Fates and Use Efficiency of Nitrogen Fertilizer in Maize Cropping Systems and Their Responses to Technologies and Management Practices: A Global Analysis on Field 15N Tracer Studies
Abstract Nitrogen (N) fertilization has boosted grain production during the past century, while excess N fertilization with declining N use efficiency (NUE) has led to severe pollution in many regions. To achieve the goal of sustainable food production, Technologies and Management Practices (TMPs, e...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2021-05-01
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| Series: | Earth's Future |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1029/2020EF001514 |
| _version_ | 1818500223055429632 |
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| author | Zhi Quan Xin Zhang Eric A. Davidson Feifei Zhu Shanlong Li Xinghan Zhao Xin Chen Li‐Mei Zhang Ji‐Zheng He Wenxue Wei Yunting Fang |
| author_facet | Zhi Quan Xin Zhang Eric A. Davidson Feifei Zhu Shanlong Li Xinghan Zhao Xin Chen Li‐Mei Zhang Ji‐Zheng He Wenxue Wei Yunting Fang |
| author_sort | Zhi Quan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Nitrogen (N) fertilization has boosted grain production during the past century, while excess N fertilization with declining N use efficiency (NUE) has led to severe pollution in many regions. To achieve the goal of sustainable food production, Technologies and Management Practices (TMPs, e.g., optimum N application rate and methods, N‐transformation inhibitors) have been developed to improve crop yield and NUE and to reduce N losses. However, it remains unclear how N fate has been changed by environmental factors and TMPs. Here, we compiled a dataset of 366 field 15N tracer observations from 74 publications worldwide and conducted a meta‐analysis to examine how environmental conditions and management practices influence the fertilizer‐N fate one growing season after the fertilization of maize. We show that the proportion of 15N taken up by aboveground biomass (NUE15N), was significantly lower in China (33%) than that in North America (42%) and the European Union (54%). Soil organic carbon was the most critical environmental factor positively correlated with NUE15N. Among the nine selected categories of TMPs, deep placement of fertilizer and split application increased the grain yield and decreased the fertilizer‐N loss consistently among studies. Reducing the fertilizer‐N rate could increase the NUE15N but presents risks of yield reduction in some regions. This study demonstrates the importance of SOC and varying impacts of TMPs on the efficiency of fertilizer use in cropping systems globally and provides critical information for farmers and policymakers to improve N management for higher productivity and less pollution. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T20:39:52Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-58780fb3fc8140dab6360cbe7a9a5804 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2328-4277 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T20:39:52Z |
| publishDate | 2021-05-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Earth's Future |
| spelling | doaj.art-58780fb3fc8140dab6360cbe7a9a58042022-12-22T01:34:23ZengWileyEarth's Future2328-42772021-05-0195n/an/a10.1029/2020EF001514Fates and Use Efficiency of Nitrogen Fertilizer in Maize Cropping Systems and Their Responses to Technologies and Management Practices: A Global Analysis on Field 15N Tracer StudiesZhi Quan0Xin Zhang1Eric A. Davidson2Feifei Zhu3Shanlong Li4Xinghan Zhao5Xin Chen6Li‐Mei Zhang7Ji‐Zheng He8Wenxue Wei9Yunting Fang10Institute of Applied Ecology Chinese Academy of Sciences Shenyang ChinaAppalachian Laboratory University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science Frostburg MD USAAppalachian Laboratory University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science Frostburg MD USAInstitute of Applied Ecology Chinese Academy of Sciences Shenyang ChinaInstitute of Applied Ecology Chinese Academy of Sciences Shenyang ChinaInstitute of Applied Ecology Chinese Academy of Sciences Shenyang ChinaInstitute of Applied Ecology Chinese Academy of Sciences Shenyang ChinaState Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology Research Center for Eco‐environmental Sciences Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing ChinaState Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology Research Center for Eco‐environmental Sciences Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing ChinaCAS Key Laboratory of Agro‐ecological Processes in Subtropical Region Institute of Subtropical Agriculture Chinese Academy of Sciences Changsha ChinaInstitute of Applied Ecology Chinese Academy of Sciences Shenyang ChinaAbstract Nitrogen (N) fertilization has boosted grain production during the past century, while excess N fertilization with declining N use efficiency (NUE) has led to severe pollution in many regions. To achieve the goal of sustainable food production, Technologies and Management Practices (TMPs, e.g., optimum N application rate and methods, N‐transformation inhibitors) have been developed to improve crop yield and NUE and to reduce N losses. However, it remains unclear how N fate has been changed by environmental factors and TMPs. Here, we compiled a dataset of 366 field 15N tracer observations from 74 publications worldwide and conducted a meta‐analysis to examine how environmental conditions and management practices influence the fertilizer‐N fate one growing season after the fertilization of maize. We show that the proportion of 15N taken up by aboveground biomass (NUE15N), was significantly lower in China (33%) than that in North America (42%) and the European Union (54%). Soil organic carbon was the most critical environmental factor positively correlated with NUE15N. Among the nine selected categories of TMPs, deep placement of fertilizer and split application increased the grain yield and decreased the fertilizer‐N loss consistently among studies. Reducing the fertilizer‐N rate could increase the NUE15N but presents risks of yield reduction in some regions. This study demonstrates the importance of SOC and varying impacts of TMPs on the efficiency of fertilizer use in cropping systems globally and provides critical information for farmers and policymakers to improve N management for higher productivity and less pollution.https://doi.org/10.1029/2020EF001514fertilizer‐N fatemeta‐analysisnitrogen use efficiencyNUE)technologies and management practices |
| spellingShingle | Zhi Quan Xin Zhang Eric A. Davidson Feifei Zhu Shanlong Li Xinghan Zhao Xin Chen Li‐Mei Zhang Ji‐Zheng He Wenxue Wei Yunting Fang Fates and Use Efficiency of Nitrogen Fertilizer in Maize Cropping Systems and Their Responses to Technologies and Management Practices: A Global Analysis on Field 15N Tracer Studies Earth's Future fertilizer‐N fate meta‐analysis nitrogen use efficiency NUE) technologies and management practices |
| title | Fates and Use Efficiency of Nitrogen Fertilizer in Maize Cropping Systems and Their Responses to Technologies and Management Practices: A Global Analysis on Field 15N Tracer Studies |
| title_full | Fates and Use Efficiency of Nitrogen Fertilizer in Maize Cropping Systems and Their Responses to Technologies and Management Practices: A Global Analysis on Field 15N Tracer Studies |
| title_fullStr | Fates and Use Efficiency of Nitrogen Fertilizer in Maize Cropping Systems and Their Responses to Technologies and Management Practices: A Global Analysis on Field 15N Tracer Studies |
| title_full_unstemmed | Fates and Use Efficiency of Nitrogen Fertilizer in Maize Cropping Systems and Their Responses to Technologies and Management Practices: A Global Analysis on Field 15N Tracer Studies |
| title_short | Fates and Use Efficiency of Nitrogen Fertilizer in Maize Cropping Systems and Their Responses to Technologies and Management Practices: A Global Analysis on Field 15N Tracer Studies |
| title_sort | fates and use efficiency of nitrogen fertilizer in maize cropping systems and their responses to technologies and management practices a global analysis on field 15n tracer studies |
| topic | fertilizer‐N fate meta‐analysis nitrogen use efficiency NUE) technologies and management practices |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1029/2020EF001514 |
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