through leaching or volatilization. Manure incorporation by supplying 30% of annual N to crops significantly increased soil storage and reduced total loss to the environment. Soil N profile data also support potentially high leaching loss from chemical fertilizer applications because of higher soil N concentration in deep soil compared to soils with manure incorporated. Leaching risk is particularly high in acidic soil. Manure incorporation was concluded to provide multiple benefits to increase N use efficiency, improve soil productivity, and reduce N loss to the environment. This research demonstrated the benefits of using manure to improve soil productivity and sustainable agricultural production.

Technical Abstract: Improving soil fertility/productivity and reducing environmental impact of nitrogen (N) fertilization in intensive farming systems are essential for sustainable agriculture and food security around the world. The objective of this study was to determine the long-term effects of various fertilization regimes on soil N storage and N loss in rain-fed cropping systems based on field experiments carried out from 1990-2009 at three sites (Urumqi, Zhengzhou, and Qiyang) in China. Treatments included unfertilized control (CK), chemical fertilization only (N, NP, NK, and NPK), manure application (supplying 70% of total N) with NPK (NPKM), NPKM at a high N rate (hNPKM), and NPK with corn stover or wheat straw returned (NPKS). Changes in soil N status were examined, which was included in mass balance to estimate the N loss to the environment (via leaching and/or volatilization). The manure treatment resulted in significant N increase in soil, and the lowest N loss to the environment (40–79 kg ha–1 yr–1 or 12–16% of total N input) compared to all other treatments (90–193 kg ha–1 yr–1 or 31–60%). Further, in contrast to the other two sites, acidic soil at Qiyang had 20–52% higher N content at depth below 60 cm for the N, NP, and NK treatments than for the NPKM treatment indicating higher leaching risks. This research concludes that manure incorporation in fertilization can provide multiple benefits for high N use efficiency, improved soil productivity, and ultimately reduced N loss to the environment.