Partial substitution of manure reduces nitrous oxide emission with maintained yield in a winter wheat crop.

Conventional fertilization of agricultural soils results in increased N2O emissions. As an alternative, the partial substitution of organic fertilizer may help to regulate N2O emissions. However, studies assessing the effects of partial substitution of organic fertilizer on both N2O emissions and yield stability are currently limited. We conducted a field experiment from 2017 to 2021 with six fertilizer regimes to examine the effects of partial substitution of manure on N2O emissions and yield stability. The tested fertilizer regimes, were CK (no fertilizer), CF (chemical fertilizer alone, N 300 kg ha-1, P2O5 150 kg ha-1, K2O 90 kg ha-1), CF + M (chemical fertilizer + organic manure), CFR (chemical fertilizer reduction, N 225 kg ha-1, P2O5 135 kg ha-1, K2O 75 kg ha-1), CFR + M (chemical fertilizer reduction + organic manure), and organic manure alone (M). Our results indicate that soil N2O emissions are primarily regulated by soil mineral N content in arid and semi-arid regions. Compared with CF, N2O emissions in the CF + M, CFR, CFR + M, and M treatments decreased by 16.8%, 23.9%, 42.0%, and 39.4%, respectively. The highest winter wheat yields were observed in CF, followed by CF + M, CFR, and CFR + M. However, the CFR + M treatment exhibited lower N2O emissions while maintaining high yield, compared with CF. Four consecutive years of yield data from 2017 to 2021 illustrated that a single application of organic fertilizer resulted in poor yield stability and that partial substitution of organic fertilizer resulted in the greatest yield stability. Overall, partial substitution of manure reduced N2O emissions while maintaining yield stability compared with the synthetic fertilizer treatment during the wheat growing season. Therefore, partial substitution of manure can be recommended as an optimal N fertilization regime for alleviating N2O emissions and contributing to food security in arid and semi-arid regions.

[Effects of integration of micro-sprinkler irrigation and nitrogen on growth and development of winter wheat and water and fertilizer use efficiency]. / 微喷灌水氮一体化对冬小麦生长发育和水肥利用效率的影响.

Under the same irrigation amount and nitrogen application rate and after the corn stalks being returned to the field in the wheat-corn crop rotation area, we examined the effects of the integrated water and nitrogen mode of micro-sprinkler irrigation on the growth and development and water and fertilizer use efficiency of winter wheat. In 2016-2018, we conducted a two-year field experiment with six types of micro-sprinkler irrigation water and nitrogen integration modes and seven treatments during the growth period, and investigated the population dynamics, dry matter accumulation transfer during the filling period, and nutrient accumulation during the mature period. There were three modes of irrigation, W1(overwintering water + jointing water + grouting water, 600 m3·hm-2 for each), W2(overwintering water + regreening water + jointing water + grouting water, each for 450 m3·hm-2), and W3(600 m3·hm-2 each for overwintering water and jointing water, and 300 m3·hm-2 each for regreening water and grouting water); two modes of nitrogen application, N1(basic nitrogen application 60% + jointing water nitrogen topdressing 40%) and N2 (basic nitrogen application 60% + jointing water nitrogen topdressing 30% + grouting water nitrogen topdressing 10%); with no fertilization under W1 as control (CK). The results showed that: 1) The amount of overwintering water irrigation increased from 450 m3·hm-2to 600 m3·hm-2, which was beneficial to the total number of both stems and panicles in the overwintering period and consequently to yield. Irrigation in the regreening stage increased the total number of stems at the jointing stage, but with limited effect on the number of panicles. Applying more nitrogen at the jointing stage increased the number of stems per plant, but decreased that of panicles. 2) Four times of irrigation (W2 and W3) during the growth period, combined with nitrogen (N2) in the jointing and filling phases, were conducive to the accumulation of dry matter during the filling period, increasing the number of grains per spike and 1000-grain weight, thereby increasing yield. 3) Compared with the three times of irrigation treatment during the growth period, water consumption and absorption of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium under the four times of irrigation treatment were increased, and water and fertilizer use efficiency was improved. In W2 and W3 under the treatment of four times irrigation, water consumption of N2 during the growth period was lower than N1, absorption of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium were higher than N1, and the irrigation and utilization of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium were significantly improved, of which W3N2 had the best effect. Therefore, W3N2 treatment (sowing winter wheat after returning corn stalks to the field, irrigating four times during the growth period of micro-sprinkler irrigation, increasing the amount of overwintering water and jointing water irrigation to 600 m3·hm-2, combined with jointing water and filling water topdressing nitrogen fertilizer) increased spike number and 1000-grain weight of wheat andincreased yield, with the highest water and fertilizer use efficiency. It was the best water and nitrogen management mode for the integration of micro-sprinkler irrigation and water and fertilizer for winter wheat in southern Shanxi.

[Effects of different tillage methods on phospholipid fatty acids and enzyme activities in calcareous cinnamon soil].

In order to study changes of physical and chemical characteristics and microbial activities in soil under different tillage methods, effects of four tillage methods, rotary tillage (RT), subsoil tillage (ST), conventional tillage (CT) with corn straw returned to soil, and rotary tillage with no corn straw returned to soil (CK), on phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA) characteristics and hydrolase enzymes activities in calcareous cinnamon soil were investigated. The results showed that soil hydrolase enzymes activities, nutrient contents, microbial diversity varied greatly with the different tillage methods. Returning corn straw to soil increased the kinds, amount of soil total PLFAs, bacteria PLFAs and actonomycetes PLFAs, while decreased the fungi PLFAs, indicating that fungi was more adaptable than bacteria to an infertile environment. ST and CT resulted in higher amounts of total PLFAs, which were 74.7% and 53.3% higher than that of CK, indicating they were more beneficial to the growth of plants. They could also improve soil physical and chemical properties, increase alk-phosphatase, protease and urease activities, which would provide a favorable soil condition for high and stable crop yields.

[Effects of irrigation time on the growth and water- and fertilizer use efficiencies of winter wheat].

A field experiment was conducted to study the effects of irrigation time before wintering (November 10th, November 25th, and December 10th) and in spring (March 5th, re-greening stage; and April 5th, jointing stage) on the growth, dry matter translocation, water use efficiency (WUE), and fertilizer use efficiency (FUE) of winter wheat after returning corn straw into soil. The irrigation time before wintering mainly affected the wheat population size before wintering and at jointing stage, whereas the irrigation time in spring mainly affected the spike number, grain yield, dry matter translocation, WUE, and FUE. The effects of irrigation time before wintering to the yield formation of winter wheat were closely related to the irrigation time in spring. When the irrigation time in spring was at re-greening stage, the earlier the irrigation time before wintering, the larger the spike number and the higher the grain yield; when the irrigation time in spring was at jointing stage, the delay of the irrigation time before wintering made the spike number and grain yield decreased after an initial increase, the kernel number per plant increased, while the 1000-kernel mass was less affected. The WUE, nutrition uptake, and FUE all decreased with the delay of the irrigation time before wintering, but increased with the delay of the irrigation time in spring. Therefore, under the conditions of returning corn straw into soil and sowing when the soil had enough moisture, to properly advance the irrigation time before wintering could make the soil more compacted, promote the tillering and increase the population size before winter, and in combining the increased irrigation at jointing stage, could control the invalid tillering in early spring, increase the spiking rate, obtain stable kernel mass, and thus, increase the WUE and FUE, realizing water-saving and high efficiency for winter wheat cultivation.

[Effects of irrigation mode on winter wheat yield and water- and nutrient use efficiencies under maize straw returning to field].

In 2008-2010, a field experiment was conducted to study the effects of different irrigation modes on the grain yield, dry matter translocation, water use efficiency (WUE), and nutrient use efficiency (NUE) of winter wheat under maize straw returning to the field in a semi-arid and semi-humid monsoon region of Linfen, Shanxi Province of Northwest China. Irrigation at wintering time promoted tillering, irrigation at jointing stage increased the total tiller number and the fertile spike rate per tiller, whereas irrigation at booting stage promoted the dry matter accumulation in spike and increased the 1000-kernel mass. When the irrigation was implemented at two growth stages and the second irrigation time was postponed, both the dry matter translocation to leaf and the kernels per spike increased. Irrigation twice throughout the whole growth season induced a higher NUE and higher dry matter accumulation in spike, as compared to irrigation once. The irrigation amount at wintering time and the total irrigation amount had lesser effects on the tillering and the dry matter accumulation in spike. Increasing irrigation amount at jointing stage or booting stage more benefited the nutrient uptake, dry matter accumulation and translocation, and grain WUE, which in turn made the yield-formation factors be more balance and the grain yield be higher. It was concluded that to guarantee the irrigation amount at wintering time could achieve stabilized yield, and the optimal irrigation mode was irrigation at wintering time plus an additional irrigation at jointing stage (900 m3 hm(-2)), which could satisfy the water demand of winter wheat at its mid and later growth stage and increase the WUE of grain, and realize water-saving and high-yielding cultivation.