Research on Optimum Phosphorus Fertilizer Rate Based on Maize Yield and Phosphorus Balance in Soil Under Film Mulched Drip Irrigation Conditions

【Objective】 In order to improve phosphorus efficiency and reduce environmental risk due to a large number of phosphorus application under mulched drip irrigation in northeast semi-arid region for maize production, a 3-year field experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of different phosphorus application rates on maize yield, phosphorus utilization efficiency and soil phosphorus supply ability, so as to provide scientific references for rational phosphorus fertilizer application in this region. 【Method】 The field experiment was conducted in semi-arid maize production region of Jilin province (Qian'an county) from 2015 to 2017. Six treatments of phosphorus application rate (P₂O) were designed in the field experiments, including 0 (P₀), 40 kg·hm ^-2 (P₄₀), 70 kg·hm ^-2 (P₇₀), 100 kg·hm ^-2 (P₁₀₀), 130 kg·hm ^-2 (P₁₃₀) and 160 kg·hm ^-2 (P₁₆₀), which were used for the calculation of phosphorus uptake, phosphorus utilization efficiencies and apparent phosphorus balance in the soil-crop system. The measurement indexes contained maize yield and its components, phosphorus content of plant at mature stage and soil available phosphorus concentration. 【Result】 The result showed that the maize yield with phosphorus application were significantly increased by 6.2%-21.2% (2015), 9.0%-20.6% (2016) and 12.9%-30.3% (2017) respectively, and increment by 9.2%-23.9% in average three years. The yield was enhanced by increasing grains per ear, 100-kernel weight and harvest index by applying phosphorus fertilizer. Maize yield increased at first and decreased later with increasing of phosphorus application rate, and the highest yield value was found under P₁₀₀ treatment. Phosphorus recovery efficiency and partial productivity declined, however, phosphorus agronomic efficiency increased at first and decreased later with increasing of phosphorus application rate. Available phosphorus content in soil layer (0-40 cm) was improved with the increasing of phosphorus application rate and period compared with P₀ treatment, and the content under P₁₀₀ treatment was very close to its initialization value. The apparent phosphorus balance in soil was negative in the P₀, P₄₀ and P₇₀ treatments after a three-year continuous maize-cropping, and the phosphorus deficient amount was decreased with the increment of phosphorus application rate. While the apparent phosphorus balance in soil was positive under the P₁₀₀, P₁₃₀ and P₁₆₀ treatments, and phosphorus surplus amount was increasing with the increment of phosphorus application rate. When surplus rate was 0, phosphorus application rate, maize yield, available phosphorus content in 0-20 cm and 20-40 cm soil, phosphorus recovery efficiency, agronomic efficiency and partial productivity were 92.4 kg·hm ^-2, 12 497 kg·hm ^-2, 34.6 mg·kg ^-1, 28.4 mg·kg ^-1, 24.1%, 21.9 kg·kg ^-1 and 146.1 kg·kg ^-1, respectively, by simulating between phosphorus application rate (y₁), soil available phosphorus content (y₂), phosphorus utilization efficiency (y₃) and surplus rate (x), respectively. These results were similar to maize yield, soil available phosphorus content and phosphorus utilization efficiency under the maximum yield under the P₁₀₀ treatment. The optimum phosphorus application rate was at the range of 88-97 kg·hm ^-2 under 95% confidence levels, when theoretical surplus rate was 0. 【Conclusion】 The results suggested that the recommended phosphorus application rate was at the range of 88-97 kg·hm ^-2, which could not only ensure higher maize yield, but also keep soil phosphorus balance under this experimental conditions. The research provided phosphorus fertilizer management for both high-yielding maize production and friendly environment under mulched drip irrigation conditions in northeast semi-arid region of Jilin province.