Application of Optimum N Through Different Fertilizers Alleviate NH4+-N, NO3–N and Total Nitrogen Losses in the Surface Runoff and Leached Water and Improve Nitrogen Use Efficiency of Rice Crop in Erhai Lake Basin, China

Non-point source pollution from the Agri-sector (especially nitrogen (N)) due to the application of conventional urea with heavy rates not only depleted the water quality of Erhai Lake but also declined the nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) of different crops grown in the Erhai Lake Basin, Dali, Yunnan, China. It is imperative to mitigate the total nitrogen and its forms (nitrate (NO₃⁻)-N and ammonium (NH₄⁺)-N) loading to the surface and subsurface water flow through optimum fertilizer management for crop production in the region. To achieve this goal, a balanced crop nutrition system was practiced with different fertilizer types for rice-broad bean crop rotation system. The crop nutrition system consisted of No Fertilizers (CK), Conventional Fertilizer Practice (CF), Conventional urea as environmental Fertilizer (T₁), Refined Organic Fertilizer applied solely (T₂), Refined Organic Fertilizer applied with conventional urea (T₃), Refined Organic Fertilizer applied in T₂ was increased 4 times (T₄), Refined Organic Fertilizer applied in T₃ was increased 4 times but the same amount of conventional urea (T₅), and Controlled Release Fertilizer (CRF) application (T₆). The same rate of nitrogen (20% lower than CF) was applied in T₁, T₂, T₃, and T₆. All the former mentioned treatments were compared to CF with respect to different variables. In case of crop production, T₆ gave maximum rice grain yield (9.9 t ha⁻¹) and broad bean yield (5.1 t ha⁻¹). Treatments T₁ and T₅ were at par for rice grain yield (7.8 t ha⁻¹) and this quantity was not significantly lower than CF. Treatments T₆, T₅, and T₁ were observed 29%, 47%, and 46%, respectively lower in TN loading to the surface and percolating water than the CF. Conventional urea and refined organic fertilizer combined with conventional urea at reduced nitrogen rates can be a reliable option for crop production in the Erhai Lake Basin with optimum yield under the rice-broad bean crop rotation system. CRF at reduced nitrogen rate can be a better option for higher yield and lower NO₃^–N, NH₄⁺-N and total nitrogen losses to the surface runoff and leached water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]