Plants

Research

21 pages, 4600 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessing the Fates of Water and Nitrogen on an Open-Field Intensive Vegetable System under an Expert-N System with EU-Rotate_N Model in North China Plain

by Yuan Sun, Shaoqing Chen, Puyu Feng, Qing Chen and Kelin Hu

Plants 2024, 13(15), 2150; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13152150 - 3 Aug 2024

Viewed by 981

Abstract

Nitrate leaching, greenhouse gas emissions, and water loss are caused by conventional water and fertilizer management in vegetable fields. The Expert-N system is a useful tool for recommending the optimal nitrogen (N) fertilizer for vegetable cultivation. To clarify the fates of water and [...] Read more.

Nitrate leaching, greenhouse gas emissions, and water loss are caused by conventional water and fertilizer management in vegetable fields. The Expert-N system is a useful tool for recommending the optimal nitrogen (N) fertilizer for vegetable cultivation. To clarify the fates of water and N in vegetable fields, an open-field vegetable cultivation experiment was conducted in Dongbeiwang, Beijing. This experiment tested two irrigation treatments (W1: conventional and W2: optimal) and three fertilizer treatments (N1: conventional, N2: optimal N rate by Expert-N system, and N3: 80% optimal N rate) on cauliflower (Brassica oleracea L.), amaranth (Amaranthus tricolor L.), and spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.). The EU-Rotate_N model was used to simulate the fates of water and N in the soil. The results indicated that the yields of amaranth and spinach showed no significant differences among all the treatments in 2000 and 2001. However, cauliflower yield under the W1N2 and W1N3 treatments obviously reduced in 2001. Compared with the W1 treatment, W2 reduced irrigation amount by 27.9–29.8%, water drainage by over 76%, increased water use efficiency by 5–17%, and irrigation water use efficiency by 29–45%. Nitrate leaching was one of the main pathways in this study, accounting for 8.4% of the total N input; compared to N1, the input of fertilizer N under the N2 and N3 treatments decreased by over 66.5%, consequently reducing gaseous N by 48–72% and increasing nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) by 17–37%. Additionally, compared with the W1 treatments, gaseous N loss under the W2 treatments was reduced by 18–26% and annual average NUEs increased by 22–29%. The highest annual average NUEs were under W2N3 (169.6 kg kg⁻¹) in 2000 and W2N2 (188.0 kg kg⁻¹) in 2001, respectively. We found that optimizing fertilizer management allowed subsequent crops to utilize residual N in the soil. Therefore, we suggest that the W2N3 management should be recommended to farmers to reduce water and N loss in vegetable production systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water and Nitrogen Management in Soil-Crop System II)

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18 pages, 2402 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Modeling Nitrogen Fate and Water and Nitrogen Use Efficiencies under Different Greenhouse Vegetable Production Systems Using the WHCNS-Veg Model

by Hongyuan Zhang, William D. Batchelor, Kelin Hu, Hui Han and Ji Li

Plants 2024, 13(10), 1384; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13101384 - 16 May 2024

Viewed by 1293

Abstract

Quantitative evaluation of the effects of diverse greenhouse vegetable production systems (GVPS) on vegetable yield, soil water consumption, and nitrogen (N) fates could provide a scientific basis for identifying optimum water and fertilizer management practices for GVPS. This research was conducted from 2013 [...] Read more.

Quantitative evaluation of the effects of diverse greenhouse vegetable production systems (GVPS) on vegetable yield, soil water consumption, and nitrogen (N) fates could provide a scientific basis for identifying optimum water and fertilizer management practices for GVPS. This research was conducted from 2013 to 2015 in a greenhouse vegetable field in Quzhou County, North China. Three production systems were designed: conventional (CON), integrated (INT), and organic (ORG) systems. The WHCNS-Veg model was employed for simulating vegetable growth, water dynamics, and fates of N, as well as water and N use efficiencies (WUE and NUE) for four continuous growing seasons. The simulation results revealed that nitrate leaching and gaseous N emissions constituted the predominant N loss within GVPS, which separately accounted for 11.5–59.4% and 6.0–21.1% of the N outputs. The order of vegetable yield, N uptake, WUE, and NUE under different production systems was ORG > INT > CON, while the order of nitrate leaching and gaseous N loss was CON > INT > ORG. Compared to CON, ORG exhibited a significant increase in yield, N uptake, WUE, and NUE by 24.6%, 24.2%, 26.1%, and 89.7%, respectively, alongside notable reductions in nitrate leaching and gaseous N loss by 67.7% and 63.2%, respectively. The ORG system should be recommended to local farmers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water and Nitrogen Management in Soil-Crop System II)

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16 pages, 4277 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Aerated Drip Irrigation on the Soil Nitrogen Distribution, Crop Growth, and Yield of Chili Peppers

by Hongjun Lei, Jinniu Xia, Zheyuan Xiao, Yingying Chen, Cuicui Jin, Hongwei Pan and Zhuodan Pang

Plants 2024, 13(5), 642; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13050642 - 26 Feb 2024

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2018

Abstract

In order to study the soil nitrogen (N) distribution pattern in the root zone of chili peppers under aerated drip irrigation (ADI) conditions and analyze the relationship between soil N distribution and crop growth, two irrigation methods (conventional drip irrigation and ADI) and [...] Read more.

In order to study the soil nitrogen (N) distribution pattern in the root zone of chili peppers under aerated drip irrigation (ADI) conditions and analyze the relationship between soil N distribution and crop growth, two irrigation methods (conventional drip irrigation and ADI) and three N levels (0, 140, and 210 kg hm⁻²) were set up in this experiment. Soil samples were collected by the soil auger method at the end of different reproductive periods, and the uniformity coefficient of soil N in the spatial distribution was calculated by the method of Christiansen’s coefficient. The growth status and soil-related indices of pepper were determined at each sampling period, and the relationships between soil N distribution and chili pepper growth were obtained based on principal component analysis (PCA). The results showed that the spatial content of soil nitrate-N (NO₃⁻-N) fluctuated little during the whole reproductive period of chili peppers under ADI conditions, and the coefficient of uniformity of soil NO₃⁻-N content distribution increased by 5.29~37.63% compared with that of conventional drip irrigation. The aerated treatment increased the root length and surface area of chili peppers. In addition, the ADI treatments increased the plant height, stem diameter, root vigor, and leaf chlorophyll content to some extent compared with the nonaerated treatment. The results of PCA showed that the yield of chili peppers was positively correlated with the uniformity coefficient of soil NO₃⁻-N, root vigor, and root length. ADI can significantly improve the distribution uniformity of soil NO₃⁻-N and enhance the absorption and utilization of N by the root system, which in turn is conducive to the growth of the crop, the formation of yields, and the improvement of fruit quality. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water and Nitrogen Management in Soil-Crop System II)

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15 pages, 2089 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Comprehensive Evaluation of Tomato Growth Status under Aerated Drip Irrigation Based on Critical Nitrogen Concentration and Nitrogen Nutrient Diagnosis

by Hongjun Lei, Yiming Fan, Zheyuan Xiao, Cuicui Jin, Yingying Chen and Hongwei Pan

Plants 2024, 13(2), 270; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13020270 - 17 Jan 2024

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1706

Abstract

In order to provide a theoretical basis for the rational application of nitrogen fertilizer for tomatoes under aerated drip irrigation, a model of the critical nitrogen dilution curve was established in this study, and the feasibility of the nitrogen nutrition index (NNI [...] Read more.

In order to provide a theoretical basis for the rational application of nitrogen fertilizer for tomatoes under aerated drip irrigation, a model of the critical nitrogen dilution curve was established in this study, and the feasibility of the nitrogen nutrition index (NNI) for the real-time diagnosis and evaluation of the nitrogen nutrient status was explored. The tomato variety “FENOUYA” was used as the test crop, and aerated drip irrigation was adopted by setting three levels of aeration rates, namely, A1 (dissolved oxygen concentration of irrigation water is 5 mg L⁻¹), A2 (dissolved oxygen concentration of irrigation water is 15 mg L⁻¹), and A3 (dissolved oxygen concentration of irrigation water is 40 mg L⁻¹), and three levels of nitrogen rates, namely, N1 (120 kg ha⁻¹), N2 (180 kg ha⁻¹) and N3 (240 kg ha⁻¹). The model of the critical nitrogen concentration dilution of tomatoes under different aerated treatments was established. The results showed that (1) the dry matter accumulation of tomatoes increased with the increase in the nitrogen application rate in a certain range and it showed a trend of first increase and then decrease with the increase in aeration rate. (2) As the reproductive period progressed, the nitrogen concentration in tomato plants showed a decreasing trend. (3) There was a power exponential relationship between the critical nitrogen concentration of tomato plant growth and above-ground biomass under different levels of aeration and nitrogen application rate, but the power exponential curves were characterized by A1 (Nc = 15.674DM^−0.658), A2 (Nc = 101.116DM^−0.455), A3 (Nc = 119.527DM^−0.535), N1 (Nc = 33.819DM^−0.153), N2 (Nc = 127.759DM^−0.555) and N3 (Nc = 209.696DM^−0.683). The standardized root mean square error (n-RMSE) values were 0.08%, 3.68%, 3.79% 0.50%, 1.08%, and 0.55%, which were less than 10%, and the model has good stability. (4) The effect of an increased nitrogen application rate on the critical nitrogen concentration dilution curve was more significant than that of the increase in aeration rate. (5) A nitrogen nutrition index model was built based on the critical nitrogen concentration model to evaluate the nitrogen nutritional status of tomatoes, whereby 180 kg ha⁻¹ was the optimal nitrogen application rate, and 15 mg L⁻¹ dissolved oxygen of irrigation water was the optimal aeration rate for tomatoes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water and Nitrogen Management in Soil-Crop System II)

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22 pages, 3108 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Global Sensitivity Analysis of the Advanced ORYZA-N Model with Different Rice Types and Irrigation Regimes

by Ya Gao, Chen Sun, Tiago B. Ramos, Junwei Tan, Ana R. Oliveira, Quanzhong Huang, Guanhua Huang and Xu Xu

Plants 2024, 13(2), 262; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13020262 - 17 Jan 2024

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1699

Abstract

Identifying important parameters in crop models is critical for model application. This study conducted a sensitivity analysis of 23 selected parameters of the advanced rice model ORYZA-N using the Extended FAST method. The sensitivity analysis was applied for three rice types (single-season rice [...] Read more.

Identifying important parameters in crop models is critical for model application. This study conducted a sensitivity analysis of 23 selected parameters of the advanced rice model ORYZA-N using the Extended FAST method. The sensitivity analysis was applied for three rice types (single-season rice in cold regions and double-season rice (early rice and late rice) in subtropical regions) and two irrigation regimes (traditional flood irrigation (TFI) and shallow–wet irrigation (SWI)). This study analyzed the parameter sensitivity of six crop growth outputs at four developmental stages and yields. Furthermore, we compared the variation in parameter sensitivity on model outputs between TFI and SWI scenarios for single-season rice, early rice, and late rice. Results indicated that parameters RGRLMX, FRPAR, and FLV0.5 significantly affected all model outputs and varied over developmental stages. Water stress in paddy fields caused by water-saving irrigation had more pronounced effects on single-season rice than on double-season rice. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water and Nitrogen Management in Soil-Crop System II)

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16 pages, 2856 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Exogenous γ-Aminobutyric Acid Can Improve Seed Germination and Seedling Growth of Two Cotton Cultivars under Salt Stress

by Zhiduo Dong, Jian Huang, Tong Qi, Ajing Meng, Qiuping Fu, Yanbo Fu and Fei Xu

Plants 2024, 13(1), 82; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13010082 - 26 Dec 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1888

Abstract

Excessive salt content in soil has adverse effects on cotton production, especially during the germination and seedling stages. γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is an important active substance that is expected to improve the resistance of plants to abiotic stresses. This study focused on two [...] Read more.

Excessive salt content in soil has adverse effects on cotton production, especially during the germination and seedling stages. γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is an important active substance that is expected to improve the resistance of plants to abiotic stresses. This study focused on two cotton cultivars (Gossypium hirsutum L.: Tahe 2 and Xinluzhong 62) and investigated the impact of exogenous GABA (0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 mM) on seed germination, seedling growth, and related morphological, physiological, and biochemical indicators under salt stress (150 mM NaCl). The results showed that salt stress significantly reduced the germination rate and germination index of cotton seeds (decreased by 20.34% and 32.14% for Tahe 2 and Xinluzhong 62, respectively), leading to decreased seedling height and biomass and causing leaf yellowing. Salt stress induced osmotic stress in seedlings, resulting in ion imbalance (marked reduction in K⁺/Na⁺ ratio) and oxidative damage. Under salt stress conditions, exogenous GABA increased the germination rate (increased by 10.64~23.40% and 2.63~31.58% for Tahe 2 and Xinluzhong 62, respectively) and germination index of cotton seeds, as well as plant height and biomass. GABA treatment improved leaf yellowing. Exogenous GABA treatment increased the content of proline and soluble sugars, with varying effects on betaine. Exogenous GABA treatment reduced the Na⁺ content in seedlings, increased the K⁺ content, and increased the K⁺/Na⁺ ratio (increased by 20.44~28.08% and 29.54~76.33% for Tahe 2 and Xinluzhong 62, respectively). Exogenous GABA treatment enhanced the activities of superoxide dismutase and peroxidase, and reduced the accumulation of hydrogen peroxide and malondialdehyde, but had a negative impact on catalase activity. In conclusion, exogenous GABA effectively improved cotton seed germination. By regulating osmoprotectant levels, maintaining ion homeostasis, and alleviating oxidative stress, GABA mitigated the adverse effects of salt stress on cotton seedling growth. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water and Nitrogen Management in Soil-Crop System II)

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16 pages, 3343 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Plant Regulators on the Seed Germination and Antioxidant Enzyme Activity of Cotton under Compound Salt Stress

by Zhiduo Dong, Jian Huang, Tong Qi, Qiuping Fu, Ajing Meng and Yanbo Fu

Plants 2023, 12(24), 4112; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12244112 - 8 Dec 2023

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2916

Abstract

Salinity stress significantly hampers cotton seed germination and seedling growth. Employing plant growth regulators stands out as an effective strategy to mitigate salt stress. In this study, we assessed the impact of varying concentrations of natural composite salt conditions (0%, 0.6%, and 1.2%) [...] Read more.

Salinity stress significantly hampers cotton seed germination and seedling growth. Employing plant growth regulators stands out as an effective strategy to mitigate salt stress. In this study, we assessed the impact of varying concentrations of natural composite salt conditions (0%, 0.6%, and 1.2%) on cotton seed germination, seedling growth, and physiology. Additionally, we explored the effects of compound sodium nitrophenolate (CSN: 2 mg·L⁻¹ and 10 mg·L⁻¹), 24-epibrassinolide (EBR: 0.02 mg·L⁻¹ and 0.1 mg·L⁻¹), and gibberellic acid (GA: 60 mg·L⁻¹ and 300 mg·L⁻¹), against a control (CK: distilled water) group. The results indicate that with an increase in the composite salt concentration, the germination potential (GP) and germination rate (GR) of cotton seeds gradually decrease. Simultaneously, the fresh weight and root vitality of seedlings also correspondingly decrease, while the degree of membrane lipid peroxidation increases. Under high-salt (1.2%) conditions, soaking treatments with CSN and EBR significantly enhance both GP (45–59% and 55–64%) and GR (30–33% and 39–36%) compared to the CK. However, the GA treatment does not increase the GP and GR of cotton. Moreover, under high-salt (1.2%) conditions, CSN and EBR treatments result in the increased activities of superoxide dismutase (56–66% and 71–80%), peroxidase (20–24% and 37–51%), and catalase (26–32% and 35–46%). Consequently, cotton exhibits a relatively good tolerance to natural composite salts. Soaking treatments with CSN and EBR effectively improve cotton germination by enhancing antioxidant enzyme activities, thereby strengthening cotton’s tolerance to salt stress. These findings offer new insights for enhancing the salt tolerance of cotton. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water and Nitrogen Management in Soil-Crop System II)

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15 pages, 2102 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Can the Blended Application of Controlled-Release and Common Urea Effectively Replace the Common Urea in a Wheat–Maize Rotation System? A Case Study Based on a Long–Term Experiment

by Ling Zhang, Wen-Tao Xue, Hao Sun, Yun-Cai Hu, Rong Wu, Ye Tian, Yi-Shan Chen, Liang Ma, Qian Chen, Ying Du, Yang Bai, Shan-Jiang Liu and Guo-Yuan Zou

Plants 2023, 12(24), 4085; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12244085 - 6 Dec 2023

Viewed by 1567

Abstract

The one-time application of blended urea (BU), combining controlled-release urea (CRU) and uncoated urea, has proven to be a promising nitrogen (N) management strategy. However, the long-term sustainability of blending urea remains largely unexplored. To assess whether a single application of blended urea [...] Read more.

The one-time application of blended urea (BU), combining controlled-release urea (CRU) and uncoated urea, has proven to be a promising nitrogen (N) management strategy. However, the long-term sustainability of blending urea remains largely unexplored. To assess whether a single application of blended urea could effectively replace split uncoated urea applications, a long-term field experiment was conducted in the North China Plain (NCP). The results indicated that, when compared to common urea (CU) at the optimal N rate (180 kg N ha⁻¹), BU achieved comparable grain yields, N uptake and NUE (61% vs. 62). BU exhibited a 12% higher 0–20 cm soil organic nitrogen stock and a 9% higher soil organic carbon (C) stock. Additionally, BU reduced life–cycle reactive N (Nr) losses and the N footprint by 10%, and lowered greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and the C footprint by 7%. From an economic analysis perspective, BU demonstrated comparable private profitability and a 3% greater ecosystem economic benefit. Therefore, BU under the optimal N rate has the potential to substitute split applications of common urea in the long–term and can be regarded as a sustainable N management strategy for wheat and maize production in the NCP. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water and Nitrogen Management in Soil-Crop System II)

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19 pages, 5470 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Ground Cover Rice Production System Affects Soil Water, Nitrogen Dynamics and Crop Growth Differentially with or without Climate Stress

by Jian Ren, Puyu Feng, William D. Batchelor, Kelin Hu, Haitao Liu and Shihua Lv

Plants 2023, 12(22), 3866; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12223866 - 15 Nov 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1869

Abstract

The ground cover rice production system (GCRPS) has been proposed as a potential solution to alleviate seasonal drought and early low-temperature stress in hilly mountainous areas; clarifying its impact on crop growth is crucial to enhance rice productivity in these areas. A two-year [...] Read more.

The ground cover rice production system (GCRPS) has been proposed as a potential solution to alleviate seasonal drought and early low-temperature stress in hilly mountainous areas; clarifying its impact on crop growth is crucial to enhance rice productivity in these areas. A two-year (2021–2022) field experiment was conducted in the hilly mountains of southwest China to compare the effects of the traditional flooding paddy (Paddy) and GCRPS under three different nitrogen (N) management practices (N1, zero-N fertilizer; N2, 135 kg N

{h a}^{- 1}

as a urea-based fertilizer; and N3, 135 kg N

{h a}^{- 1}

with a 3:2 base-topdressing ratio as urea fertilizer for the Paddy or a 1:1 basal application ratio as urea and manure for GCRPS) on soil water storage, soil mineral N content and crop growth parameters, including plant height, tiller numbers, the leaf area index (LAI), aboveground dry matter (DM) dynamics and crop yield. The results showed that there was a significant difference in rainfall between the two growth periods, with 906 mm and 291 mm in 2021 and 2022, respectively. While GCRPS did not significantly affect soil water storage, soil mineral N content, and plant height, it led to a reduction in partial tiller numbers (1.1% to 31.6%), LAI (0.6% to 20.4%), DM (4.4% to 18.8%), and crop yield (7.4% to 22.0%) in 2021 (wet year) compared to the Paddy. However, in 2022 (dry year), GCRPS led to an increase in tiller numbers (13.7% to 115.4%), LAI (17.3% to 81.0%), DM (9.0% to 62.6%), and crop yield (2.9% to 9.2%) compared to the Paddy. Structural equation modeling indicated that GCRPS significantly affected tiller numbers, plant height, LAI, DM, and productive tiller numbers, which indirectly influenced crop yield by significantly affecting tiller numbers and productive tiller numbers in 2022. Overall, the effects of GCRPS on soil water and N dynamics were not significant. In 2021, with high rainfall, no drought, and no early, low-temperature stress, the GCRPS suppressed crop growth and reduced yield, while in 2022, with drought and early low-temperature stress and low rainfall, the GCRPS promoted crop growth and increased yield, with tiller numbers and productive tiller numbers being the key factors affecting crop yield. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water and Nitrogen Management in Soil-Crop System II)

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20 pages, 4630 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Impact of Aerated Drip Irrigation and Nitrogen Application on Soil Properties, Soil Bacterial Communities and Agronomic Traits of Cucumber in a Greenhouse System

by Zheyuan Xiao, Hongjun Lei, Yingji Lian, Zhenhua Zhang, Hongwei Pan, Chen Yin and Yecheng Dong

Plants 2023, 12(22), 3834; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12223834 - 12 Nov 2023

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2702

Abstract

Root hypoxia stress and soil nutrient turnover have been related to reduced crop productivity. Aerated drip irrigation (ADI) can effectively enhance crop productivity and yield. However, the response of the soil bacterial community to different irrigation water dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations remains elusive [...] Read more.

Root hypoxia stress and soil nutrient turnover have been related to reduced crop productivity. Aerated drip irrigation (ADI) can effectively enhance crop productivity and yield. However, the response of the soil bacterial community to different irrigation water dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations remains elusive due to the extreme sensitivity of microorganisms to environmental variations. We investigated the effects of aerated irrigation with different concentrations of DO on soil properties and agronomic performance of cucumber, as well as the contribution of the bacterial community. We performed experiments on cucumber cultivation in Shouguang, China, including different irrigation methods (ADI: O2–10 and O3–20 mg L⁻¹, non-aerated groundwater: O1–5 mg L⁻¹) and nitrogen (N) application rates: 240 and 360 kg N ha⁻¹. ADI (particularly O2) significantly improved soil properties, root growth, cucumber yields, and irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE), and appropriate DO concentrations reduced N fertilizer application and increased crop yields. Furthermore, these changes were associated with bacterial community diversity, aerobic bacteria abundance, and consolidated bacterial population stability within the network module. Environmental factors such as soil respiration rate (Rs), DO, and NO₃⁻-N have significant effects on bacterial communities. The FAPROTAX results demonstrated enhanced nitrification (Nitrospira) and aerobic nitrite oxidation by soil bacteria under ADI, promoting the accumulation of effective soil N and improved soil fertility and crop yield. Appropriate DO concentration is conducive to the involvement of soil bacterial communities in regulating soil properties and cucumber growth performance, which are vital for the sustainable development of facility agriculture. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water and Nitrogen Management in Soil-Crop System II)

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15 pages, 2372 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effects of Partial Substitution of Fertilizer Using Different Organic Materials on Soil Nutrient Condition, Aggregate Stability and Enzyme Activity in a Tea Plantation

by Chengyi Huang, Kairui Zhang, Wentao Guo, Huijuan Huang, Zhangyong Gou, Liu Yang, Yian Chen, Kokyo Oh, Conggang Fang and Ling Luo

Plants 2023, 12(22), 3791; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12223791 - 7 Nov 2023

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2316

Abstract

Fertilization plays a crucial role in enhancing tea production. However, it has been demonstrated that the long-term single application of chemical fertilizer will reduce soil nutrient content and the formation of soil aggregates, which is not conducive to the sustainable development of soil [...] Read more.

Fertilization plays a crucial role in enhancing tea production. However, it has been demonstrated that the long-term single application of chemical fertilizer will reduce soil nutrient content and the formation of soil aggregates, which is not conducive to the sustainable development of soil and agriculture. Many studies have shown that partial substitution of chemical fertilizer with organic fertilizer can improve soil physicochemical properties and soil nutrient content. This study compared the effects of different organic materials as substitutes for chemical fertilizer. We partially replaced chemical fertilizer with rabbit manure, wine lees and rapeseed cake, amounting to 30% of the total annual nitrogen application in the field experiment, and we set nine different fertilization methods to assess and analyze the soil nutrient condition, aggregate stability and enzyme activity. The results showed that the experimental soil aggregate mean weight diameter (MWD) and geometric mean diameter (GMD) were significantly increased compared with control (p < 0.05); the aforementioned fertilization methods also decreased the soil aggregate fractal dimension (D), disruption rate (PAD), average weight-specific surface area (MWSSA) and soil erodibility factor (K). The application of the fertilizer containing organic materials and microbial agent increased soil organic carbon (SOC) by 20.7% to 22.6% and total nitrogen (TN) by 34.6% to 38.1%; it also significantly promoted sucrase, urease and protease activities in all aggregate sizes (p < 0.05) and increased the 2–5 mm aggregate content. The correlation coefficients between the SOC and the enzyme activities were 0.18–0.95, and most of them showed an extremely significant positive correlation (p < 0.01). In conclusion, the application of fertilizers containing organic materials and microbial agents can improve soil aggregate stability, aggregate enzyme activity and soil structural stability. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water and Nitrogen Management in Soil-Crop System II)

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17 pages, 14686 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Water and Nitrogen Coupling on the Regulation of Soil Nutrient–Microbial Biomass Balance and Its Effect on the Yield of Wolfberry (Lycium barbarum L.)

by Juan Yin, Zhenghu Ma, Yingpan Yang, Bin Du, Fubin Sun and Zhen Yang

Plants 2023, 12(15), 2768; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12152768 - 25 Jul 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1744

Abstract

Due to the problems of relatively fragile stability, the quality of soil in the drip-irrigated agricultural ecosystem has high spatial heterogeneity and experiences significant degradation. We conducted a two-year field plot study (2021–2022) in a typical region of the arid zone with the [...] Read more.

Due to the problems of relatively fragile stability, the quality of soil in the drip-irrigated agricultural ecosystem has high spatial heterogeneity and experiences significant degradation. We conducted a two-year field plot study (2021–2022) in a typical region of the arid zone with the “wolfberry” crop as the research object, with three irrigation and three nitrogen application levels, and the local conventional management as the control (CK). Soil quality under experimental conditioning was comprehensively evaluated based on Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution (TOPSIS), and regression analyses were carried out between the soil quality evaluation results and wolfberry yield. The results showed that short-term water and nitrogen regulation enhanced the soil nutrient content in the root zone of wolfberry to some extent, but it did not significantly affect soil carbon:soil nitrogen (C_soil:N_soil), soil carbon:soil phosphorus (C_soil:P_soil), and soil nitrogen:soil phosphorus (N_soil:P_soil). When the irrigation quota was increased from I₁ to I₂, the soil microbial biomass carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus (C_mic, N_mic, and P_mic) tended to increase with the increase in N application, but the microbial biomass carbon:nitrogen (C_mic:N_mic), microbial biomass carbon:phosphorus (C_mic:P_mic), and microbial biomass nitrogen:phosphorus (N_mic:P_mic) did not change significantly. The comprehensive evaluation of the principal components and TOPSIS showed that the combined soil nutrient–microbial biomass and its ecological stoichiometry characteristics were better under the coupled treatments of I₂, I₃, N₂, and N₃, and the overall soil quality under these treatment conditions was significantly better than that under the CK treatment. Under I₁ irrigation, nitrogen application significantly increased the yield of wolfberry, while under I₂ and I₃ irrigation, the wolfberry yield showed a parabolic trend with the increase in nitrogen application. The highest yield was recorded in the I₂N₂ treatment in the first and second years, with yields of 9967 kg hm⁻² and 10,604 kg hm⁻², respectively. The coefficient of determination (explained quantity) of the soil quality based on soil nutrient–microbial biomass and the characteristics of its ecological stoichiometry for wolfberry yield ranged from 0.295 to 0.573. These findings indicated a limited positive effect of these indicators of soil on wolfberry yield. The short-term water and nitrogen regulation partly influenced the soil and soil microbial biomass in agroecosystems, but the effect on elemental balance was not significant. Our findings might provide theoretical support for managing the health of agricultural ecosystems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water and Nitrogen Management in Soil-Crop System II)

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18 pages, 2516 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Planning Spatial Layout of a Typical Salt Tolerant Forage of Sweet Sorghum in the Yellow River Delta via Considering Resource Constraints, Nitrogen Use Efficiency, and Economic Benefits

by Yinan Gao, Changxiu Shao, Zhen Liu, Zhigang Sun, Buju Long and Puyu Feng

Plants 2023, 12(13), 2483; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12132483 - 29 Jun 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1791

Abstract

In order to effectively address the issue of severe soil salinization in the coastal area of the Yellow River Delta, which has led to a significant number of medium and low-yield fields in this region, and to satisfy the rising demand for feed [...] Read more.

In order to effectively address the issue of severe soil salinization in the coastal area of the Yellow River Delta, which has led to a significant number of medium and low-yield fields in this region, and to satisfy the rising demand for feed grain in China in recent years, a highly effective solution is to replace conventional crops by cultivating a specialized type of forage grass that can withstand high salinity levels and is well adapted to the local climate. This study proposed a spatial layout scheme for planting salt-tolerant forages, with the aim of providing a foundation for enhancing saline-alkali land and increasing resource utilization efficiency. The results showed that the climate conditions in the Yellow River Delta were suitable for planting sweet sorghum. With respect to soil salt content, the suitable planting regions for sweet sorghum can be classified into four categories: Suitable, moderately suitable, less suitable, and unsuitable, with soil salt concentrations of 2.62–5.25‰, 5.25–7.88‰, respectively. Concerning economic benefits, sweet sorghum’s input-output ratio (74.4%) surpasses that of cotton in high saline-alkali zones, providing a significant advantage in comparison with traditional crops. In non-saline-alkali and light saline-alkali areas, the traditional winter wheat-summer maize planting system offers higher economic benefits and nitrogen use efficiency, so it is recommended to maintain this system as the dominant agricultural model. In moderately and severe saline-alkali zones, although one-season maize exhibits greater nitrogen efficiency, its economic benefits are lower than those of sweet sorghum. Hence, it is advisable to promote one-season maize in suitable regions and introduce salt-tolerant forage, such as sweet sorghum in other areas. This approach offers novel ideas and methods for crop spatial layout planning and addresses potential feed grain shortages in the region. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water and Nitrogen Management in Soil-Crop System II)

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14 pages, 8483 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Diversity Temporal–Spatial Dynamics of Potato Rhizosphere Ciliates and Contribution to Nitrogen- and Carbon-Derived Nutrition in North-East China

by Weibin Zheng, Xiaodan Zheng, Yuqing Wu, Shaoyang Lv, Chang Ge, Xiang Wang, Qiuhong Wang, Jingjing Cui, Nanqi Ren and Ying Chen

Plants 2023, 12(12), 2260; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12122260 - 9 Jun 2023

Viewed by 1677

Abstract

Ciliates are an important component of the rhizosphere microorganism community, but their nutritional contribution to plants has not been fully revealed. In this paper, we investigated the rhizosphere ciliate community of potatoes during six growth stages, illustrated the spatial–temporal dynamics of composition and [...] Read more.

Ciliates are an important component of the rhizosphere microorganism community, but their nutritional contribution to plants has not been fully revealed. In this paper, we investigated the rhizosphere ciliate community of potatoes during six growth stages, illustrated the spatial–temporal dynamics of composition and diversity, and analyzed the correlation between soil physicochemical properties. The contributions of ciliates to the carbon- and nitrogen-derived nutrition of potatoes were calculated. Fifteen species of ciliates were identified, with higher diversity in the top soil, which increased as the potatoes grew, while they were more abundant in the deep soil, and the number decreased as the potatoes grew. The highest number of species of ciliates appeared in July (seedling stage). Among the five core species of ciliates, Colpoda sp. was the dominant species in all six growth stages. Multiple physicochemical properties affected the rhizosphere ciliate community, with ammonium nitrogen (NH₄⁺-N) and the soil water content (SWC) greatly influencing ciliate abundance. The key correlation factors of ciliates diversity were NH₄⁺-N, available phosphorus (AP), and soil organic matter (SOM). The annual average contribution rates of carbon and nitrogen by rhizosphere ciliates to potatoes were 30.57% and 23.31%, respectively, with the highest C/N contribution rates reaching 94.36% and 72.29% in the seedling stage. This study established a method for estimating the contributions of carbon and nitrogen by ciliates to crops and found that ciliates could be potential organic fertilizer organisms. These results might be used to improve water and nitrogen management in potato cultivation and promote ecological agriculture. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water and Nitrogen Management in Soil-Crop System II)

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15 pages, 1860 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of the Combining Straw Return with Urease Inhibitor on Ammonia Volatilization, Nitrogen Use Efficiency, and Rice Yield in Purple Soil Areas

by Hong Wang, Kelin Hu, Li Yao, Qi Zhang, Chaowen Lin, Haitao Liu, Fuxiang Luo and Honglin Chen

Plants 2023, 12(11), 2071; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12112071 - 23 May 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1754

Abstract

Straw return in rice (Oryza sativa L.) paddy has been heavily criticized for its potential to influence ammonia (NH₃) volatilization loss due to irrational fertilizer N application. Therefore, improving the N fertilization strategies within residue straw systems is necessary to [...] Read more.

Straw return in rice (Oryza sativa L.) paddy has been heavily criticized for its potential to influence ammonia (NH₃) volatilization loss due to irrational fertilizer N application. Therefore, improving the N fertilization strategies within residue straw systems is necessary to reduce N loss from NH₃ volatilization. This study investigated how the incorporation of oilseed rape straw and the urease inhibitor affected NH₃ volatilization, fertilizer N use efficiency (FNUE), and rice yields over two growing seasons (2018–2019) in the purple soil region. This study arranged eight treatments combined straw (2, 5, 8 ton ha⁻¹, named 2S, 5S, 8S, respectively), with urea or urease inhibitor (UI, 1% NBPT) with three replicates, which included control (CK), UR (Urea, 150 kg N ha⁻¹), UR + 2S, UR + 5S, UR + 8S, UR + 2S + UI, UR + 5S + UI, UR + 8S + UI, based on the randomized complete block method. Our results indicated that incorporating oilseed rape straw increased NH₃ losses by 3.2–30.4% in 2018 and 4.3–17.6% in 2019 than the UR treatment, attributing to the higher NH₄⁺-N content and pH value within floodwater. However, the UR + 2S + UI, UR + 5S + UI and UR + 8S + UI treatments reduced NH₃ losses by 3.8%, 30.3%, and 8.1% in 2018 and 19.9%, 39.5%, and 35.8% in 2019, separately compared to their corresponding UR plus straw treatments. According to the findings, adding 1% NBPT significantly decreased NH₃ losses while incorporating 5 ton ha⁻¹ oilseed rape straw. Furthermore, adding straw, either alone or in conjunction with 1% NBPT, increased rice yield and FNUE by 0.6–18.8% and 0.6–18.8%, respectively. Otherwise, NH₃ losses scaled by yield in the UR + 5S + UI treatment decreased significantly between all treatments in 2018 and 2019. These results suggest that optimizing the oilseed rape straw rate combined with 1% NBPT applied with urea efficiently increased rice yield and reduced NH₃ emissions in the purple soil region of Sichuan Province, China. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water and Nitrogen Management in Soil-Crop System II)

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15 pages, 5409 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Irrigation Optimization via Crop Water Use in Saline Coastal Areas—A Field Data Analysis in China’s Yellow River Delta

by Jing Li, Deyao Liu, Yitao Zhang, Zhen Liu, Lingqing Wang, Huarui Gong, Yan Xu, Shanqing Lei, Hanyou Xie and Andrew Binley

Plants 2023, 12(10), 1990; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12101990 - 15 May 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2180

Abstract

Freshwater resources are becoming increasingly scarce in coastal areas, limiting crop productivity in coastal farmlands. Although the characteristic of crop water use is an important factor for water conservation in coastal farmlands, it has not been studied extensively. This study aimed to depict [...] Read more.

Freshwater resources are becoming increasingly scarce in coastal areas, limiting crop productivity in coastal farmlands. Although the characteristic of crop water use is an important factor for water conservation in coastal farmlands, it has not been studied extensively. This study aimed to depict the water use process of soil–plant systems under saline stress in coastal ecosystems and optimize water management. An intensive observation experiment was performed within China’s Yellow River Delta to identify the water use processes and crop coefficients (K_C) and also quantify the impacts of salt stress on crop water use. The results show that shallow groundwater did not contribute to soil water in the whole rotation; K_C values for wheat–maize, wheat–sorghum, and wheat–soybean rotation systems were 45.0, 58.4, and 57% less, respectively, than the FAO values. The water use efficiency of the maize (8.70) and sorghum (9.00) in coastal farmlands was higher than that of the soybean (4.37). By identifying the critical periods of water and salt stress, this paper provides suggestions for water-saving and salinity control in coastal farmlands. Our findings can inform the sustainable development of coastal farmlands and provide new insights to cope with aspects of the global food crisis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water and Nitrogen Management in Soil-Crop System II)

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17 pages, 4974 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Addressing the Relationship between Leaf Nitrogen and Carbon Isotope Discrimination from the Three Levels of Community, Population and Individual

by Shuhan Wang, Yaowen Han, Yufu Jia, Zixun Chen and Guoan Wang

Plants 2023, 12(7), 1551; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12071551 - 4 Apr 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2976

Abstract

The carbon, nitrogen and water cycles of terrestrial ecosystems are important biogeochemical cycles. Addressing the relationship of leaf nitrogen (N) and carbon isotope discrimination (Δ) will enhance the understanding of the links between these three cycles in plant leaves because Δ can reflect [...] Read more.

The carbon, nitrogen and water cycles of terrestrial ecosystems are important biogeochemical cycles. Addressing the relationship of leaf nitrogen (N) and carbon isotope discrimination (Δ) will enhance the understanding of the links between these three cycles in plant leaves because Δ can reflect time-integrated leaf-level water-use efficiency (WUE) over the period when the leaf material is produced. Previous studies have paid considerable attention to the relationship. However, these studies have not effectively eliminated the interference of environmental factors, inter-species, and inter-individual differences in this relationship, so new research is necessary. To minimize these interferences, the present work explored the relationship at the three levels of community, population, and plant individual. Three patterns of positive, negative and no relationship were observed across communities, populations, and individuals, which is dependent on environmental conditions, species, and plant individuals. The results strongly suggested that there is no general pattern for the relationship between leaf N and Δ. Furthermore, the results indicated that there is often no coupling between leaf-level long-term WUE and leaf N in the metabolic process of carbon, N and water in leaves. The main reason for the lack of this relationship is that most plants do not invest large amounts of nitrogen into photosynthesis. In addition, the present study also observed that, for most plant species, leaf N was not related to photosynthetic rate, and that variations in photosynthetic rates are mainly driven by stomatal conductance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water and Nitrogen Management in Soil-Crop System II)

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