Application of Corn Straw and Woody Peat to Improve the Absorption and Utilization of 15N-Urea by Maize

Abstract

Increasing nitrogen fertilizer use efficiency has become an environmental and economic demand in order to minimize losses of nitrogen and maximize the output from nitrogen added. The application of organic amendments with N fertilizers could be proposed as an important economic and environmental practice for improving N fertilizer use. A two-year field experiment was carried out using the 15N tracer technique to study the impact of corn straw and woody peat application on uptake and utilization of N fertilizer by maize plant. Three treatments were set up: CK (15N labeled urea alone), CS (15N labeled urea + crushed corn straw) and WP (15N labeled urea+ crushed woody peat). The results showed that, as compared to CK, both straw and peat treatments led to (i) an increase in yield of maize, 15N urea utilization rate, and residual 15N urea remained in soil by 11.20% and 19.47%, 18.62% and 58.99%, 41.77% and 59.45%, respectively, but (ii) a decrease in the total loss rate by 6.21% and 16.83% (p < 0.05), respectively over the two seasons. Moreover, the significantly highest effect was recorded with woody peat application rather than that with corn straw. Our study suggests that corn straw and woody peat can be used as organic fertilizers to increase maize yields, promote nitrogen fertilizer balance sheet, reduce the leaching of N fertilizer into the subsurface soil layer, and facilitate the further absorption and utilization of soil residual nitrogen. Therefore, the application of humified organic material play a crucial role in N utilization efficiency enhancement.

Different organic material amendments effects soil nitrogen utilization and crop yield in the North China Plain

“…Compared with CF treatment, PM increased the 2-yr mean value of NUE, NPFP, NUPE, NHI,NAP,and NAG by 0.04,4.01,5.86,3.04,6.03,and 7.35% compared with the CF treatment, reduced SNDR by 4.64%, the ST return did not improve N utilization. Pig manure treatment performance was the best among the three organic material followed by BR and ST. Lin et al (2022) also found that ST return increased the urea utilization rate by 18.62% because ST returning to the soil could promote urease activity, urea hydrolysis, and ammonium N accumulation, thus it could increase soil N availability and N supply capacity. And Meng et al (2021) also thought that ST retained an improved utilization rate of N fertilizer in the Loess Plateau of China.…”

“…Lin et al. (2022) also found that ST return increased the urea utilization rate by 18.62% because ST returning to the soil could promote urease activity, urea hydrolysis, and ammonium N accumulation, thus it could increase soil N availability and N supply capacity. And Meng et al.…”

Organic Manure Significantly Promotes the Growth of Oilseed Flax and Improves Its Grain Yield in Dry Areas of the Loess Plateau of China

“…Therefore, exploring fertilization measures that can improve soil fertility, increase yield and efficiency, and are environmentally friendly is of great significance for sustainable agricultural production in farmland. Due to organic manure now being available as an alternative nutrient resource, the utilization rate of chemical fertilizers is declining [9]. Therefore, how to optimize fertilization measures, to use organic manure instead of chemical fertilizer during the crop production, to improve the planting efficiency and make up for the gap in demand of oilseed flax, and to protect the farmland environment is an urgent problem that needs to be solved.…”