Aerated irrigation improves tomato yield and nitrogen use efficiency while reducing nitrogen application rate

Du, Yadan; Zhang, Qian; Cui, Bingjing; Sun, Jingwen; Wang, Zhen; Ma, Lihui; Niu, Wenquan

doi:10.1016/j.agwat.2020.106152

Cited by 39 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 38 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…The ability to enhance N uptake is the first step in increasing the NUE ( Du et al, 2020 ). Our results showed that NUE under WS was significantly higher than that under DS, and the higher NUE was the result of improvement in NUpE instead of NUtE.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Wide space sowing achieved high productivity and effective nitrogen use of irrigated wheat in South Shanxi, China

Wang

Noor

Sun

et al. 2022

PeerJ

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a staple crop worldwide, and its yield has improved since the green revolution, which was attributed to chemical nitrogen (N) fertilizer application. However, regular N application decreases N use efficiency (NUE, the ratio of grain dry matter yield to N supply from soil and fertilizer). Various practices have been implemented to maintain high crop yield and improve NUE. Nowadays, the enhanced sowing method, i.e., wide space sowing (WS), has improved the productivity of wheat crops. However, how the sowing method and N application rate affect N use and yield productivity has not been fully elucidated. Field experiments with treatments using two sowing methods (WS, and drill sowing, DS) and four N application rates (0, 180, 240, and 300 kg ha−1, represented as N0, N180, N240, and N300, respectively) were conducted from 2017 to 2019. The results showed that grain yield under WS was 13.57–16.38% higher than that under DS. The yield advantage under WS was attributed to an increased ear number. Both the higher stem and productive stem percentage accounted for the increased ear number under WS. Higher total N quantity and larger leaf area index at anthesis under WS contributed to higher dry matter production, resulting in higher grain yield. Higher dry matter production was due to pre-anthesis dry weight and post-anthesis dry weight. The wheat crop under WS had a 12.44–15.00% higher NUE than that under DS. The increased NUE under WS was attributed to higher N uptake efficiency (the ratio of total N quantity at maturity to N supply from soil and fertilizer), which was the result of greater total N quantity. The higher total N quantity under WS was due to both higher pre-anthesis N uptake and post-anthesis N uptake. Remarkably, compared to DS with 240 kg N ha−1, WS with 180 kg N ha−1 had almost equal grain yield, dry matter, and total N quantity. Therefore, wheat crops under WS could achieve both high NUE and grain yield simultaneously with only moderate N fertilizer in South Shanxi, China.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Wide space sowing achieved high productivity and effective nitrogen use of irrigated wheat in South Shanxi, China

Wang

Noor

Sun

et al. 2022

PeerJ

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Considering the experimental setups in Du, et al [35] and Guo, et al [36], six biochar application levels (C0, 0 t ha −1 ; C10, 10 t ha −1 ; C30, 30 t ha −1 ; C50, 50 t ha −1 ; C70, 70 t ha −1 ; C90, 90 t ha −1 ) and two N fertilizer application rates (N1, 190 kg ha −1 and N2, 250 kg ha −1 , N = 46% by weight) were designed in this experiment. N2 was the normal amount of N fertilizer applied by local farmers in the area.…”

Section: Experimental Site and Setupmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Response of Nutrient Uptake, Photosynthesis and Yield of Tomato to Biochar Addition under Reduced Nitrogen Application

Guo

Kharbach

et al. 2021

Agronomy

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Tomato is an important economic crop that is widely consumed worldwide. Tomato production is mainly limited by the use of nitrogen fertilizer, sunlight, soil and water conditions. Biochar is one of the soil amendments, and it is recognized as a promising practice for improving crop production in agriculture. The effect of biochar on the photosynthetic traits and tomato yield under reduced nitrogen fertilizer application is still not well understood. The objective of this research is to investigate the influence of biochar application on the photosynthesis and yield of tomato under reduced nitrogen fertilizer application from the perspectives of the nutrient uptake of plants (nitrogen and phosphorus), leaf photosynthetic pigment and leaf gas exchange parameters. Two-year greenhouse experiments containing six biochar levels (0, 10, 30, 50, 70, and 90 t ha−1) and two nitrogen fertilizer application rates (190 and 250 kg ha−1) were conducted. Compared with C0, C50 significantly improved the nitrogen uptake (74–80%) and phosphorus uptake (76–95%) by tomato plants and further enhanced the photosynthetic traits of tomato leaves (net photosynthetic rate (Pn), stomatal conductance (gs), transpiration rate (Tr) and chlorophyll (2–60%), which lead to the highest gains in tomato yield (more than 50%) even when the applied nitrogen fertilizer was significantly reduced (from 250 kg ha−1 to 190 kg ha−1). The photosynthesis rate had a linear correlation with the total nitrogen and phosphorus accumulation and tomato yield. The results will enhance our understandings about the effect of biochar on the photosynthesis and yield of tomato and be of importance for practical agricultural management.

show abstract

“…The stems, leaves, and fruits were separated, and the roots were rinsed with water. The roots, stems, leaves, and fruits were put into an oven at 105 • C for 30 min, then were totally dried at 75 • C and weighed [24]. In the tomato harvest period (81-110 days after planting), the first layer to the fourth layer fruit of the aforementioned 15 tomato plants for each treatment were measured.…”

Section: Tomato Growth and Biomassmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biochar Improves Soil-Tomato Plant, Tomato Production, and Economic Benefits under Reduced Nitrogen Application in Northwestern China

Guo

Kharbach

et al. 2021

Plants

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The tomato is an important economic crop that is a main ingredient of some prepared food as well as a focus of the agricultural industry. Optimizing nitrogen (N) fertilizers is essential for sustainable agricultural development, while the excessive use of N fertilizers leads to environmental and food production problems. As a soil amendment, biochar has been widely used to improve soil quality and crop yield. However, little information is available on the effects of biochar and N fertilizer reduction on tomato plant, soil characteristics in tomato cultivation and tomato production. In this study, a greenhouse experiment was carried out in Yangling, Shaanxi province, China, including four biochar levels (0, 30, 50, and 70 t ha−1) under drip irrigation and four N application rates (170, 190, 210, and 250 kg ha−1). The results showed that adding too much biochar (e.g., 70 t ha−1) and reducing N fertilizer too far (e.g., by 32%) will not lead to satisfactory results in terms of tomato growth, tomato yield and quality, and economic benefits. Biochar addition could significantly enhance microbial abundance, enzyme activity, and tomato growth compared with non‒biochar treatments when reducing the amount of applied N fertilizer by 16% or 24% (N2 and N3). From the perspectives of tomato yield, tomato quality (sugar‒acid ratio and vitamin C (VC) content), and economic benefits, optimal application rate of biochar and N fertilizer based on the silty clay loam soil of northwest China under drip irrigation is proposed, respectively. The proposal is based on both multidimensional nonlinear regression models and a comparison with experimental treatments. For example, biochar addition at 50 t ha−1 and reducing N fertilizer by 24% achieved the greatest tomato yield. Compared with non-biochar treatment under the corresponding N fertilizer level, soil enzyme activity (urease, phosphatase, and catalase), microbial abundance (bacteria, fungi, and actinomycetes), leaf gas exchange parameters (gs, Pn, and Tr), and biomass increased on average by 88.76%, 7.49%, 43.23%, and 39.67%, respectively. Based on a comprehensive consideration of tomato yield, VC content, sugar‒acid ratio, and economic benefits, 35 t ha−1 biochar and 200 kg ha−1 N fertilizer is the recommended combination of biochar and nitrogen fertilizer for local farmers.

show abstract

Aerated irrigation improves tomato yield and nitrogen use efficiency while reducing nitrogen application rate

Cited by 39 publications

References 38 publications

Wide space sowing achieved high productivity and effective nitrogen use of irrigated wheat in South Shanxi, China

Wide space sowing achieved high productivity and effective nitrogen use of irrigated wheat in South Shanxi, China

The Response of Nutrient Uptake, Photosynthesis and Yield of Tomato to Biochar Addition under Reduced Nitrogen Application

Biochar Improves Soil-Tomato Plant, Tomato Production, and Economic Benefits under Reduced Nitrogen Application in Northwestern China

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About