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Peach production in China uses large inputs of mineral fertilizers but lower inputs of organic fertilizers, resulting in decreased peach quality and increased environmental risks. This study investigated the effects of formula fertilizers (combined organic and inorganic fertilizers) on peach yield, quality, and carbon and nitrogen footprints using three peach cultivars in two consecutive years. Two types of formula fertilizers had positive effects on improving the peach yield (5.6–13.6%), single fruit weight (9.0–32.5%), transverse diameter (3.6–13%) and longitudinal diameter (5.4–21.6%). Also, these fertilizers increased soluble solids (7.2–36.6%) and vitamin C (7.1–78%). In addition, the carbon footprint of peach decreased by 37–49%. This study demonstrates the potential of formula fertilizers to achieve balance between peach quality and environmental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil organic carbon (SOC) plays an important role in maintaining or increasing soil fertility and quality in paddy field, but there is limited information about how SOC mineralization responds to different fertilizer managements under the double-cropping rice system in southern China. Therefore, this study was designed to explore changes in SOC content, soil enzyme activities, SOC mineralization at 0–10 cm and 10–20 cm layers, and its relationship with long-term fertilizer managements in a double-cropping rice system of southern China. The experiment included four fertilizer treatments: chemical fertilizer alone (CF), rice straw and chemical fertilizer (RS+F), 30% organic manure and 70% chemical fertilizer (OM+F), and without fertilizer input as a control (Con). These results showed that SOC and labile organic carbon contents at 0–10 cm and 10–20 cm layers in paddy field with RS+F and OM+F treatments were increased, compared to CF and Con treatments. Compared with Con treatment, SOC mineralization rate and accumulation with CF, RS+F, and OM+F treatments were increased. SOC accumulation and potential mineralization at 0–10 cm and 10–20 cm layers with RS+F and OM+F treatments were increased, compared with CF and Con treatments. SOC mineralization rate and accumulation at 0–10 cm layer with CF, RS+F, OM+F, and Con treatments were higher than that of 10–20 cm layer. These results indicated that soil invertase, cellulose and urease activities in paddy field with RS+F and OM+F treatments were significantly higher than that of CF and Con treatments. There was a significant positive relationship between SOC accumulation and SOC content, soil invertase, cellulose, urease activities but were significant negative correlated with soil pH, bulk density. As a result, these were beneficial practices for improving SOC content and SOC mineralization in a double-cropping rice field of southern China by combined application of rice residue or organic matter with chemical fertilizer managements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are few studies on the correlation between fertilizer reduction and pesticide reduction in agricultural production. However, exploring the synergy of fertilizer and pesticide reduction (SFPR) is crucial to the comprehensive realization of sustainable agriculture. This study reveals the spatial-temporal evolution patterns of the SFPR in China using the Thiel index and elasticity coefficient methods. The influencing factors of SFPR are empirically based on Synergy Theory. The results show that the proportion of China’s fertilizer reduction is 12.43% and pesticide reduction is 27.32% from 2014 to 2020. That is, the performance of pesticide reduction is more significant in China. And there is a synergistic and positive correlation between fertilizer and pesticide reduction in the provinces of China. The results of the panel data regression model show that the SFPR relies significantly on government policy, financial support, agricultural planting structure, per capita GDP, and agricultural output value. Therefore, this study recommends further strengthening the awareness of responsibility for fertilizer and pesticide reduction at the provincial government and promoting the projects of fertilizer and pesticide reduction via a systematic approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Guizhou province is the most abundant region of mercury resources in China. The long history of mining activities has resulted in severe mercury (Hg) pollution and endangering both environment and human health. This study investigated the impact of different fertilizers on Hg-polluted soil bacterial community structure. We assumed that (1) fertilizer application would lead to changes in the bacterial community; and (2) the combined application of two fertilizers did not cause additive effects. The results revealed the application of bio-organic fertilizer could significantly enhance the bacterial community diversity. However, the combination of multiple fertilizers did not yield synergistic effects. There were indications of antagonistic interactions between certain fertilizers via competition or inhibitory effects. Additionally, we conducted an experiment in the greenhouse with Brassica Pekinensis and the Hg contents in roots and leaves were measured. Our findings suggested that different fertilizers would change the release fluxes of soil Hg(0). By immobilization of Hg in the soil, fertilizer could promote a healthier and more diverse soil bacterial community. This study provides valuable insights into the influence of different fertilizers on bacterial community in Hg-polluted soil, offering potential directions for further remediation efforts and policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil-based irrigation and the partial substitution of chemical fertilizers with manure are promising practices to improve water and nitrogen (N) use efficiency. We hypothesize that their combination would simultaneously benefit potato production, tuber quality and profitability. A two-year experiment was conducted in semiarid northern China to investigate the combined effects of three water treatments [rainfed (W0), soil-based irrigation (W1), conventional irrigation (W2)] and three N treatments [no N (N0), chemical N (N1), 25% manure substitution (N2)] on these indicators, and to perform a comprehensive evaluation and correlation analysis. The results showed that water and N treatments separately affected all indicators except vitamin C content. Compared to W2, W1 significantly increased water productivity by 12% and irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE) by 30% due to 10% lower evapotranspiration and 21% lower water use. However, W1 and W2 negatively affected crude protein content. Conversely, this was compensated by the combination with N1 and N2. There were slight differences between N1 and N2 for all indicators on average across water treatments, while under W1, N2 significantly increased leaf area index (LAI) and N recovery efficiency (REN) by 18% and 29.4%, respectively, over N1. Also, comprehensive evaluations showed that W1N2 performed best, with the highest tuber yield, profit and acceptable quality. This can be explained by the increase in LAI, IWUE and REN due to the positive correlations with tuber yield and net return. Consequently, soil-based irrigation combined with 25% manure substitution had complementary effects on tuber quality and synergistic effects on potato productivity and profitability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China, as a significant global consumer of chemical fertilizers and a leading producer of rice, faces challenges associated with low fertilizer efficiency and fewer utilization options of rice husks. The development of rice husk biochar‐based fertilizers (RHBF) offers a strategic solution to address these issues. In this study, diverse biochar fertilizer production techniques were used to develop four types of fertilizers: blended RHBF, soaked RHBF, high‐pressure soaked RHBF, and pure rice husk biochar coated fertilizer. The nutrients slow‐releasing performance of these four RHBF were compared by hydrostatic and soil column intermittent leaching methods. Effects of their application on rice growth, yield, and cadmium reduction potential were analyzed and compared by the pot trial. Results demonstrated that nutrients of the four RHBF were generally released slower in the soil compared with the conventional compound fertilizer (CK). The slow nutrient release effect was more pronounced under high‐pressure soaked RHBF. Notably, in the soil column leaching experiment, the cumulative leaching rates of nitrogen and K2O for RHBF3 (12.0% and 13.9%) were greatly lower than those of CK (42.3% and 51.3%). Moreover, the application of RHBF induced a marked enhancement in the nutrient use efficiency, grain yield, harvest index, and photosynthetic characteristics compared to CK. The average agronomic efficiency of P2O5 for the four RHBF increased by 102.8% compared with CK, while the average grain yield of the four RHBF increased by 20.6%. In addition, RHBF showed a significant reduction in Cd mobilization by an average of 80.1% compared to CK. This study offers a promising model for enhancing the comprehensive performance of RHBF and optimizing traditional fertilizer application practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Road construction and strip mining in mountainous regions inevitably causes the destruction of vegetation and soil, leading to large ranges of exposed slopes. Although soil spray-sowing has become a promising method to accelerate community assembly in humid regions, the application of microbial fertilizers and shading in slope recovery during soil spray-sowing are rarely reported in dry-hot valleys. This study compared the effectiveness among artificial seeding, arch column + planting bags, and soil spray-sowing by slope restoration trials in the Yuanjiang dry-hot valley, southwest China. Additionally, we explored the effect of slope degrees, shade, and microbial fertilizers on seedling survival and growth after soil spray-sowing. Results indicated that soil spray-sowing displayed better species survival and growth performance than artificial seeding and arch column + planting bags. The richness, density, and height of seedlings dropped dramatically with the increasing of slope degrees after soil spray-sowing, especially when the slope degree was greater than 1. Although shading observably improved the species density, it inhibited the growth of Albizia julibrissin and Crotalaria pallida. Moreover, microbial fertilizers Penicillium chrysogenum and Bacillus aryabhattai markedly enhanced the density and growth of species Azadirachta Indica, Cajanus cajan, Indigofera cassioides, and Sophora xanthanth. Soil spray-sowing, combined with shading and microbial fertilizers, contributes to species survival and growth when the slope degree is less than 1.73 and the soil spray-sowing process coincides with the rainy season, which provides the theoretical basis and technical support for ecological restoration in the dry-hot river valley. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China repeatedly surpasses international fertilizer safety limits, resulting in significant fertilizer nonpoint source pollution (denoted as FNSP), which adversely affects food security and agricultural sustainability. Simultaneously, farmland transfer has emerged as a pivotal strategy for transitioning between agricultural production methods. The present study aims to investigate the relationship between farmland transfer and FNSP. In line with the aim of the study, based on China's panel data from 2005 to 2020, the fixed-effect model, mediating-effect model, spatial Durbin model, and threshold regression model are employed. The findings reveal that farmland transfer exerts a significant inhibitory effect on FNSP. The reduction in FNSP through farmland transfer is facilitated by the decrease in fertilizer application intensity and increase in compound fertilizer application. Further, farmland transfer demonstrates a significant spatial spillover effect on FNSP, mitigating pollution levels within regions and influencing neighboring areas. Moreover, a nonlinear relationship between farmland transfer and FNSP is observed. These findings contribute to understanding the intricate dynamics between agricultural land management strategies and environmental sustainability, offering valuable insights for policymakers and stakeholders engaged in promoting green and sustainable agricultural practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional methods of garlic fertilization involve large amounts of balanced fertilizer with equal proportions of N, P, and K, leading to nutrient imbalances, reduced yield and nutritional quality, and elevated risk of environmental pollution. This study for the first time measured garlic nutrient absorption and mineral elements status in garlic fields. In addition, a garlic-specific fertilizer formula and recommended rate were designed and applied in multiple garlic fields during the 2019–21 growing season. We assessed the performance of garlic-specific fertilizer in terms of yield, quality, and nutrient utilization efficiency. We showed that garlic prefers to absorb N and K, and its absorption of P was much lower. Deficiencies in Cl, Mn, S, and Fe are found in 98.7%, 56.1%, 22.8%, and 11.9% of garlic fields. Compared with farmer fertilization, the garlic-specific fertilizers increased sprout yield by 12.9% to 30.5%, bulb yield by 11.0% to 33.5%, and net income by 18.2% to 45.6%. Furthermore, it improved the nutritional quality [vitamin C (Vc), soluble sugar (SS), and soluble protein] of the garlic and reduced the accumulation of nitrate. The formula of special fertilizer was more in line with the law of garlic nutrient absorption, increasing the nutrient utilization effect, reducing the environmental risks. Application of specific fertilizer increased N, P, and K partial productivity by 26.6% to 50.1%, 82.6% to 116.5%, and 54.6% to 83.3%, respectively. These results suggest that replacing balanced fertilizers in the garlic market with garlic-specific fertilizers can improve garlic farmers' incomes and soil health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Codonopsis pilosula is widely sought-after in China as a substitute for the more expensive ginseng. Continuous cropping of C. pilosula supports a vibrant health-supplement industry but requires significant inputs of fertilizers which increase production costs and degrade the environment. Methods: Here, three environmentally-friendly natural fertilizers, including biochar, bacterial fertilizer, and vermicompost, were used at different concentrations (undiluted, diluted 10 times, diluted 50 times) to determine their efficacy in seed germination and growth physiology of C. pilosula in continuous cropping. Results: The results showed that biochar, bacterial fertilizer, and vermicompost with different concentrations of leachate could all increase the germination rate, germination potential and germination index of C. pilosula seeds treated with inter-root soil leachate of continuous C. pilosula; increase the activity of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase and peroxidase) in C. pilosula seedlings under the stress of inter-root soil leachate of continuous C. pilosula, reduce the over-accumulation of malondialdehyde (MDA) content, and increase the resistance of C. pilosula seedlings. After transplanting, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity increased by an average of 16.1%. Peroxidase (POD) levels showed an average increase of 16.4%. Additionally, there was a significant reduction in the MDA content, with an average decrease of 50%, and the content of osmoticregulating substances (free proline content and soluble protein content) exhibited a significant increase. Discussion: In conclusion, biochar, bacterial manure, and vermicompost have the potential to overcome the challenges of extensive fertilizer use in continuous cropping of C. pilosula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep fertilization is a beneficial approach for reducing nitrogen losses. However, the effects of various fertilization depths on maize (Zea mays L.) productivity and environmental footprints have not been thoroughly understood. Therefore, a field experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of different fertilization depths of 5 cm (D5), 15 cm (D15), 25 cm (D25), and 35 cm (D35) on maize productivity and environmental footprints. Reactive nitrogen (Nr) losses and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions were assessed using life cycle analysis. We hypothesized that deep fertilization can obtain lower carbon and nitrogen footprint. The results indicated that deep fertilization decreased the N2O and NH3 emissions while increasing the CH4 uptake. Compared with D5, D15 resulted in an increase in total GHG emissions and carbon footprint (CF), whereas D25 decreased by 13.0% and 23.6%, respectively. Compared with D5, the Nr losses under D15, D25, and D35 conditions was reduced by 11.3%, 17.3%, and 21.0%, respectively, and the nitrogen footprint (NF) was reduced by 16.0%, 27.4%, and 19.0%, respectively. The maize yield under D15 and D25 increased by 5.7% and 13.8%, respectively, compared with the D5 treatment, and the net economic benefits of the ecosystem increased by 7.1% and 17.1%, respectively. In summary, applying fertilizer at a depth of 25 cm can significantly reduce the environmental footprints and increase maize productivity, making it an effective fertilization strategy in the Loess Plateau region of China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strawberries are by far the most produced soft fruit (blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries) worldwide, with China and the US being the two countries with the most production. In the US, strawberries reached a farm gate value of more than USD 3 billion in 2023 and are predominantly grown in the open field on an annual cycle in hilled-up soil beds using plastic mulch (plasticulture). This process relies on adequate pre-plant fertilizer application for plant establishment and fruit development. In North Carolina (US), it is current practice to apply pre-plant fertilizer containing 67 nitrogen (N) kg/ha; however, with increasing fertilizer costs and environmental concerns, questions remain as to whether or not pre-plant full-spectrum fertilizer rates can be reduced and substituted with organic low-N fertilizer sources, such as Polysulphate, without impacting yield or fruit quality. For this reason, field trials were established to evaluate the impact of pre-plant fertilizer rates on strawberry production ('Camarosa'). Trials were conducted in the 2019–2020 and 2020–2021 seasons at two locations in North Carolina. The following N-rate pre-plant fertilizer treatments were applied: 80.1, 67.3, 54.1, 41.1, 33.6, 28.0, and 0 kg/ha. NO3 and NH4 content were frequently assessed in each replicate in the raised bed profile between planting and spring fertilizer application. Marketable and total strawberry yields were assessed over 6 weeks in the spring of 2020 and 2021. Our trial results showed that, especially in sandy soil, N rapidly declined under plastic within the first 8 weeks after pre-plant fertilizer application. However, no impact between pre-plant fertilizer rates and plant yield was observed. Treatments that contained Polysulphate and lower amounts of full-spectrum fertilizer showed significantly lower N concentrations in the soil while maintaining similar yields and fruit quality compared to grower-standard pre-plant fertilizer treatments. In summary, our results show that it is possible to reduce N content in pre-plant fertilizer by up to 50% compared to current recommendations without causing yield loss in short-day strawberry cultivars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fertilization regimes have been widely practiced to increase soil organic carbon (SOC) in Chinese farmland, but the findings of various studies are often widely divergent. Therefore, a comprehensive review of the impacts of fertilization regimes on SOC is needed. In this study, a meta-analysis based on 57 peer-reviewed articles was conducted to examine the effects of fertilization regimes on SOC in China. On average, the inorganic fertilizer combined with organic fertilizer regime (NPKOF) represented the most effective approach, increasing SOC by 42.6%; this was followed by the organic fertilizer regime (OF, 41.6%) and the inorganic fertilizer regime (NPK, 15.8%). Further analysis suggested that the effects of fertilization regimes were more pronounced in areas with relatively lower clay content, higher aridity index, longer experimental duration or higher soil pH. We also highlight the importance of considering local environmental factors (e.g., climate and soil conditions) in identifying appropriate fertilization regimes for maintaining soil health, mitigating greenhouse gas emissions while ensuring crop productivity. In conclusion, although NPK addition can significantly enhance SOC content, the combined application of inorganic with organic fertilizer is very important in maintaining and improving the current SOC content across China, especially in arid regions (e.g., Northwest, lower MAP regions and higher aridity index). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The inappropriate use, especially overuse, of fertilizers aggravates greenhouse gas emissions and non-point source pollution. China is the largest fertilizer user worldwide, and information provision is a determinant of farmers' fertilizer use. Using survey data of 1002 rice farmers from Hubei, Jiangsu and Jiangxi provinces in China, this study aims to analyze the heterogeneity in farmers' fertilizer use and evaluate the heterogeneous effects of various modes of information provision on fertilizer use among different groups of farmers. A group of extended difference-in-differences models are developed and estimated based on a two-year randomized controlled trial. Results show that while farmers as a whole overuse fertilizers, there is copresence of overusers, consistent users and underusers. Information provision induces a sizeable fertilizer reduction among the overusers and a moderate increase among the underusers. Moreover, the reduction is small among top overusers. Information provision by public agricultural extension agents exerts larger reduction effects among the overusers than that by fertilizer firms, while that by fertilizer firms exerts larger incremental effects among the underusers. These findings illustrate that information provision is effective in rationalizing farmers' fertilizer use in China and underscores the importance of reinforcing such a mechanism. This study provides fresh evidence for the copresence of fertilizer overuse and underuse in China and might be the first to investigate the heterogeneous effects of various modes of information provision on fertilizer use among the overusers, consistent users and underusers of fertilizers, which has crucial policy implications for rationalizing fertilizer use in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Northern China faces water scarcity, restricting water usage in place across Inner Mongolia's western region. The integrated irrigation and fertilization model for sugar beet is undergoing rapid development and application in production. However, there is a concerning trend in production where the frequency of irrigation and fertilization is being increased blindly, resulting in the wastage of valuable water and fertilizer resources. Limiting water and fertilizer usage is an effective approach to improve sugar beet production efficiency. Sugar beets are a significant sugar crop in China. A split-plot design was employed to examine the impact of reducing water and fertilizer use on sucrose metabolism in sugar beet root. Our study was performed at the Ulanqab Institute of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences in Inner Mongolia from 2022 to 2023. Three levels of fertilization and irrigation were utilized. We investigated the interactions between irrigation and fertilization on sucrose accumulation in sugar beet root. We examined key enzyme activities involved in sucrose metabolism alongside their gene expression levels. The findings suggested that reducing irrigation by 15%, fertilization by 10%, or both irrigation by 15% and fertilization by 10%, increased sucrose concentrations of sugar beets compared to the control group administered conventional water and fertilizer. Over the two-year period, the average sucrose concentration increased by 0.45, 0.57, and 0.65 degrees, respectively, under each treatment. Subsequent research verified that appropriately reducing water and fertilizer can regulate the expression of enzyme genes, thus influencing enzyme activity. Moreover, due to the higher efficiency of enzyme synthesis compared to decomposition, it contributed to an increase in net enzyme activity. These findings suggest that an appropriate reduction of water and fertilizer can improve sucrose synthesis rates and increase the sucrose concentration in sugar beets, providing a theoretical basis for environmentally friendly generation and enhanced efficiency in sugar beet growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reducing nitrogen fertilizer application, selecting a reasonable planting density, and adding silicon fertilizer can be used together to decrease excessive nitrogen fertilizer inputs in rice fields, reduce production costs, and ensure stable rice yield. However, the dynamics of the stem and internodes, as well as the changes in the physical and physiological characteristics of rice under a combination of these three strategies, are still unclear. In this study, we aimed to clarify these effects to improve the efficiency of rice production in northeastern China. A 2-year field experiment was conducted using five treatments: a conventional densification treatment (DM), a densification combined with reduced N input (−20%) treatment (DLM), and three densifications combined with reduced N input (−20%) and basal silicon fertilizer treatments (low fertilizer: DLMS1; medium fertilizer: DLMS2; and high fertilizer: DLMS3). This study revealed that the addition of silicon fertilizer improved rice yield compared to that under reduced nitrogen or increased density treatments alone, prevented excessive ineffective tillering after a density increase, and increased the number of productive panicles. Among the treatments, the DLMS3 treatment had the highest yields of 10.53 t/ha and 10.73 t/ha over the 2 years. Reducing nitrogen and increasing density reduced the weight and length of single panicles, while the addition of silicon fertilizer was beneficial for improving stem toughness, improving the physical and physiological characteristics of the plants and panicles, and enhancing plant bending resistance. Among the treatments, DLMS3 had the highest bending resistance, which increased by 440.1 g and 503.8 g compared to the lowest values in the DM treatment in 2020 and 2021, respectively. Nitrogen reduction resulted in the lowest lodging index values, with DLMS3 having the lowest values in both years, which decreased by 19.6% and 22.5% compared to the highest values in DM (2020) and DLM (2021), respectively. This study indicates that the application of 150.0 kg/ha silicon fertilizer in combination with reduced nitrogen and increased density (DLMS3) reduces the lodging index while ensuring rice yield, preventing a tradeoff between yield reduction and lodging due to a density increase or due to nitrogen reduction combined with a density increase and allowing for a reduction in nitrogen fertilizer input, which could ensure a uniform yield and an increase in lodging resistance. These results provide a scientific basis for rice cultivation measures that lead to high yield and lodging resistance while protecting the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review addresses the growing disparity between the current state of fertilizer production in China and the evolving demands of green agriculture in the 21st century. It explores major advances in fertilizers, proposes the concept of green intelligent fertilizers and develops new strategies aligned with the principles of green development in fertilizer industry and agriculture. Green intelligent fertilizers may be designed to maximize the synergistic effects among plants, soils, microorganisms, nutrient sources and the environment. This concept emphasizes the integration of industry and agriculture toward green development for entire industry chain, using an interdisciplinary approach to drive the green transformation of fertilizer industry, and promote green and sustainable development of agriculture. By bridging the gap between the current state of fertilizer industry and a growing need for environmentally responsible agricultural practices, this review highlights a path toward harmonizing fertilizer production with the imperatives of green agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cultivated land area in China is approaching the red line for farmland protection. Newly reclaimed land possesses a large exploratory potential to become a reserved land resource. Identifying a fertilization strategy is vital for improving the poor properties and weak fertility of newly reclaimed land. An experiment was conducted to study the effects of traditional compound fertilizer (Fc) or bio-organic fertilizer (Ft), alone or in combination with biochar addition (6.85 t·ha−1 and 13.7 t·ha−1) on the growth, photosynthesis, yield and quality of Chinese small cabbage (CSC) plant. The results showed that compared to single compound fertilizer application, bio-organic fertilizer application promoted the plant's growth, indicated by the plant height, stem diameter and leaf area index (LAI), and significantly enhanced the yield and dry matter accumulation of CSC. In terms of the combination with biochar, the promoting effects were positively related to the biochar addition rate in the compound fertilizer group, while it was better to apply bio-organic fertilizer alone or in combination with biochar at a low rate of 6.85 t·ha−1. The highest yield was obtained under B2Fc and B1Ft with 29.41 and 37.93 t·ha−1, respectively, and the yield under B1Ft was significantly higher than that under B2Fc. The water productivity (WP) significantly improved in response to both kinds of fertilizer combined with biochar at 6.85 t·ha−1. There was a significant difference between the photosynthetic characteristics of plants treated with single-compound fertilizer and those treated with bio-organic fertilizer. The photosynthetic characteristics increased under compound fertilizer combined with biochar, while they regressed under bio-organic fertilizer combined with biochar. The quality of CSC, especially that of soluble sugars and total phenolics, improved under single bio-organic fertilizer application compared with that under single-compound fertilizer. The nitrite content of the plants increased with increasing biochar addition rate in both fertilizer groups. In conclusion, there is a significant promoting effect of applying bio-organic fertilizer to replace chemical fertilizer alone or combining compound fertilizer with low-rate biochar addition on newly reclaimed land. It is a recommended fertilization strategy to substitute or partially substitute chemical fertilizer with bio-organic fertilizer combined with biochar in newly reclaimed land, and it is of great significance to achieve fertilizer reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to examine the influence of crop insurance on the utilization of chemical fertilizers using plot-level data. The dataset utilized in this analysis consists of information obtained from 1039 participants residing in four major grain-producing provinces (Heilongjiang, Zhejiang, Henan, and Sichuan) in China. To address the potential issue of endogeneity, instrumental variables were employed to establish a causal relationship within the empirical model. The findings of this study indicate that crop insurance does not exert a statistically significant impact on overall fertilizer input in China. Nonetheless, the effect varies across different categories of farmers. Specifically, large-scale farmers experience a moderate reduction in fertilizer input as a result of crop insurance, while small-scale farmers do not demonstrate a significant effect. It is essential to strike a balance between risk protection and the potential influence of moral hazard in order to enhance future crop insurance policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chrysanthemum is a perennial herbaceous flower with a long history of cultivation dating back over 3000 years. The potted chrysanthemum is a significant type and is widely used in landscaping. Expensive substrate costs, complicated management of water and fertilizer, and uneven product quality currently plague the potted chrysanthemum industry. This study systematically investigated the growth status of potted chrysanthemums under different substrates, water, and fertilizer ratios and established a simplified cultivation system for potted chrysanthemums. The substitute substrate experiment demonstrated that coir: moss peat: perlite: pine needle mulch = 2:4:2:2 is the most suitable substitute substrate. Research on fertilizer ratios found that chrysanthemums' best growth and flowering characteristics were achieved with nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium concentrations of 336 mg/L, 93 mg/L, and 273 mg/L, respectively. A comprehensive, simplified cultivation system was established when utilizing T4 substitute substrate (2:4:2:2 ratios of coir, moss peat, perlite, and pine needle mulch), 40% water capacity, and F9 fertilizer (336 mg/L nitrogen, 93 mg/L phosphorus, and 273 mg/L potassium). This study comprehensively and systematically explored the cultivation and maintenance schemes in the production of potted chrysanthemums and built a light, simple, and efficient production technology system of potted chrysanthemums in the open field suitable for the climatic characteristics of northern China, which provides feasible technical specifications and a theoretical basis for the refinement and large-scale management of potted chrysanthemums. This experiment lays the foundations for cost reduction and efficiency in the potted chrysanthemum industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, replacing chemical fertilizers with straw returning and new fertilizers has received considerable attention in the agricultural sector, as it is believed to increase rice yield and improve soil properties. However, less is known about rice growth and soil properties in paddy fields with the addition of different fertilizers. Thus, in this paper, we investigated the effects of different fertilizer treatments, including no fertilization (CK), optimized fertilization based on the medium yield recommended fertilizer amount (OF), 4.50 Mg ha−1 straw returning with chemical fertilizers (SF), 0.59 Mg ha−1 slow-release fertilizer with chemical fertilizers (SRF), and 0.60 Mg ha−1 water-soluble fertilizer with chemical fertilizers (WSF), on rice growth, yield, and soil properties through a field experiment. The results show that compared with the OF treatment, the new SF, SRF, and WSF treatments increased plant height, main root length, tiller number, leaf area index, chlorophyll content, and aboveground dry weight. The SF, SRF, and WSF treatments improved rice grain yield by 30.65–32.51% and 0.24–1.66% compared to the CK and OF treatments, respectively. The SRF treatment increased nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) uptake by 18.78% and 28.68%, the harvest indexes of N and P by 1.75% and 0.59%, and the partial productivity of N and P by 2.64% and 2.63%, respectively, compared with the OF treatment. However, fertilization did not significantly affect the average yield, harvest indexes of N and P, and partial productivity of N and P. The contents of TN, AN, SOM, TP, AP, and AK across all the treatments decreased significantly with increasing soil depth, while soil pH increased with soil depth. The SF treatment could more effectively increase soil pH and NH4+-N content compared to the SRF and WSF treatments, while the SRF treatment could greatly enhance other soil nutrients and enzyme activities compared to the SF and WSF treatments. A correlation analysis showed that rice yield was significantly positively associated with tiller number, leaf area index, chlorophyll, soil NO3−-N, NH4+-N, SOM, TP, AK, and soil enzyme activity. The experimental results indicate that SRF was the best fertilization method to improve rice growth and yield and enhance soil properties, followed by the SF, WSF, and OF treatments. Hence, the results provide useful information for better fertilization management in the Chaohu Lake region of China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radix pseudostellariae is one of the well-known genuine medicinal herbs in Fujian province, China. However, the continuous cropping obstacles with respect to R. pseudostellariae have seriously affected the sustainable utilization of medicinal resources and the development of related industrial systems. The occurrence of continuous cropping obstacles is a comprehensive effect of multiple deteriorating biological and abiotic factors in the rhizosphere soil. Therefore, intensive ecological methods have been the key to abating such obstacles. In this study, four treatments were set up, i.e., fallow (RP-F), fallow + bacterial fertilizer (RP-F-BF), rice-paddy-upland rotation (RP-R), and rice-paddy-upland rotation + bacterial fertilizer (RP-R-BF), during the interval between two plantings of R. pseudostellariae, with a newly planted (NP) treatment as the control. The results show that the yield of R. pseudostellariae under the RP-F treatment decreased by 46.25% compared to the NP treatment. Compared with the RP-F treatment, the yields of the RP-F-BF, RP-R, and RP-R-BF treatments significantly increased by 14.11%, 27.79%, and 62.51%, respectively. The medicinal quality of R. pseudostellariae treated with RP-R-BF was superior to that achieved with the other treatments, with the total saponin and polysaccharide contents increasing by 8.54% and 27.23%, respectively, compared to the RP-F treatment. The ecological intensive treatment of RP-R-BF significantly increased the soil pH, content of organic matter, abundance of beneficial microbial populations, and soil enzyme activity, thus remediating the deteriorating environment of continuous cropping soil. On this basis, the ecological intensive treatment RP-R-BF significantly increased the activity of protective enzymes and the expression levels of genes related to disease and stress resistance in leaves and root tubers. Redundancy and Pearson correlation analyses indicated that rice-paddy-upland rotation improved the soil structure, promoted the growth of eutrophic r-strategy bacterial communities, enhanced compound oxidation and reduction, broke the relationship between the deteriorating environment and harmful biological factors, and eventually weakened the intensity of harmful factors. The subsequent application of bacterial fertilizer improved the beneficial biological and abiotic factors, activated various ecological functions of the soil, enhanced the ecological relationship between various biological and abiotic factors, and reduced the stress intensity of R. pseudostellariae, thereby improving its disease and stress resistance, and ultimately reflecting the recovery of yield and quality. The results indirectly prove that the intensive ecological amelioration of the soil environment was the main factor for the yield recovery of R. pseudostellariae under continuous cropping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural subsidies are widely acknowledged to be a crucial cause in food security and environmental protection, with a substantial impact on fertilizer consumption. China is also attempting to promote the green transformation of agricultural subsidies and sustainable food production. Existing research has explored the impact of China's agricultural subsidies reform (ASR) on farmers' fertilizer application behavior at household level, but little is known about the overall effect of ASR at the regional level. This paper investigates the effect of on fertilizer inputs using the staggered difference-in-difference (DID) approach, based on county-level panel data for 723 counties in China's Main Grain Producing Area (MPA) from 2013 to 2020. The results show that the ASR obviously increases fertilizer consumption by 5-6% in MPA during the study period. An analysis of mechanism reveals that ASR boosts fertilizer input through increased grain output and on-farm employment, which both play a 13.83% and 6.42% partial mediator role. Conversely, the growth of planting scale is the primary conduit for fertilizer reduction, accounting for 11.78% of the total. Furthermore, this positive effect is significantly lower in counties with low farmer disposable income or high agricultural mechanization than in others. These findings offer valuable insights for other developing countries aiming to promote green transformation of agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although straw returning to the field (SRTTF) is conducive to promoting sustainable agricultural production and protecting the environment, straw resources are still wasted due to the lack of suitable straw-returning technology in southern China. Based on the statistical yearbook and a large number of studies, different methods were used to calculate the total straw resources and SRTTF potential, and differences in these methods were compared. The results indicate that the total amount of straw resources in southern China in 2021 was 3.35×108 t. The nutrient content of K2O in the straw accounted for the highest proportion of total nutrient resources (63.66%), followed by N (26.88%) and P2O5 (9.46%). In theory, total SRTTF could replace almost all K2O and part of N and P2O5, indicating that the nutrient substitution potential of SRTTF was high. It is suggested that the SRTTF method be adopted in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, which mainly uses direct returning (DR) supplemented by indirect returning (IDR). In southeast China, straw returning is carried out by the combination of IDR and IR. In southwest China, straw returning is mainly carried out by IR and supplemented by MDR. This study will provide theoretical support for the government to formulate straw-returning policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of agricultural films, pesticides, and fertilizers has increased in China, leading to the degradation of the agricultural ecological environment. Based on the panel data of 30 provinces in China from 2010 to 2021, this paper takes agricultural film usage as the threshold variable to study the impact of pesticide and fertilizer usage on agricultural development. The research results show that a single threshold effect of agricultural film usage is significant. When agricultural film usage is both a core and threshold variable, that is lower than the threshold value, every 1% increase in agricultural film usage will reduce agricultural output value by 0.9862%, and the impact is significant. When agricultural film usage crosses the threshold value, every 1% increase in agricultural film usage will increase agricultural output value by 1.1843%, and the impact is significant. When pesticide usage is the core variable, regardless of whether agricultural film usage is below or above the threshold, pesticide usage promotes agricultural development. Its impact is significant. When fertilizer input is a core variable, regardless of whether agricultural film usage is below or above the threshold, the use of fertilizers hinders agricultural development. The impact of fertilizer input on agricultural development is significant. Through empirical testing, this paper explores the deep relationship between agricultural film usage, pesticide usage and fertilizer input on agricultural development. These can effectively allocate agricultural production factors, transform the mode of agricultural economic growth, achieve the coordinated development of the ecological environment and agricultural economy and provide data support for the formulation of agricultural green development policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: In the face of escalating apprehensions surrounding food security, the sustainability of food systems, and food quality, the ingenuity of resource management strategies becomes paramount. A key component within these strategies is the enhancement of chemical fertilizer utilization, an element that bears significant weight on agricultural yields and the preservation of our environment. The emergence of Integrated Water-Fertilizer Systems (IWFS) thus presents a significant innovation in boosting the efficiency of chemical fertilizer usage, necessitating in-depth examination. Methods: Utilizing a rigorous analytical framework that combines meta-frontier production function with a Two-Stage Residual Inclusion model, this study delves into the multi-dimensional impacts of IWFS adoption on fertilizer use efficiency among cotton growers in Xinjiang, China. Results: Empirical evidence demonstrates that those who have adopted IWFS achieve a fertilizer use efficiency score of 0.452, markedly outstripping the mean score of 0.382 among non-adopters. Intriguingly, efficiency increases proportionately with the size of the farm, hinting at a sophisticated interplay between the adoption of technology and operational parameters. Discussion: The research further unveils additional benefits including augmented cotton yields and diminished labor inputs among adopters. These multifaceted outcomes bear significant policy implications, highlighting the transformative potential of IWFS in promoting sustainable food systems, bolstering food security, and enhancing food quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dry matter (DM) and nitrogen (N) transport from nutritive organs to the grain is critical for cereal crop yield and protein content. There is limited research on the effects of slow-release or controlled-release fertilizers on dry matter and nitrogen partitioning in the nutrient organs of spring corn. A field trial was conducted in the National Corn Industry Technology System Xinzhou Comprehensive Experiment Station, China. The effects of different fertilizer management on yield, photosynthetic capacity, and nutrient partitioning of spring maize were studied. We modeled local farmers' planting and management practices (T3). Based on T3, we added a slow-release compound fertilizer (T2), which does not require a follow-up fertilizer, and a controlled-release formulated fertilizer (T1), which is highly efficient and has low carbon emissions. The net photosynthetic rate (Pn), transpiration rate (E), stomatal conductance (Gs), and intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci) were 23%, 18.5%, 18%, 10.5% and 19%, 10.9%, 7%, and 5.5% higher in T1 compared to those of T3 and T2, respectively, at the ripening stage. The contribution of post-flowering DM transport to the kernel of T1 was 46% and 41.4% higher than that of T3 and T2, respectively. The nitrogen content of the kernel of T1 was 35.2% and 18.5% higher than that of T3 and T2, respectively. After a comprehensive analysis, T1 prolonged the photosynthetic effect through adequate nitrogen supply, provided nutrients to the kernel, promoted maize nitrogen uptake and utilization, and ultimately improved yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Xinjiang is the largest cotton-producing region in China, but it faces a severe shortage of water resources. According to relevant studies, the cotton yield does not significantly decrease under appropriate limited water conditions. Therefore, this paper proposes a water and fertilizer integrated control system to achieve water and fertilizer conservation in the process of cotton field cultivation. This paper designs a fuzzy neural network Proportional–Integral–Derivative controller based on the improved Wild Horse Optimizer to address the water and fertilizer integrated control system's time-varying, lag, and non-linear characteristics. The controller precisely controls fertilizer electrical conductivity (EC) by optimizing parameters through an improved Wild Horse Optimizer for the initial weights from the normalization layer to the output layer, the initial center values of membership functions, and the initial base width of membership functions in the fuzzy neural network. The performance of the controller is validated through MATLAB simulation and experimental tests. The results indicate that, compared with conventional PID controllers and fuzzy PID controllers, this controller exhibits excellent control accuracy and robustness, effectively achieving precise fertilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Irrational application of chemical fertilizers aggravated soil acidification in China, which resulted in increased cadmium (Cd) activity in soil. The aim of the study was to reduce the Cd activity in soil by applying alkaline functional fertilizer (AFF), which was prepared from NPK compound, dolomite and biochar. Methods: Incubation trials, Cd adsorption and desorption experiments, and kinetics and thermodynamics tests were applied to reveal the function and mechanism of two AFFs (DAFF and DBCAFF) in reducing Cd activity in soil. Results: The results showed that the AFF could significantly decrease Cd activity in soil by increasing the Cd adsorption capacity and reducing its desorption rate. Cd adsorption characteristics fitted the Langmuir and pseudo-second-order kinetic model, which indicated that Cd adsorption was a single-surface chemical adsorption including fast and slow processes. The thermodynamics results showed that Cd adsorption was a spontaneous endothermic reaction and was promoted by the AFF. Dolomite and biochar in the AFF could increase the Cd2+ adsorption sites of soil particles and the binding energy between soil and Cd2+, thus increasing Cd2+ adsorption and preventing the desorption of adsorbed Cd2+. The mechanism of the AFF reducing Cd activity in soil was that the AFF could promote Cd2+ electrostatic adsorption, ion exchange of Cd2+ with Ca2+ and Mg2+, formation of a complex between Cd2+ and oxygen-containing functional groups (OFGs) and precipitation between Cd2+ and OH-, CO32- and PO43-. Conclusions: This study provided an effective and simple innovative method to solve soil Cd pollution by replacing conventional fertilizer with the AFF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on a panel data from National Rural Fixed Point Survey (NRFP), this study explored the effects of information and communication technologies (ICTs) on the fertilizer and pesticide use efficiency of China's grain production and the mechanisms using stochastic frontier analysis (SFA) and two‐way fixed‐effects model with two‐stage least square (2SLS) estimation. The results show that the average fertilizer use efficiency (FE), pesticide use efficiency (PE) and comprehensive fertilizer and pesticide use efficiency (CFPE) of grain production were 0.286, 0.404, and 0.364 respectively during 2003–2011. It should be noted that the CFPE decreased by 48.39% during 2003–2011 and showed a descending trend in all regions. ICTs had significant positive effects on FE, PE, and CPFE which could be explained by providing farmers more sustainable knowledge and hence shifting farming practices from overusing fertilizer towards using farmyard manure as a substitute. ICTs' positive effects were more pronounced for farmers with higher‐level education and in central region. Additionally, ICTs had significant spillover effects, extending from users to nonusers within the villages. These results suggest that ICTs could be considered as an effective way to increase the fertilizer and pesticide use efficiency and promote the sustainable development of agriculture in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compound microbial fertilizer is a new type of environmentally friendly slow-release fertilizer that can effectively improve the physical and chemical properties of the soil, significantly improve the ecological environment, and promote the sustainable development of agriculture. In this study, we conducted a field experiment to evaluate the impact of different applications of chemical fertilizer combined with composite microbial fertilizer on soil physical properties and soybean yields at Heshan Farm, Heilongjiang Province, China, during 2021–2022. Soybean varieties "Jinyuan 55" and "Keshan 1" were treated with three treatments implemented as follows: T1 (conventional fertilization), T2 (50% N fertilizer + compound microbial fertilizer), and T3 (0 N fertilizer + compound microbial fertilizer). Compared to conventional fertilization (T1 treatment), the application of composite microbial fertilizers (T2 and T3) resulted in a decrease in soil bulk density and an increase in porosity. Notably, we observed that moderate application of the composite microbial fertilizer (T3) led to a decrease in the volume fraction of clay particles and an increase in the volume fraction of sand particles. Furthermore, all treatments exhibited high content of agglomerates larger than 5 mm at 0–20 cm. The application of composite microbial fertilizers (T2 and T3) promoted the formation of large soil agglomerates and reduced the presence of micro-agglomerates smaller than 0.25 mm. In 2021–2022, The soybean yield increased by 13.02% in the T2 treatment compared with the T1 treatment and decreased by 9.34% in the T3 treatment. We concluded that the appropriate application of compound microbial fertilizer can help protect black soil, enhance the self-repair capability of black soil, and improve soybean quality in abnormal precipitation years. These results provide an actionable basis for constructing and developing green fertilizer systems for the soybean industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined the feasibility of applying soaking root fertilizer to Eucalyptus urograndis seedlings by dipping the roots, and the effectiveness of the method for improving the overall growth quality of the seedlings by affecting root growth. The seedlings of E. urograndis in the Southern National Forest Seedling Demonstration Base in China were dipped with seven kinds of soaking root fertilizer formulas, while another group of clear water was set as a control. We regularly investigated the relationship between root traits and other seedling traits, and the formulas conducive to the high-quality growth of seedlings in one month and two months were screened by principal component analysis (PCA). The feasibility of applying soaking root fertilizer by dipping the roots was analyzed by comparing the difference between the formula and the control. The F2 formula had the best promoting effect on the growth and biomass of seedlings and the highest ground diameter within one month. The biomass, cumulative height growth, and average crown width were also the highest in the two months, but the decreasing growth height in F2 was also obvious, along with reduced photosynthesis and root morphology. The F8 and F4 formulas as compound fertilizers showed the potential of a high growth rate and high quality. The seedlings on which they were all applied had an excellent photosynthetic capacity and a well-developed root system. A correlation analysis showed that root traits were significantly correlated with some aboveground indices of seedlings (growth, biomass and nutrients, etc.), among which the root K concentration was very significantly correlated with photosynthetic capacity, and the root P was very significantly correlated with seedling biomass. Dipping roots mainly promoted the uptake of P and K nutrients by roots, which had a positive effect on seedling photosynthesis and the root system, and thus improved the growth increment and growth quality of seedlings. A principal component analysis showed that dipping roots significantly promoted the growth traits of seedlings, and the best-performing formula for dipping roots was F8 at one month of growth. F4 was the best choice for growth at two months. F4 showed excellent performance in all trait indices and was the only treatment where an increase in the rhizome-to-stem ratio occurred, indicating that the nutrient distribution of F4 seedlings was uniform and efficient, which compensated for the deficiency of the follow-up fertility of the quick-acting complex fertilizer. The scientific formula of soaking root fertilizer can be economically applied by dipping roots to synchronously promote early growth and quality of seedlings, which can provide a theoretical basis for the early large-scale cultivation of E. urograndis and other plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The excessive use of chemical fertilizers (OCF) is one of China's main sources of agricultural nonpoint source pollution. It is debatable whether outsourcing service adoption (FOS) reduces OCF. This article argues that farm size and plot size can moderate the effectiveness of FOS in reducing OCF. Particularly, organizations earn more profits when they provide outsourcing services to large-sized farms and plots, thereby preventing their opportunistic behavior and reducing the OCF. Based on the survey data of wheat growers from six major grain-producing counties in Anhui Province, China, the Cobb–Douglas production function is used to measure the OCF, and ordinary least squares (OLS) estimation is used as a benchmark. In addition, propensity score matching (PSM) is used to eliminate the selection bias, and two-stage least squares estimation (IV-2sls) is used to eliminate endogeneity. The results indicate that approximately 90% of the sampled households used excessive fertilizers, signifying that the excessive use of chemical fertilizers in China's agricultural production remains a serious problem. FOS reduces the OCF on large farms and plots. However, the effectiveness of FOS in reducing OCF disappeared when it was provided to small farms and plots. Extending FOS and organizing efficient land transfers should receive equal consideration from policymakers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural production outsourcing services (APOS) are an important means to promote green and low-carbon development of agriculture in China. Topography is the key factor limiting the development of APOS. There is little research on the influence relationship between APOS and farmers' chemical fertilizer use from the perspective of topography. Based on the theory of economies of scale, this study empirically evaluated the effect of APOS on chemical fertilizer use and their differences from the perspective of nutrient elements under different topographic conditions by using micro survey data for farmers in China and econometric methods. The results show that APOS can reduce farmers' chemical fertilizer use, and this effect is more obvious for farmers with large farmland sizes and high education levels. Farmland topography directly affects the fertilizer reduction effect of APOS in China. Compared with plain areas, hilly and mountainous areas weaken this effect. To enhance the fertilizer reduction effect of APOS, China should fully consider farmland topography when promoting APOS development. In plain areas, farmland scale management should be further encourage to better utilize APOS as a means of reducing chemical fertilizer use. In hilly and mountainous areas, high-standard farmland construction and small agricultural machinery use can alleviate the constraints of topographical on the scale expansion of APOS. It is necessary to fully consider the differences in farmers' resource endowments and their awareness of purchasing agricultural services in promoting APOS development, especially in regard to the farmers with small farmland sizes and low education levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving fertilizer use efficiency (FUE) is an effective way to reduce the fertilizer use and non-point source pollution in agriculture production in China. Existing research related to fertilizer use efficiency ignores the impact of famers' social networks, which can significantly affect the fertilizer use and its efficiency. This paper analyzed the impact of social networks on fertilizer use efficiency and the mediator effect of green fertilization technology adoption, based on the calculation of fertilizer use efficiency of 569 kiwifruit farmers in Shaanxi province of China surveyed in 2021 by using stochastic frontier method. The results show that the FUE of kiwifruit production ranged within 0.1027–0.9945, with an average value of 0.333, which showed great variability, and fertilizer input had an average 66.7% reduction potential without reducing output. Social networks and its four dimensions all had a significant positive impact on FUE, in which network trust and network learning had a greater impact on FUE. Farmers' adoption of green fertilization technology played a positive mediator effect in the process of social networks influencing their fertilizer use efficiency, which was mainly promoted by network trust and learning. Farmers' experience in agricultural production, joining the cooperative, the quantity of village agricultural supply points had a significant positive impact on fertilizer use efficiency, while age and gentle of the head of household had a significant negative impact of fertilizer use efficiency. Planting scale had a U-shape impact on FUE. Policies aimed at improving FUE and reducing non-point source pollution should, therefore, focus on improving the social networks of farmers, especially young farmers, strengthening network trust, promoting network learning, network reciprocity and network interaction, strengthening the research and development and extension of green fertilization technology, encouraging farmers to join agricultural cooperative, improving village production conditions, guiding sustainable agricultural production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The long-term and excessive use of mineral fertilizers in a semi-arid region with severe water shortage will lead to soil compaction and poor water-holding capacity. The fertilization method of manure instead of mineral fertilizer has attracted wide attention. It has adverse consequences for the growth and development of crops. Hence, the objective of this study was to determine how replacing mineral fertilizer with manure affects the soil water retention curve, soil water constant, soil water availability, and soil equivalent pore size distribution, and to seek the best scheme of applying manure in semi-arid area and provide theoretical a basis for improving soil water retention capacity. Here, 0% (CK), 25% (M25), 50% (M50), 75% (M75), and 100% (M100) of 225 kg ha−1 nitrogen from mineral fertilizer were replaced with equivalent nitrogen from manure in the Loess Plateau of China under semi-arid conditions. The centrifuge method was used to determine the soil volumetric water content under different water suction levels, and the Gardner model was used to fit and draw its soil water retention curve, and then calculate the soil water constant and equivalent pore size distribution. The results showed that the Gardner model fitted well. The soil saturated water content with the M100 treatment was the highest, whereas the specific water capacity, water availability, and soil porosity with the M75 treatment were the highest. The soil saturated water content showed a downward trend with the increase in nitrogen from manure instead of nitrogen from mineral fertilizer in the partial replacement treatments. This downward trend slowed down over time. The M75 treatment increased field capacity. The M100 treatment increased soil capillary porosity, soil available water porosity, and soil water availability compared with CK from the fifth fertilization. Replacement treatments increased the specific water capacity, soil saturated water content, soil water availability, soil porosity, and reduced the wilting point over time. In the replacement treatments, specific soil water capacity, soil water availability, and soil porosity first rose and then declined with the increase in nitrogen provided by manure replacing that provided by mineral fertilizer. Therefore, the soil water holding capacity and water supply capacity with the M75 treatment were the best. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excessive phosphorus (P) fertilization in intensive rice‐cultivation areas in China has caused serious environmental problems. However, relatively little research has been done on investigating the soil P balance in rice production systems based on different fertilizer regimes. Our study investigated the dynamic variation of soil P balance and rice P use efficiency and productivity from 2014 to 2018 in the paddy fields under synthetic fertilizer (CF) and manure application (OF) regimes based on the practices of local farmers. Flooding water on the paddy fields tends to cause P loss via runoff and leaching. A lysimeter system was used to monitor P loss from paddy fields, which overcame the limitations of real‐time monitoring discharge volume and sample‐collection. The results with relatively higher rainfall intensity in 2014 and 2015, in total, 4.69 kg P ha−1 under CF and 8.39 kg P ha−1 under OF were lost via runoff in 2014, with 13.6 kg P ha−1 under CF and 17.8 kg P ha−1 under OF in 2015, whereas from 2015 to 2018, no more than 5 kg P ha−1 was lost in CF or OF via runoff. Leaching showed a similar, varying trend for both CF and OF. Furthermore, during the 5 years, a continuous soil P deficit was observed, except in 2017 and 2018 for CF and 2018 for OF. The net P retention ranged from −15.31 to 6.2 kg ha−1 for CF and from −23.65 to 2.64 kg ha−1 for OF. The continuous P deficit in paddy soils might have reduced soil P storage. These huge P losses undermined rice yield production. In parallel, after 2014, the grain yield decreased from 10,885.7 in 2014 to 6266.7 kg ha−1 in 2017 under CF and from 10,607.6 to 6649.6 kg ha−1 under OF. Overall, these results reveal a risk of declining P storage in paddy soils and a potential menace on food safety under the current fertilizer management, suggesting that novel fertilizer strategies need to be developed for reserving P storage in paddy fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil extracellular enzyme activities play an important role in regulating the soil nitrogen (N) mineralization process in paddy fields. However, there is still a need to further study how N mineralization responds to different fertilizer management techniques and the soil extracellular enzyme activities for N mineralization in paddy fields. Therefore, the influence of different long-term (35 years) fertilizer regimes on soil N mineralization, hydrolysable N fractions—such as hydrolyzed unknown nitrogen (HUN), amino acid nitrogen (AAN), amino sugar nitrogen (ASN), ammonia nitrogen (AN), and total acid-hydrolyzed nitrogen (TAN)—and their extracellular enzyme activities (soil urease, L-glutaminase, β-glucosidase, arylamidase, and β-glucosaminidase) in a double-cropping rice field in southern China were investigated in this study. The field experiment included the following fertilizer regimes: rice straw and inorganic fertilizer (RF), 30% organic manure and 70% inorganic fertilizer (OM), inorganic fertilizer alone (MF), and no application of inorganic fertilizer as a control (CK). The results show that the soil ammonium N, amino sugar N, hydrolysable unidentified N, and amino acid N contents in the paddy field with RF treatment increased by 30.56%, 5.51%, and 62.74% compared with the CK treatment. The results show that the soil aerobic and anaerobic N mineralization rates in the paddy fields with OM and RF treatments increased by 22.92% and 18.27% compared with those with MF treatment. Moreover, soil extracellular enzyme activities under RF and OM treatments significantly increased, which indicated that the main substrate of microbial activity was effective. Correlation analysis indicated that the soil L-glutaminase activity, amino sugar N, amino acid N, and total acid-hydrolysable N contents were positively correlated with soil aerobic and anaerobic N mineralization rates in paddy fields. However, there was a negative correlation between the soil N mineralization rate and soil β-glucosaminidase activity in paddy fields. This finding shows that the yields of early rice and late rice under the RF and OM treatments were significantly higher than those under the MF and CK treatments. Compared with the MF treatment, the yields of double-cropping rice with RF and OM treatments increased by 9.84% and 11.37%, respectively. As a result, the application of straw or organic manure and inorganic fertilizer was effective for improving soil N mineralization, the soil acid-hydrolyzed N content, and extracellular enzyme activities in double-cropping rice fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We determined the effects of attapulgite clay additions to sandy soils on maize yield and water-fertilizer use efficiency to evaluate a new method for enhancing productivity in newly-reclaimed farmlands in the oasis. The 2-year field trial included six treatments: no fertilizer, single fertilizer application (N–P2O5–K2O at 320–240–200 kg·ha−1), and combined applications of different amounts of attapulgite clay and fertilizer (attapulgite powder at 1500, 3000, 6000 kg·ha−1), 20% fertilizer reduction (256–192–160 kg·ha−1) and attapulgite powder at 6000 kg·ha−1. The results showed that maize yield increased by 4.9–14.9% and above-ground biomass increased by 6.1–32.3% with the application of 1500, 3000, and 6000 kg·ha−1 of attapulgite powder compared with the single application of fertilizer. With a combined application of a 20% reduction in fertilizer and 6000 kg·ha−1 attapulgite powder, maize yield increased by another 6.6%. Maize irrigation-water productivity (MIWP) increased by 0.03–0.13 kg·m−3, and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), agronomic efficiency (AEN) and partial productivity factor of nitrogen (PFPN) increased by 10.8–54.0, 15.5–49.5, and 4.6–14.8%, respectively, compared with no attapulgite application. The contribution rate of fertilizer to maize yield increment improved by 10.0–30.1% with attapulgite application. The attapulgite clay application increased the field water capacity of sandy soils, nutrient retention in the 0–40 cm soil layer, and reduced nutrient leaching losses to deeper soils, thus improving water-fertilizer use efficiency. In Linze County, the abundant reserves of attapulgite clay may be used as a regular application in sandy farmlands in newly-reclaimed oases for a new promising way to rapidly improve sandy soil structure, enhance water-fertilizer use efficiency, and increase crop yields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Nitrogen (N) was an important indictor in change of soil fertility, which was closely related with N mineralization process. However, there is still need to further study on how rhizosphere soil N mineralization in paddy field response to different fertilizer management. Therefore, the influence of long‐term (37‐years) fertilizer regime on rhizosphere soil N mineralization, ammonification and nitrification rates, and its relationship under the double‐cropping paddy field in southern of China were investigated in this study. The field experiment included following fertilizer regimes: inorganic fertilizer alone (MF), rice straw and inorganic fertilizer (RF), 30% organic manure and 70% inorganic fertilizer (OM), and no application of any fertilizer as a control (CK). The result indicated that rhizosphere soil organic carbon (SOC), total N, NO3‐N, and NH4‐N contents in paddy field with OM and RF treatments were increased. The result showed that rhizosphere soil NO2−‐N and mineral N contents with OM and RF treatments were increased, and the order of soil NO2−‐N and mineral N contents with all fertilizer treatments was showed as OM > RF > MF > CK. This result proved that soil aerobic and anaerobic N mineralization rates in paddy field with OM and RF treatments were higher than that of CK and MF treatments. Compared with MF treatment, soil ammonification rate with RF and OM treatments increased by 45.16% and 67.74%, soil nitrification rate with RF and OM treatments increased by 45.71% and 77.14%, respectively. There had significantly positively correlation between soil net mineralization, nitrification rate and SOC, total N contents. As a result, applied with rice straw and organic manure was a good measure to improve soil N mineralization in the double‐cropping rice field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As one of the representative fruits of China, apple plays an important role in the overall agricultural production system. However, the large amount of chemical inputs in apple production has potential detrimental impacts on the environment and human health, and thus threatens the achievement of sustainable development goals. Therefore, a comprehensive evaluation of the environmental burden (EB) and human capital (refer to human lives) loss (HCL) caused by apple production system (APS) is urgently needed to suggest directions for improvement. A method widely used to measure impacts from both the use of resources and the emissions generated in the agriculture sector is the life cycle assessment (LCA). In this study, the EB and HCL caused by the APS have been determined from two phases using the LCA methodology in China. The results show that the leading cause of EB in the agricultural materials' production phase is nitrogen fertilizer (N) production, and in the farming phase is chemical fertilizer use. The top 5 major pollutants that cause potential damage to human health in APS are carbon dioxide (CO2), ammonia (NH3), nitrogen dioxide (N2O), nitrate (NO3), and sulfur oxides (SOx). The human health risk (HHR) is 5.84 × 10−2 disability-adjusted life year to cultivate 1 ha of the apple orchard 1 year, and the corresponding HCL is about 4230 Chinese yuan (CNY). Under the scenario analysis of a 15% reduction in chemical fertilizer use and a 20% increase in organic fertilizer (mainly dried sheep dung) use, most of the environmental impact categories have a decreasing trend, and the HCL decreased by 438 CNY of 10.36%. Therefore, chemical fertilizer (especially N) is the most critical environmental hotspot in APS, and our results suggest that the replacement of chemical fertilizers by organic fertilizers is an effective solution to reduce the potential EB and HCL and improve the sustainability of the APS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's field crops such as cotton, wheat, and tomato have been produced on a large scale, but their cultivation process still adopts more traditional manual fertilization methods, which makes the use of chemical fertilizers in China high and causes waste of fertilizer resources and ecological environmental damage. To address the above problems, a hybrid optimization of genetic algorithms and particle swarm optimization (GA–PSO) is used to optimize the initial weights of the backpropagation (BP) neural network, and a hybrid optimization-based BP neural network PID controller is designed to realize the accurate control of fertilizer flow in the integrated water and fertilizer precision fertilization control system for field crops. At the same time, the STM32 microcontroller-based precision fertilizer application control system for integrated water and fertilizer application of large field crops was developed and the performance of the controller was verified experimentally. The results show that the controller has an average maximum overshoot of 5.1% and an average adjustment time of 68.99 s, which is better than the PID and PID control algorithms based on BP neural network (BP–PID) controllers; among them, the hybrid optimization of PID control algorithm based on BP neural network by particle swarm optimization and genetic algorithm(GA–PSO–BP–PID) controller has the best-integrated control performance when the fertilizer application flow rate is 0.6m3/h. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biochar application has been confirmed as an efficient way to increase the productivity of the agricultural system. However, the potential of biochar combined with reducing fertilization on the yield, and the fertilizer utilization efficiency of the rice (Oryza sativa) farming system on acidic soil remains to be further studied. Field micro-plot experiments with two factors were performed in 2018 and 2019 to evaluate the responses of the rice yield and nutrient utilization to the combined application of biochar (60, 80, and 100 t/ha) and fertilizer reduction (70%, 85%, and standard doses of N-P-K fertilizer). Taoyouxiangzhan and Taiyou 553 were used in the late growing season of 2018 and 2019, respectively. The results showed that compared with the control without adding biochar under standard fertilization, 70% doses of fertilizer application had no negative effects on the yield and the N, P, and K accumulation of rice after biochar application. K accumulation of rice increased with the increase of biochar application. The partial productivity of N, P, and K fertilizers increased as the fertilizer was decreased. The agronomic efficiency of N, P, and K fertilizers significantly increased after the combined applications of biochar and fertilizer. In both years, micro-plots with 70% doses of fertilizer had the highest N and P physiological efficiency, as well as K physiological efficiency in 2019. Compared with the control under standard fertilization, utilization efficiency of N, P, and K fertilizer under different biochar and fertilizer combinations significantly increased by 34.24~75.48%, 27.44~84.84%, and 78.52~166.70%, respectively. To sum up, biochar can partially substitute fertilizer for rice production in acid paddy fields in southern China. When the amount of biochar added is ≥60 t/ha, 70% doses of fertilizer application can still ensure the nutrient absorption of rice, improve the fertilizer utilization efficiency, and ensure the stable yield of rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines whether agricultural training boosted technology adoption and productivity was a key issue that was concerned by policymakers and researchers. Thus, impacts of fertilizer application training programs on the adoption of formula fertilization techniques and agricultural productivity were analyzed by using the survey data of 691 apple growers. The results indicated that: (i) compared with farmers who did not participate in fertilizer application training programs, the probability of the adoption of formula fertilization techniques was significantly increased by 256.1% for farmers who participated in fertilizer application training programs; (ii) fertilizer application training programs boosted the adoption of formula fertilization techniques via influencing farmers' cognition and willingness; (iii) yield was significantly increased by 14.3% at the 5% level through participating in fertilizer application training programs, and fertilizer application training programs improved agricultural productivity by means of enhancing the adoption of formula fertilization techniques. This study was conducive to evaluating the effectiveness of agricultural training and boosting agricultural sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 3-year field experiment was conducted to determine the impact of corn residue-derived biochar on soil organic matter (SOM), soil nutrients, corn yield and partial factor productivity of synthetic fertilizer in Hetao Irrigation District, Inner Mongolia of China. Three rates of biochar, 15 (B15), 30 (B30) and 45 (B45) t ha−1, and a non-biochar control (B0) were applied to a corn field one time at the first crop growing season under film-mulched with drip-irrigation. Relative to B0, the B30 led to a significant increase in SOM at top 30 cm soil layer (15.3%) and partial factor productivity of fertilizers (12.8%) as averaged across 3 years. Amendment in B30 also increased the available nutrients in the soil (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium), corn yield and economic benefit. In contrast, the first year showed the largest improvements for corn yield and economic benefit for B30, followed by the second year and the third year. The corn grain yield has potentially increased when the SOM and the available phosphorus were increased when compared to the available nitrogen and potassium. A single biochar amendment at the rate of 30 t ha−1 can be adequate for the corn production in 3 years under dry climatic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Maternal exposure to pesticides during early pregnancy is associated with increased risks of birth defects, while the association between maternal exposure to chemical fertilizer during pregnancy and the risk of birth defects remains unknown. Methods Data were from a population-based birth defects surveillance system between 2007 and 2012 in Pingding County, Shanxi Province, northern China. A total of 14 074 births with 235 birth defects were used to estimate spatial clustering and correlations at the village level. A population-based case–control study of 157 cases with birth defects and 204 controls was performed to investigate the association between maternal chemical fertilizer exposure and the risk of birth defects by a two-level logistic model. Results The total prevalence of birth defects between 2007 and 2012 was 167.0/10 000 births. The spatial analysis indicated a remarkable high-risk area of birth defects in the southeast of Pingding County and the use of chemical fertilizer was associated with the risk of birth defects at the village level. After adjusting for confounders at the individual level, mothers who live in villages with chemical fertilizer application ≥65 tons/y had an increased risk of birth defects (adjusted odds ratio 2.06 [95% confidence interval 1.23 to 3.46]) compared with those of <65 tons/y. Conclusions Our findings suggest that the risk of birth defects may be associated with the use of chemical fertilizer in rural northern China. The findings must be cautiously interpreted and need to be investigated on larger samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Excessive applications of agricultural chemical fertilizers contribute to environmental pollution and climate change. Although chemical fertilizers ensure high grain yields, it is crucial to regulate fertilization practices and avoid excessive application to achieve sustainable agricultural development. The overall goal of this study is to examine how market pressure and social network affect farmers' adoption of low-carbon fertilization practice. Data analyses were based on 1255 observations collected from a field survey in Anhui Province of China in 2021. The results showed that 32.1% of farmers had adopted low-carbon fertilization practices. The findings showed that market pressure, including consumption pressure and sales pressure, had positive impacts on the farmers' adoption of low-carbon fertilization practices. Findings also revealed that consumption pressure has a more significant influence on farmers' adoption of low-carbon fertilization practices than sales pressure. Social network has a significant positive influence on the farmers' adoption of low-carbon fertilization practices. Further analysis revealed that organizational network has a more significant influence on farmers' adoption of low-carbon fertilization practices than production networks. Therefore, the government should utilize market pressure and strengthen farmers' social network to improve the adoption rate of low-carbon fertilization practices. The results and policy implications of this study are significant for sustainable agricultural development under climate change in China and other countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main peach-producing area in Shandong is an important peach fruit-producing area in China. Understanding the nutritional properties of the soil in peach orchards helps us to understand the evolution of soil properties and adjust management methods in a timely manner. This study focuses on 52 peach orchards in the main peach-producing area in Shandong as the research object. The spatiotemporal changes in soil traits and their influential factors were studied in depth, and the changes in soil fertility were effectively evaluated. The results showed that the input of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium from organic fertilizer in 2021 was significantly higher than that in 2011, while the input of fertilizer in 2011 was significantly higher than that in 2021. Compared with traditional parks, both organic fertilizer inputs and chemical fertilizer inputs in demonstration parks showed a significant downwards trend. There was no significant change in pH values between 2011 and 2021. In 2021, the soil organic matter (SOM) contents of the 0–20 cm and 20–40 cm layers were 24.17 g·kg−1 and 23.38 g·kg−1, respectively, an increase of 29.3% and 78.47% over the values measured in 2011. Compared with 2011, the content of soil alkaloid nitrogen (AN) decreased significantly in 2021, and the contents of available phosphorus (AP) and available potassium (AK) in the soil increased significantly. According to the calculation results of the comprehensive fertility index (IFI) value, we found that in 2021, compared with 2011, the quality of soil fertility improved, most of which was at the medium and high levels. The research results show that the fertilizer-saving and synergistic approach in peach orchards in China significantly improved the soil nutrition. In the future, research on suitable comprehensive technologies should be strengthened in the management of peach orchards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]