Tillage, cover crops, and nitrogen fertilization effects on soil nitrogen and cotton and sorghum yields

Sustainable soil and crop management practices that reduce soil erosion and nitrogen (N) leaching, conserve soil organic matter, and optimize cotton and sorghum yields still remain a challenge. We examined the influence of three tillage practices (no-till, strip till and chisel till), four cover crops {legume [hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth)], nonlegume [rye (Secaele cereale L.)], vetch/rye biculture and winter weeds or no cover crop}, and three N fertilization rates (0, 60–65 and 120–130 kg N ha⁻¹) on soil inorganic N content at the 0–30 cm depth and yields and N uptake of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) and sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench]. A field experiment was conducted on Dothan sandy loam (fine-loamy, siliceous, thermic, Plinthic Paleudults) from 1999 to 2002 in Georgia, USA. Nitrogen supplied by cover crops was greater with vetch and vetch/rye biculture than with rye and weeds. Soil inorganic N at the 0–10 and 10–30 cm depths increased with increasing N rate and were greater with vetch than with rye and weeds in April 2000 and 2002. Inorganic N at 0–10 cm was also greater with vetch than with rye in no-till, greater with vetch/rye than with rye and weeds in strip till, and greater with vetch than with rye and weeds in chisel till. In 2000, cotton lint yield and N uptake were greater in no-till with rye or 60 kg N ha⁻¹ than in other treatments, but biomass (stems + leaves) yield and N uptake were greater with vetch and vetch/rye than with rye or weeds, and greater with 60 and 120 than with 0 kg N ha⁻¹. In 2001, sorghum grain yield, biomass yield, and N uptake were greater in strip till and chisel till than in no-till, and greater in vetch and vetch/rye with or without N than in rye and weeds with 0 or 65 kg N ha⁻¹. In 2002, cotton lint yield and N uptake were greater in chisel till, rye and weeds with 0 or 60 kg N ha⁻¹ than in other treatments, but biomass N uptake was greater in vetch/rye with 60 kg N ha⁻¹ than in rye and weeds with 0 or 60 kg N ha⁻¹. Increased N supplied by hairy vetch or 120–130 kg N ha⁻¹ increased soil N availability, sorghum grain yield, cotton and sorghum biomass yields, and N uptake but decreased cotton lint yield and lint N uptake compared with rye, weeds or 0 kg N ha⁻¹. Cotton and sorghum yields and N uptake can be optimized and potentials for soil erosion and N leaching can be reduced by using conservation tillage, such as no-till or strip till, with vetch/rye biculture cover crop and 60–65 kg N ha⁻¹. The results can be applied in regions where cover crops can be grown in the winter to reduce soil erosion and N leaching and where tillage intensity and N fertilization rates can be minimized to reduce the costs of energy requirement for tillage and N fertilization while optimizing crop production.     

Effects of irrigation and nitrogen fertilization on the greenhouse gas emissions of a cropping system on a sandy soil in northeast Germany

Irrigation induces processes that may either decrease or increase greenhouse gas emissions from cropping systems. To estimate the net effect of irrigation on the greenhouse gas emissions, it is necessary to consider changes in the crop yields, the content of soil organic carbon and nitrous oxide emissions, as well as in emissions from the use and production of machinery and auxiliary materials. In this study the net greenhouse gas emissions of a cropping system on a sandy soil in northeast Germany were calculated based on a long-term field experiment coupled with two-year N₂O flux measurements on selected plots. The cropping system comprised a rotation of potato, winter wheat, winter oil seed rape, winter rye and cocksfoot each under three nitrogen (N) fertilization intensities with and without irrigation. Total greenhouse gas emissions ranged from 452 to 3503 kg CO_2-eq ha⁻¹ and 0.09 to 1.81 kg CO_2-eq kg⁻¹ yield. Application of an adequate amount of N fertilizer led to a decrease in greenhouse gas emissions compared to zero N fertilization whereas excessive N fertilization did not result in a further decrease. Under N fertilization there were no significant differences between irrigation and non-irrigation. Increases in greenhouse gas emissions from the operation, production and maintenance of irrigation equipment were mainly offset by increases in crop yield and soil organic carbon contents. Thus, on a sandy soil under climatic conditions of north-east Germany it is possible to produce higher yields under irrigation without an increase in the yield-related greenhouse gas emissions.     

Effect of nitrogen fertilization on nitrate leaching in relation to grain yield response on loamy sand in Sweden

High rates of nitrogen (N) fertilizer may increase N leaching with drainage, especially when there is no further crop response. It is often discussed whether leaching is affected only at levels that no longer give an economic return, or whether reducing fertilization below the economic optimum could reduce leaching further. To study nitrate leaching with different fertilizer N rates (0–135 kg N ha⁻¹) and grain yield responses, field experiments in spring oats were conducted in 2007, 2008 and 2009 on loamy sand in south-west Sweden. Nitrate leaching was determined from nitrate concentrations in soil water sampled with ceramic suction cups and measured discharge at a nearby measuring station. The results showed that nitrate leaching per kg grain produced had its minimum around the economic optimum, here defined as the fertilization level where each extra kg of fertilizer N resulted in a 10 kg increase in grain yield (85% DM). There were no statistically significant differences in leaching between treatments fertilized below this level. However, N leaching was significantly elevated in some of the treatments with higher fertilization rates and the increase in nitrate leaching from increased N fertilization could be described with an exponential function. According to this function, the increase was <0.04 kg kg⁻¹ fertilizer N at and below the economic optimum. Above this fertilization level, the nitrate leaching response gradually increased as the yield response ceased and the increase amounted to 0.1 and 0.5 kg kg⁻¹ when the economic optimum was exceeded by 35 and 100 kg N ha⁻¹, respectively. The economic optimum fertilization level depends on the price relationship between grain and fertilizer, which in Sweden can vary between 5:1 and 15:1. In other words, precision fertilization that provides no more or no less than a 10 kg increase in grain yield per kg extra N fertilizer can be optimal for both crop profitability and the environment. To predict this level already at fertilization is a great challenge, and it could be argued that rates should be kept down further to ensure that they are not exceeded due to overestimation of the optimum rate. However, the development of precision agriculture with new tools for prediction may reduce this risk.     

Response of giant reed (Arundo donax L.) to nitrogen fertilization and soil water availability in semi-arid Mediterranean environment

The aim of the present work was to evaluate the effect of soil water availability and nitrogen fertilization on yield, water use efficiency and agronomic nitrogen use efficiency of giant reed (Arundo donax L.) over four-year field experiment.After the year of establishment, three levels for each factor were studied in the following three years: I₀ (irrigation only during the year of establishment), I₁ (50% ETm restitution) and I₂ (100% ETm restitution); N₀ (0 kg N ha⁻¹), N₁ (60 kg N ha⁻¹) and N₂ (120 kg N ha⁻¹).Irrigation and nitrogen effects resulted significant for stem height and leaf area index (LAI) before senescence, while no differences were observed for stem density and LAI at harvest.Aboveground biomass dry matter (DM) yield increased following the year of establishment in all irrigation and N fertilization treatments. It was always the highest in I₂N₂ (18.3, 28.8 and 28.9 t DM ha⁻¹ at second, third and fourth year growing season, respectively). The lowest values were observed in I₀N₀ (11.0, 13.4 and 12.9 t DM ha⁻¹, respectively).Water use efficiency (WUE) was significantly higher in the most stressed irrigation treatment (I₀), decreasing in the intermediate (I₁) and further in the highest irrigation treatment (I₂). N fertilization lead to greater values of WUE in all irrigation treatment.The effect of N fertilization on agronomic nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) was significant only at the first and second growing season.Giant reed was able to uptake water at 160–180 cm soil depth when irrigation was applied, while up to 140–160 cm under water stress condition.Giant reed appeared to be particularly suited to semi-arid Mediterranean environments, showing high yields even in absence of agro-input supply.     

Analysis of maize growth for different irrigation strategies in northeastern Spain

Water availability is the key factor determining maize yields in NE Spain. Irrigation is needed to obtain economic yields but it is costly and water supply is sometimes insufficient. The aim of this research was to test a simple simulation model for evaluating different irrigation strategies, especially under water-limited conditions. The LINTUL model was adapted and parameterized using experimental data from the 1995 season. Most parameters were obtained from experiments, although some were taken from the literature. This model is based on the concept of light use efficiency, incorporates a soil water balance and simulates phenology, crop leaf area, biomass accumulation and yield. It was tested on independent data from the 1995 and 1996 seasons under different irrigation treatments. The model predicted the flowering date within ±5 days of the observed values. Leaf area index was predicted satisfactorily, except under extreme water-stress conditions, where it was overestimated. In general, soil moisture content and yield were accurately predicted. In the 1996 experiment measured yields ranged from 6.4 to 13.6 t ha⁻¹ and simulated yields from 6.5 to 12.2 t ha⁻¹. These results show that the LINTUL model can be used as a tool for exploring the consequences on maize yields of different irrigation strategies in NE Spain. Analysis of the model identified a process that strongly affects yield loss due to drought, but for which present understanding is still insufficient: the effects of drought on leaf senescence and canopy architecture.     

长期定位施肥对夏玉米氮代谢的影响

基于 30年的长期定位试验, 研究了长期定位施肥对夏玉米氮代谢的影响。随施肥量增加,氮代谢旺盛,吐丝后穗位叶NR活性高,其中M2N2处理NR活性平均比对照提高了4.0%,其次是M2N1、N2PK、M1N2,分别比对照提高了3.7%、3.4%、3.1%。穗位叶的游离氨基酸和蛋白质含量也表现为与NR活性类似的趋势。M2N2处理游离氨基酸和蛋白质含量与对照比较差异显著。分别比对照提高了19.6%和22.2%。其次M2N1、N2PK、M1N2处理。游离氨基酸含量分别比对照提高了17.9%、16.7%、和15.4%。蛋白质含量分别比对照提高了18.5%、18.4%和17.9%。有机肥氮肥配施处理,穗位叶NR活性在籽粒形成期间维持高活性时间长,穗位叶中的可溶性蛋白含量高。氮磷钾肥配施处理穗位叶NR活性、可溶性蛋白含量显著高于氮磷、氮钾处理。     

Effects of cover crops on soil mineral nitrogen and on the yield and nitrogen content of maize

Current agricultural practice favours winter cover crops, which can not only optimize N management in field crop rotation; but also affect subsequent crops. Three field experiments were carried out in Eastern Slovenia to examine the effects of Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.), winter rape (Brassica napus ssp.oleifera (Metzg.) Sinsk), subclover (Trifolium subterraneum L.), and crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum L.) as winter cover crops on the mineral N (N_min) content of soil and on the yield and N content of subsequent maize (Zea mays L.), fertilized with 120 kg N ha⁻¹. Italian ryegrass and winter rape decreased soil N_min contents before winter and in spring more than both clovers. In contrast, clovers accumulated significantly higher amounts of N in organic matter and had lower C/N ratios than winter rape and especially Italian ryegrass. In comparison to the control (bare fallow without cover crop), clovers increased the whole above ground maize dry matter yield, maize grain yield and N contents in whole above ground plants and in grain. The yields and N contents of maize following winter rape were on the same level as the control, while yields and N contents of maize following Italian ryegrass were, in two of the experiments, at the same level as the control. The effects of Italian ryegrass on the maize as subsequent crop in the third experiment were markedly negative. Maize in the control treatment exploited N much more efficiently than in treatments with cover crops. Therefore, cover crop N management should be improved, especially with a view to optimizing the timing of net N mineralization in accordance with the N demands of the subsequent crop.     

Achieving legislation requirements with different nitrogen fertilization strategies: Results from a long term experiment

The Nitrates Directive (91/676/EEC, Anonymous, 1991) was developed in Europe to limit environmental threats from intensive livestock farming and N fertilizer applications to crops. It imposed several rules on farmers and public bodies, one of which was nutrient fertilization plan adoption. Here we use results from the Tetto Frati (Northern Italy) Long-Term Experiment to verify the terms and coefficients in the official Italian guidelines and evaluate the limitations imposed to organic fertilization amounts. For this purpose, we mined long-term experimental data of crop yield, N uptake, N use efficiency, and soil organic matter content from miscellanea cropping systems fertilized with farmyard manure (FYM) and bovine slurry (SLU), typical of a dairy farm in Northern Italy. N fertilization efficiency indicators (Removal to Fertilizer ratio, Apparent Recovery and Nitrogen Fertilizer Replacement Value) indicated that in the long run, FYM behaved similarly to urea, and better than SLU. Even N supply rates as high as 250 kg N ha⁻¹ were justified by high rates of crop removal. In fact, among the terms of the mass-balance equation, SOM mineralization was found to be most relevant, followed by meadow rotation residual effects. We conclude that a revised Nitrates Directives application scheme could be more relaxed in its application limit of manure-N, but should be more ambitious in setting efficiency coefficients for manure fertilization.     

A conceptual model of farmers' decision-making process for nitrogen fertilization and irrigation of durum wheat

With a 2 millions of tons production, France is the second country in the European Union to produce durum wheat. Durum wheat production requires high grain nitrogen concentration. Irrigation and nitrogen fertilization must be managed simultaneously to maximize grain yield and also avoid low protein concentration and environmental impacts. To help advisors and farmers to better manage together these two agricultural operations and to develop innovative managements, developing a biodecisional model is an interesting possibility. However, knowledge is still missing on how farmers already managed these operations and how these two operations are linked. We developed the conceptual model for the decision part of this computer model. We performed a survey of 28 farmers conducted over the five French production areas investigating a diversity of growing conditions to identify the set of possible constraints and farmers' decision rules. To analyze the survey, we first used a general inductive approach on individual cases and then built a conceptual model of the decision with a bottom-up approach. We identified four decision sequences for fertilization (N splitting, choice of N fertilizer, rate of application, fertilization triggering) and five for irrigation (irrigation period, anticipated number of irrigation cycles, irrigation cycles organization, irrigation triggering and irrigation cycle specificities). For each operation, the first three decision sequences refer to strategic decisions. The other decision sequences refer to tactical decisions. Coupling this model with a crop model could provide guidelines for managing durum wheat in the current climatic and economic changing context.     

Productivity and water use efficiency of sweet sorghum as affected by soil water deficit occurring at different vegetative growth stages

The growth and production of sweet sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] crops under semi-arid conditions in the Mediterranean environment of southern Italy are constrained by water stress. The effects of temporary water stress on growth and productivity of sweet sorghum were studied during three seasons at Rutigliano (Bari, Italy). The aim of this research was to evaluate the sensitivity of phenological stages subjected to the same water deficit. In a preliminary study it was observed that stomata closed when pre-dawn leaf water potential (Ψ_b) became lower than −0.4 MPa. This criterion was used in monitoring plant water status in three different plots: one never stressed and two stressed at different phenological stages (‘leaf’ and ‘stem’) when mainly leaves or stems were growing, respectively. An evaluation of the sensitivity of phenological stages subjected to identical water stress was obtained by comparing the above-ground biomass and WUE of drought crops with those of the well-irrigated crop (up to 32.5 t ha⁻¹ of dry matter and 5.7 g kg⁻¹). The sensitivity was greatest at the early stage (‘leaf’), when a temporary soil water stress reduced the biomass production by up to 30% with respect to the control and WUE was 4.8 g kg⁻¹ (average of three seasons). These results help quantify the effects of water constraints on sweet sorghum productivity. An irrigation strategy based on phenological stage sensitivity is suggested.     

Use of biofertilizers obtained from sewage sludges on maize yield

Maize production plays an essential role in global food security. In order to maintain both high quality and maize production, there is a great demand for fertilizers. The main objective of this work was to study, over two experimental seasons, the effect of a biofertilizer obtained from sewage sludge (SS) on the yield and on the quality of maize crops (Zea mays L.). The biofertilizer was applied in two ways: (i) to soil, at rates of 0, 10 and 20 Mg ha⁻¹ before sowing, and (ii) via foliar fertilization, applying 0, 3.6 and 7.2 l ha⁻¹ three times during each growing season accounting for a total rate of 0, 10.8 l ha⁻¹ and 21.6 l ha⁻¹. This study is novel because there are no previous studies of the effect of this biofertilizer on any agricultural crops. The results obtained show that, when the SS was applied directly to the soil, the macro- and micronutrients analyzed in both soil and leaves showed no significant differences between either of the fertilizer treatments. Foliar application of SS, however, increased the leaf concentrations of macro- and micronutrients. When the SS rate was 7.2 l ha⁻¹, grain protein concentration increased significantly by about 30% and the yield increased significantly by about 17% compared with the control treatment (SS not applied). These results suggested that, in order to improve agricultural maize yields, quality and nutritional, this SS should be applied as a foliar fertilizer instead of applying it to soil.     

Best management practices of tillage and nitrogen fertilization in Mediterranean rainfed conditions: Combining field and modelling approaches

In this work, appropriate management practices for crop production under the variable climate conditions of the Mediterranean region, in particular rainfall, were tested with the use of a modelling system applied to long-term (i.e. 18 years) field data. The calibration of the CropSyst model was performed using data collected from 1996 to 1999 at three different Mediterranean locations (i.e., HYP-Guissona, MYP-Agramunt and LYP-Candasnos, i.e. high, medium and low yield potential, respectively) within a degree of yield potential. The model simulated reasonably well barley growth and yield to different tillage and N fertilization strategies.Simulations of barley performance over 50 years with generated weather data showed that yields were often greater and never smaller under no-tillage compared to conventional tillage with a mean increase of 36%, 63% and 18% for HYP-Guissona, MYP-Agramunt and LYP-Candasnos. In MYP-Agramunt, the long-term data showed a 40% increase in grain yields when using no-tillage compared to conventional tillage, as an average of 18 years.The model also predicted that greater N applications in no-tillage were appropriate to take advantage of additional water supply. Taking into account the limited amount of soil water available, overall N fertilizer applications could be reduced to about half of the traditional rate applied by the farmers without yield loss. The 50-yr simulation, confirmed by the long-term experimental data, identified no-tillage as the most appropriate tillage practice for the rainfed Mediterranean areas. Also, N fertilization must be reduced significantly when tillage is used or when increasing aridity. Our work demonstrates the usefulness of the combination of long-term field experimentation and modelling as a tool to identify the best agricultural management practices. It also highlights the importance of posterior analysis with long-term observed field data to determine the performance of simulation results.     

不同水氮处理对豫麦49-198籽粒抗氧化物含量的影响

2012-2013年度, 在温县和郑州大田条件下, 研究不同水氮处理对冬小麦品种豫麦49-198籽粒总酚、类黄酮、类胡萝卜素含量及抗氧化活性的影响。结果表明, 在施纯氮0~300 kg hm^–2范围内, 所有观测指标均随施氮量的增加而增加, 以施氮300 kg hm^–2处理最高。随灌水次数(0~2次)的增加, 总酚、类黄酮含量和抗氧化活性呈先增加后降低趋势, 以灌拔节水处理最高;类胡萝卜素含量在不同试点间表现不一致。水氮耦合, 以灌拔节水+施氮240~300 kg hm^–2处理的抗氧化物含量及抗氧化活性较高, 而总酚、类黄酮及类胡萝卜素的积累量则以灌拔节和开花水+施氮240~300 kg hm^–2处理较高。相关分析表明, 籽粒总酚、类黄酮含量与抗氧化活性均呈显著正相关, 表明总酚、类黄酮含量增加可以提高小麦籽粒抗氧化活性;不同深度土层土壤水分含量及硝态氮含量与籽粒抗氧化物质含量的相关性存在差异, 总体而言, 氮含量有助于总酚及类胡萝卜素含量的积累, 而水分含量可能有助于类黄酮含量的提高。     

The effects of dairy cattle manure and mineral N fertilizer on irrigated maize and soil N and organic C

This work was aimed at providing a sustainable approach in the use of manure in irrigated maize crop under Mediterranean climatic conditions. To this end, the effect of continuous annual applications of dairy cattle manure, combined or not with mineral N fertilizer, on the following parameters was studied: grain yield, grain and plant N concentration, N uptake by plant, N use efficiency, and soil N and organic carbon. The experiment was conducted in a furrow-irrigated sandy soil under dry Mediterranean conditions during seven years. Three different rates of cattle manure (CM): 0, 30 and 60 Mg ha⁻¹, were applied each year before sowing. These CM rates were combined with four mineral N rates (0, 100, 200 and 300 kg N ha⁻¹) applied at sidedress.On average, the highest grain yields during the 7 years were obtained with the combination of CM at 30 Mg ha⁻¹ and mineral fertilizer and with CM at 60 Mg ha⁻¹ without mineral fertilizer. With CM at 30 Mg ha⁻¹, mineral fertilizer increased yields during most of the growing seasons, meanwhile with CM at 60 Mg ha⁻¹, there was not any significant effect of the joint application of mineral fertilizer on yields. Overall, best results were obtained exceeding maximum rates according to present legislation. The mean apparent nitrogen recovery (ANR) fraction during the 7 seasons was 29% for N exclusively applied as CM. Overall, increased N rates applied as CM resulted in decreased ANRs. However, ANR with CM at 30 and 60 Mg ha⁻¹ increased during the first two seasons. This increased ANR ascribed to mineralization of residual organic N applied in previous seasons explained the increasing yields observed in the treatments along the study.The application of CM during 7 years increased the soil organic carbon in the first 30 cm by 5.7 and 9.9 Mg ha⁻¹ with CM at 30 and 60 Mg ha⁻¹, respectively, when compared to the initial stock. Thus, manure-based fertilization could be an alternative to mineral fertilizer in order to achieve high maize yields while improving soil quality under dry Mediterranean conditions.     

Effect of biogas digestate,animal manure and mineral fertilizer application on nitrogen flows in biogas feedstock production

The expansion of biogas feedstock cultivation may affect a number of ecosystem processes and ecosystem services, and temporal and spatial dimensions of its environmental impact are subject to a critical debate. However, there are hardly any comprehensive studies available on the impact of biogas feedstock production on the different components of nitrogen (N) balance. The objectives of the current study were (i) to investigate the short-term effects of crop substrate cultivation on the N flows in terms of a N balance and its components (N fertilization, N deposition, N leaching, NH₃ emission, N₂O emission, N recovery in harvested product) for different cropping systems, N fertilizer types and a wide range of N rate, and (ii) to quantify the N footprint of feedstock production in terms of potential N loss per unit of methane produced. In 2007/08 and 2008/09, two field experiments were conducted at two sites in Northern Germany differing in soil quality, where continuous maize (R1), maize–whole crop wheat followed by Italian ryegrass as a double crop (R2), and maize–grain wheat followed by mustard as a catch crop (R3) were grown on Site 1 (sandy loam), and R1 and a perennial ryegrass ley (R4) at Site 2 (sandy soil rich in organic matter). Crops were supplied with varying amounts of N (0–360 kg N ha⁻¹, ryegrass: 0–480 kg N ha⁻¹) supplied as biogas digestate, cattle slurry, pig slurry or calcium-ammonium nitrate (CAN).Mineral-N fertilization of maize-based rotations resulted in negative N balances at N input for maximum yield (Nopt), with R2 having slightly less negative balances than R1 and R3. In contrast, N balances were close to zero for cattle slurry or digestate treatments. Thus, trade-offs between substrate feedstock production and changes of soil organic matter stocks have to be taken into consideration when evaluating biogas production systems. Nitrogen losses were generally dominated by N leaching, whereas for the organically fertilized perennial ryegrass ley the ammonia emission accounted for the largest proportion. Nitrogen balance of the ryegrass ley at Nopt was close to zero (CAN) or highly positive (cattle slurry, digestate). Nitrogen footprint (NFP) was applied as an eco-efficiency measure of N-loss potential (difference of N input and N recovery) related to the unit methane produced. NFP ranged between −11 and +6 kg N per 1000 m³ methane at Nopt for maize-based rotations, without a significant impact of cropping system or N fertilizer type. However, for perennial ryegrass ley, NFP increased up to 65 kg N per 1000 m³. The loose relation between NFP and observed N losses suggests only limited suitability for NFP.     

氮肥基因型差异对玉米吸氮量的反应

田间试验研究了11个玉米杂交种在不同施氮条件下的吸氮量。结果表明,玉米吸氮量具有明显的基因型差异。在低氮(N2)处理中,子粒、秸秆、地上部吸氮量高低品种相差分别为1.060、0.134、1.125g/kg,在高氮(N4)处理中,分别为0.836、0.154、0.954g/kg。不同基因型玉米的吸氮量差异低氮条件比高氮条件更大。施氮量对玉米吸氮量有显著的影响。玉米子粒、秸秆、地上部吸氮量和相应的产量呈极显著的正相关     

Interaction of deep placed controlled-release urea and water retention agent on nitrogen and water use and maize yield

Controlled-release urea has been widely adopted to increase nitrogen (N) use efficiency and crop production, and these effects can range widely depending on water availability in soil. However, limited information is available on the interaction of controlled-release urea placement depth with water retention agent (WRA) on N and water use and the yield of crops. The objectives of this study were to assess the consequences of this interaction on N and water use and the maize (Zea mays L.) yield by a split-plot design with WRA as the main plots and five application methods of urea as sub-plots. The five application methods consisted of inter-row side dressing of conventional urea at 5 cm and 10 cm depths, inter-row side dressing of controlled-release urea at 5 cm and 10 cm depths, and deep placement of the controlled-release urea at a 15 cm depth. Soil water stocks, dry matter accumulation, 1000-grain weight, grain-filling rate, N and water use efficiencies, and economic benefits were evaluated. The results revealed that the year, WRA, urea, and their interactions had significant effects on N and water use efficiencies, yield and benefits. When controlled-release urea was placed deep, soil water stocks were higher from the male tetrad stage to maturity and evapotranspiration (ETα) increased. Deep placement of controlled-release urea at a 15 cm depth without WRA enhanced the agronomic efficiency of N and water. The yield and net income were increased compared with controlled-release urea at a 5 cm depth. The combination of WRA and deep placement of controlled-release urea at a 15 cm depth had a significant effect on water use efficiency. However, this combination had no significant effects on N use efficiency, yield and benefits. WRA used with conventional urea can maintain higher soil water stocks, and increase the dry matter production, grain-filling rate, N and water use efficiencies. The differences were more significant during the dry season. Conventional urea at a 10 cm depth with WRA enhanced N and water use efficiencies, yield and net income by 6.5, 3.2, 6.5 and 4.2% respectively when compared with conventional urea without WRA. Thus, the best solution to obtain higher yield, water and N use efficiencies, and net income is placing controlled-release urea at 15-cm depth without WRA. When controlled-release urea is not available, placing conventional urea at a 10-cm depth combined with WRA is an interesting alternative for farmers.     

氮磷钾肥对能源草柳枝稷苗期生长的影响

为了探索柳枝稷在边际土地规模化种植过程中肥料效应方面的基础数据,在日光温室内开展了沙土盆栽柳枝稷苗期氮磷钾肥料效应试验研究。结果表明,氮磷钾肥对沙土盆栽柳枝稷苗期的叶面积、株高、地上生物量、地下生物量、总生物量均具有明显的促进作用,而且,氮磷钾的单因素肥料效应均达到显著水平(P<0.05);柳枝稷苗期总生物量与氮磷钾之间存在着显著的三元二次回归关系,日光温室沙土盆栽条件下,获得柳枝稷苗期最高生物量所需要的适宜氮磷钾浓度分别为:氮(N)94.01mg/kg,磷(P2O5)40.18mg/kg,钾(K₂O)117.96mg/kg。     

Effect of cytoplasmic male-sterility in sorghum on host plant interaction with sorghum midge,Contarinia sorghicola

Summary Sorghum midge, Contarinia sorghicola Coq. (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) is one of the most important pests of grain sorghum worldwide. We studied the reaction of midge-resistant and midge-susceptible genic-cytoplasmic male-sterile (A-lines) and their maintainers (B-lines), and the effect of resistant and susceptible restorers on sorghum midge. Midge damage and adult emergence were significantly lower on the B-lines of midge-resistant genotypes (PM 7061 and PM 7068) than their corresponding A-lines, while the reverse was true for the midge-susceptible genotypes (296A and ICSA 42). Differences in midge damage and the number of midges emerged were not significant between the midge-resistant and midge-susceptible A-lines when infested without pollination (except midge emergence on PM 7061A). Pollination with a midge-resistant restorer (DJ6541) reduced midge emergence significantly in one of two seasons. Source of pollen did not influence midge emergence on the highly-resistant A-line, PM 7061A. The implications of these observations in the development of midge-resistant hybrids were discussed.     

长期定位施肥对夏玉米光合性状及产量的影响

基于 30年的长期定位试验, 研究了长期定位施肥对夏玉米光合性状及产量的影响。研究结果表明：随着施肥量的增加,玉米穗位叶叶绿素含量,光合速率,干物质积累量都显著提高。有机肥与氮肥配施的处理与偏施氮肥的处理相比,各项指标提高最为显著。长期不施肥,玉米的穗粒数最低偏施氮肥可以提高穗粒数,但与对照差异不显著,有机肥与氮肥配施可以显著提高小麦的穗粒数,产量较高,高有机肥与高氮肥配施的处理产量最高。