Abstract
The rapidly increasing population and associated quest for food and feed in China has led to increased soil cultivation and nitrogen (N) fertilizer use, and as a consequence to increased wind erosion and unbalanced crop nutrition. In the study presented here, we explored the long-term effects of various combinations of maize stover, cattle manure and nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) fertilizer applications on maize ( Zea mays L.) yield and nutrient and water use efficiencies under reduced tillage practices. In a companion paper, we present the effects on nutrient balances and soil fertility characteristics. The ongoing factorial field trial was conducted at Shouyang Dryland Farming Experimental Station in northern China from 1993 onwards. The incomplete, determinant-optimal design comprised 12 treatments, including a control treatment, in duplicate. Grain yields and N, P, and potassium (K) uptakes and N, P and K use efficiencies were greatly influenced by the amount of rain during the growing season (GSR), and by soil water at sowing (SWS). There were highly significant interactions between GSR and added stover and manure, expressed in complex annual variations in grain yield and N, P and K use efficiencies. Annual mean grain yields ranged from 3,000 kg ha −1 to 10,000 kg ha −1 and treatment mean yields from 4,500 kg ha −1 to 7,000 kg ha −1 . Balanced combination of stover (3,000–6,000 kg), manure (1,500–6,000 kg) and N fertilizer (105 kg) gave the highest yield. Stover and manure were important for supplying K, but the effects differed greatly between years. Overall mean N recovery efficiency (NRE) ranged from 28% to 54%, depending on N source. NRE in wet years ranged from 50% to 90%. In conclusion, balanced combinations of stover, manure and NP fertilizer gave the highest yield and NRE. Reduced tillage with adding stover and manure in autumn prior to ploughing is effective in minimizing labor requirement and wind erosion. The potentials of split applications of N fertilizer, targeted to the need of the growing crop (response farming), should be explored to further increase the N use efficiency.
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Claims 11
Claim · model-written summary
Growing season rain and sowing soil water influenced grain yield and nutrient uptake and use efficiencies.
Zea maysNot reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Grain yields and N, P, and potassium (K) uptakes and N, P and K use efficiencies were greatly influenced by the amount of rain during the growing season (GSR), and by soil water at sowing (SWS)”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Rain interacted significantly with stover and manure additions in annual grain yield.
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“There were highly significant interactions between GSR and added stover and manure, expressed in complex annual variations in grain yield and N, P and K use efficiencies”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Annual mean maize grain yields ranged from 3,000 to 10,000 kg per hectare.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Annual mean grain yields ranged from 3,000 kg ha −1 to 10,000 kg ha −1”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Treatment mean yields ranged from 4,500 to 7,000 kg per hectare.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“treatment mean yields from 4,500 kg ha −1 to 7,000 kg ha −1”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Balanced stover, manure and N fertilizer gave the highest yield.
- Treatment
- Balanced combination of stover (3,000–6,000 kg), manure (1,500–6,000 kg) and N fertilizer (105 kg)e0
- Outcome
- yielde0
- Direction
- higheste0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Balanced combination of stover (3,000–6,000 kg), manure (1,500–6,000 kg) and N fertilizer (105 kg) gave the highest yield”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Stover and manure supplied potassium with effects varying by year.
Not reportedComparatorDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Stover and manure were important for supplying K, but the effects differed greatly between years”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Overall nitrogen recovery efficiency ranged from 28% to 54% by nitrogen source.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Overall mean N recovery efficiency (NRE) ranged from 28% to 54%, depending on N source”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Nitrogen recovery efficiency in wet years ranged from 50% to 90%.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“NRE in wet years ranged from 50% to 90%”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Balanced stover, manure and NP fertilizer gave the highest nitrogen recovery efficiency.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“balanced combinations of stover, manure and NP fertilizer gave the highest yield and NRE”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors conclude that reduced tillage with autumn stover and manure reduces labor needs and wind erosion.
- Treatment
- Reduced tillage with adding stover and manure in autumn prior to ploughinge0
- Outcome
- minimizing labor requirement and wind erosione0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Reduced tillage with adding stover and manure in autumn prior to ploughing is effective in minimizing labor requirement and wind erosion”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors recommend exploring split N applications to increase N use efficiency.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The potentials of split applications of N fertilizer, targeted to the need of the growing crop (response farming), should be explored to further increase the N use efficiency”
t0“maize”
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