Exploring site-specific N application rate to reduce N footprint and increase crop production for green manure-rice rotation system in southern China.

Milk vetch (Astragalus sinicus L.) is leguminous green manure (GM) which produces organic nitrogen (N) for subsequent crops and is widely planted and utilized to simultaneously reduce the use of synthetic N fertilizer and its environmental costs in rice systems. Determination of an optimal N application rate specific to the GM-rice system is challenging because of the large temporal and spatial variations in soil, climate, and field management conditions. To solve this problem, we developed a framework to explore the site-specific N application rate for the low-N footprint rice production system in southern China based on multi-site field experiments, farmer field survey, and process-based model (WHCNS_Rice, soil water heat carbon nitrogen simulator for rice). The results showed that a process-based model can explain >83.3% (p < 0.01) of the variation in rice yield, aboveground biomass, crop N uptake, and soil mineral N. Based on the scenario analysis of the tested WHCNS_Rice model, the simple regression equation was developed to implement site-specific N application rates that considered variations in GM biomass, soil, and climatic conditions. Simulation evaluation on nine provinces in southern China showed that the site-specific N application rate reduced regional synthetic N fertilizer input by 29.6 ± 17.8% and 65.3 ± 23.0% for single and early rice, respectively; decreased their total N footprints (NFs) by 23.4% and 49.3%, respectively; and without reduction in rice yield, compared with traditional farming N practices. The reduction in total NF was attributed to the reduced emissions from ammonia volatilization by 35.2%, N leaching by 28.4%, and N runoff by 32.7%. In this study, we suggested a low NF rice production system that can be obtained by combining GM with site-specific N application rate in southern China.

[Effects of Chinese Milk Vetch Returning Incorporated with Chemical Fertilizer Reduction on the Composition and Function of Soil Bacterial Communities in Paddy Fields].

Chinese milk vetch (Astragalus sinicus L.) is an important organic nutrient resource in the southern Henan rice-growing area. Thus, the effects of Chinese milk vetch (MV) returning incorporated with reduced chemical fertilizer on the physicochemical properties and bacterial community characteristics in paddy soil were studied. These results can provide a certain theoretical basis for the improvement of soil fertility and reduction of chemical fertilizer in this area. A field experiment was conducted for 12 consecutive years, involving six fertilization treatments (blank control, CK; 100% chemical fertilizer, F100; 80% chemical fertilizer+22.5 t·hm-2 MV, MV1F80; 80% chemical fertilizer+45 t·hm-2 MV, MV2F80; 60% chemical fertilizer+22.5 t·hm-2 MV, MV1F60; and 60% chemical fertilizer+45 t·hm-2 MV, MV2F60). The high-throughput sequencing method was used to compare the effects of different fertilization treatments on soil bacterial community diversity, composition, and structural characteristics. The FAPROTAX function prediction method was used to analyze the abundance differences of functional groups between different fertilization treatments. Additionally, combined with soil physicochemical properties and bacterial community characteristics, we explored the key soil environmental factors that changed the structure and functional characteristics of the soil bacterial community. Compared with that under CK, the soil bulk density (BD) under the MV returning incorporated with reduced chemical fertilizer treatment was decreased, whereas soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), and total potassium (TK) were increased by 12.7%-35.5%, 38.2%-65.7%, 66.7%-95.2%, and 20.3%-31.6%, respectively. Compared with that under the F100 treatment, the Sobs index and Shannon diversity index of the bacterial community under the MV returning incorporated with reduced chemical fertilizer were decreased, and the Sobs index and Shannon diversity index were significantly positively correlated with BD (P<0.05) but significantly negatively correlated with SOC and TN (P<0.05). Compared with that under the F100 treatment, the relative abundances of Firmicutes under the MV1F80 and MV2F60 treatments were significantly increased by 82.2% and 67.4% (P<0.05), but the relative abundances of Acidobacteria were significantly reduced by 32.6% and 40.5% (P<0.05), respectively. The relative abundance of Actinobacteria under the MV2F60 treatment was significantly increased by 30.0% (P<0.05) compared with that under the F100 treatment. According to RDA analysis, soil SOC, TN, and TK were the main soil environmental factors that significantly affected bacterial community (P<0.05). Compared with that under CK and the F100 treatment, the abundance of functional groups of chemoheterotrophy, nitrogen fixation, fermentation, and ureolysis under the MV returning incorporated with reduced chemical fertilizer treatment were improved, whereas the abundance of functional groups of animal parasites or symbionts, all human pathogens, and human pathogen pneumonia were reduced, particularly under MV1F80 and MV2F60. To summarize, the long-term MV returning to the field incorporated with reduced chemical fertilizer improved the soil physical and chemical properties, thus changing the structure and functional characteristics of the soil bacterial communities, contributing to the improvement in the soil fertility, stability, and health of micro-ecosystems in paddy fields, thus ensuring the green and sustainable development of regional agriculture.

[Effects of Astragalus sinicus combined with chemical fertilizer on nitrogen absorption and utilization of rice and nitrogen distribution and residue of Astragalus sinicus in rice-soil system.] / ç´«äº‘è‹±é æ–½åŒ–è‚¥å¯¹æ°´ç¨»æ°®ç´ å¸æ”¶åˆ©ç”¨å’Œç´«äº‘è‹±æ°®åœ¨æ°´ç¨»-åœŸå£¤ä½“ç³»åˆ†é ã€æ®‹ç•™çš„å½±å“.

Clarifying the pattern of nitrogen absorption and utilization of rice under the treatments of Astragalus sinicus combined with chemical fertilizer application and the pattern of absorption, utilization, distribution and residue of A. sinicus nitrogen in rice-soil system could provide basis to rational fertilization for rice planting area in southern Henan. In this study, undisturbed soil column simulation and isotope tracer technology of 15N were used to examine the differences of nitrogen uptake and utilization of rice, nitrogen nutrient balance of rice-soil system and nitrogen uptake, utilization, distribution and residue of A. sinicus nitrogen after mineralization and decomposition among seven treatments. The treatments involved 1) no fertilization (CK); 2) chemical fertilizer+22500 kg·hm-2 A. sinicus (FM1); 3) chemical fertilizer+30000 kg·hm-2 A. sinicus (FM2); 4) chemical fertilizer+37500 kg·hm-2 A. sinicus (FM3); 5) chemical fertilizer+22500 kg·hm-2 A. sinicus +lime (FM1+CaO); 6) chemical fertilizer+30000 kg·hm-2 A. sinicus lime (FM2+CaO); 7) chemical fertilizer+37500 kg·hm-2 A. sinicus +lime (FM3+CaO). Results showed that compared with CK, fertilization significantly increased nitrogen uptake of grain and rice stalks, apparent nitrogen loss, and nitrogen surplus. The grain nitrogen uptake, rice straw nitrogen uptake and nitrogen use efficiency of rice increased firstly and then decreased with the increasing A. sinicus application rates, while the apparent nitrogen loss and nitrogen surplus showed the opposite trend. The best performance was presented under the treatment of chemical fertilizer combined with 30000 kg·hm-2 of A. sinicus. Lime addition could increase grain nitrogen uptake, rice straw nitrogen uptake, and nitrogen use efficiency of rice, while reducing apparent nitrogen loss and nitrogen surplus, with the best performance of FM2+CaO. For all the treatments, the proportion of nitrogen absorbed by rice from A. sinicus was 6.3%-13.2%, while that from soil and chemical fertilizer was 86.8%-93.7%. The utilization ratio of A. sinicus nitrogen by rice was 23.8%-33.6%. The utilization ratio of A. sinicus nitrogen in different parts of rice was grain > stem and leaf > root. The residue rate of A. sinicus nitrogen in soil was 37.6%-62.4%. The loss rate of A. sinicus nitrogen was 7.8%-38.6%. Comprehensively considering nitrogen absorption and utilization of rice, nitrogen nutrient balance of rice-soil system, and the distribution situation of nitrogen from A. sinicus in rice, FM2+CaO was the optimum fertilization pattern in the study area.

[The characteristics of decomposition and nutrient release of Vicia villosa under different fertilization treatments.] / ä¸åŒæ–½è‚¥æ¡ä»¶ä¸‹æ¯›å¶è‹•å­çš„è è§£åŠå »åˆ†é‡Šæ”¾ç‰¹å¾.

The effects of three fertilization treatments (no fertilizer, nitrogen fertilizer, and lime) on the characteristics of Vicia villosa decomposition and nutrient release were studied using the nylon bag method in the fields. The results showed that the cumulative decomposition rate of V. villosa was 65.3%-72.5% across the three fertilization treatments. V. villosa decomposed rapidly during 0-11 d, then slowed down and tended to be stable. The nutrient release rates across the three treatments were potassium > phosphorus > carbon > nitrogen. At the end of the experiment (148 d), the cumulative release rates of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium were 83.6%-84.6%, 78.2%-81.2%, 89.8%-91.4% and 96.3%-97.0%, respectively. During the whole decomposition period, the characteristics of nitrogen release and decomposition of V. villosa were similar. Compared with no fertilizer treatment, lime application promoted decomposition and release of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Nitrogen fertilizer application promoted phosphorus release but inhibited potassium release. Both nitrogen application and lime application had no significant effect on carbon release. The application of nitrogen fertilizer promoted the decomposition of V. villosa and nitrogen release in 0-11 d, but inhibited those processes in 11-148 d. The first-order kinetic reaction equation and logarithmic function equation well fitted the characteristics of V. villosa decomposition and the release of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in the rice fields of South Henan. The characteristic parameters of the equation were significantly correlated with the decomposition rate and nutrient release rate of V. villosa. In summary, lime application was better than nitrogen fertili-zer in promoting decomposition and nutrient release of V. villosa. Moreover, the parameters of the first-order kinetic equation and logarithmic function equation showed a good description of decomposition and nutrient release of V. villosa.