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Integrated nitrogen amount and sources maximize maize nitrogen efficiency in the saline soils
Author(s) -
Miao Qi,
Zhang Jishi,
Chen Yongliang,
Xue Yanfang,
Cui Zhenling
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
agronomy journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.752
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1435-0645
pISSN - 0002-1962
DOI - 10.1002/agj2.20584
Subject(s) - agronomy , nitrogen , urea , grain yield , ammonium , nitrate , ammonium sulfate , yield (engineering) , soil water , ammonium nitrate , field experiment , fertilizer , environmental science , crop yield , chemistry , zoology , biology , soil science , materials science , organic chemistry , chromatography , metallurgy
Although efficient N fertilization has become widely accepted for sustaining or improving N use efficiency (NUE), many existing N fertilizer recommendations seldom consider N sources during implementation. To investigate the effect of N rates and sources on maize ( Zea mays L.) production efficiency, soil quality, and economic benefits, a field experiment was conducted in the coastal saline area of China. The optimal N rate (ONR) treatment based on in‐season root‐zone N management reduced N application amount by 44% without grain yield losses and decreased the apparent N losses by 144 kg N ha –1 compared with the local N management practice of farmers. Furthermore, the ONR treatment with ammonium sulfate (ONR‐AS) or calcium ammonium nitrate (ONR‐CAN) had higher maize grain yield and NUE than the ONR with urea (ONR‐urea) treatment. Compared with ONR‐urea, treatment with ONR‐AS or ONR‐CAN increased Ca 2+ content, decreased soil pH and Na + content, and thus imporved maize yield and NUE. Among the ONR treatments, the ONR‐AS treatment increased economic gains compared with the ONR‐urea treatment. This study suggests that an integrated N management can increase maize yield, NUE, and economic benefits and improve soil quality in the coastal saline soils.