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Agriculture
Volume 16
Issue 11
10.3390/agriculture16111176
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This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

Optimizing Seasonal Nitrogen Allocation Reduces Reliance on High Fertilizer Inputs While Maintaining Productivity in Intensive Rice–Wheat Rotations in the Upper Yangtze River Basin of China

by
Chaosu Li
1,2,3,†,
Miao Liu
1,2,3,†,
Xiaoli Wu
1,2,3,
Tao Xiong
1,
Ming Li
1,2,* and
Yonglu Tang
1,2,3
1
Crop Research Institute of Sichuan Academy of Agricultural Sciences/Crop Germplasm Innovation and Genetic Improvement Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu 610066, China
2
Environment-Friendly and Efficient Water-Saving Technology and Equipment for Hilly Agriculture Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu 610066, China
3
Key Laboratory of Wheat Biology and Genetic Improvement on Southwestern China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Areas, Chengdu 610066, China
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
†
These authors contributed equally to this work.
Agriculture 2026, 16(11), 1176; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture16111176
Submission received: 22 April 2026 / Revised: 21 May 2026 / Accepted: 25 May 2026 / Published: 27 May 2026
(This article belongs to the Section Agricultural Systems and Management)
Versions Notes

Abstract

Intensive rice–wheat (RW) rotations in the Yangtze River Basin often rely on excessive nitrogen (N) inputs, leading to low N use efficiency and environmental risks. To test whether high productivity can be sustained with lower N inputs, a two-year field experiment was conducted in the Upper Yangtze River Basin to evaluate seasonal N allocation strategies across the annual rotation. A moderately reduced annual N input of 315 kg ha−1 maintained annual grain yields of 18.2–19.3 Mg ha−1, statistically comparable to traditional high-input practices using 360 kg N ha−1. Wheat yield was mainly determined by current-season N supply, and no significant yield carry-over effect of rice-season N input on subsequent wheat yield was detected. Instead, higher rice-season N input tended to increase nitrate accumulation in deeper soil layers, particularly at 40–60 cm. Optimized seasonal N allocation significantly improved the partial factor productivity of N while maintaining a positive apparent system N balance under full straw return. These results indicate that strategically limiting and reallocating seasonal N inputs according to crop demand can sustain high annual productivity, improve N use efficiency, and reduce potential N-related environmental risks in intensive RW rotations.
Keywords: nitrogen use efficiency; apparent nitrogen balance; residual soil nitrate; crop-specific nutrient management nitrogen use efficiency; apparent nitrogen balance; residual soil nitrate; crop-specific nutrient management

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Li, C.; Liu, M.; Wu, X.; Xiong, T.; Li, M.; Tang, Y. Optimizing Seasonal Nitrogen Allocation Reduces Reliance on High Fertilizer Inputs While Maintaining Productivity in Intensive Rice–Wheat Rotations in the Upper Yangtze River Basin of China. Agriculture 2026, 16, 1176. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture16111176

AMA Style

Li C, Liu M, Wu X, Xiong T, Li M, Tang Y. Optimizing Seasonal Nitrogen Allocation Reduces Reliance on High Fertilizer Inputs While Maintaining Productivity in Intensive Rice–Wheat Rotations in the Upper Yangtze River Basin of China. Agriculture. 2026; 16(11):1176. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture16111176

Chicago/Turabian Style

Li, Chaosu, Miao Liu, Xiaoli Wu, Tao Xiong, Ming Li, and Yonglu Tang. 2026. "Optimizing Seasonal Nitrogen Allocation Reduces Reliance on High Fertilizer Inputs While Maintaining Productivity in Intensive Rice–Wheat Rotations in the Upper Yangtze River Basin of China" Agriculture 16, no. 11: 1176. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture16111176

APA Style

Li, C., Liu, M., Wu, X., Xiong, T., Li, M., & Tang, Y. (2026). Optimizing Seasonal Nitrogen Allocation Reduces Reliance on High Fertilizer Inputs While Maintaining Productivity in Intensive Rice–Wheat Rotations in the Upper Yangtze River Basin of China. Agriculture, 16(11), 1176. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture16111176

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