Abstract
Interest in the use of enhanced-efficiency nitrogen (N) fertilizers (EENFs) has increased in recent years due to their potential to increase crop yield and reduce environmental N loss. Drip-fertigation is widely used for crop production in arid regions to improve water and nutrient use efficiency whereas the effectiveness of EENFs with drip irrigation remains unclear. A field experiment was conducted in 2015 and 2016 to examine the effects of EENFs on yield, N use and quality of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) grown under drip-fertigation in arid NW China. Treatments included an unfertilized control and application of 240 kg N ha−1 by polymer-coated urea (ESN), urea alone, or urea plus urease (NBPT) and nitrification (DCD) inhibitors. ESN was all banded in the plant row at planting, whereas urea was applied with 20% N banded at planting and 80% N by six fertigation events over the growing season. Results showed there was generally no treatment effect on seed and lint yield, N concentration or allocations, N recovery efficiency and fiber quality index of cotton. A lack of treatment effect could be due to N supplied with drip-fertigation better synthesized with crop N needs and the relatively high soil native NO3− availability, which hindered the effect of polymer-coated urea and double inhibitors. These results highlight the challenge of the employment of EENFs products for drip-fertigation system in arid area. Further research is required to define the field conditions under which the agronomic efficiency of EENFs products may be achieved in accordance with weather conditions.
Highlights
Interest in the use of enhanced-efficiency nitrogen (N) fertilizers (EENFs) has increased in recent years due to their potential to increase crop yield and reduce environmental N loss
Through two-year field experiments, we thoroughly evaluated the impact of different fertilizer sources on yield, fiber quality and N use by cotton grown under drip-fertigated system in arid region
The ineffectiveness of EENFs was mostly associated with the unique conditions under the drip-fertigation in the arid ecosystem
Summary
Interest in the use of enhanced-efficiency nitrogen (N) fertilizers (EENFs) has increased in recent years due to their potential to increase crop yield and reduce environmental N loss. Enhanced efficiency N fertilizers sources (EENFs) are developed to improve NUE and reduce N losses to environment These include polymer-coated urea such as Environmentally Smart N (ESN, 44-0-0) and stabilized urea containing urease and/or nitrification inhibitors. For irrigated corn in Spain, use of a new nitrification inhibitor DMPSA and drip-fertigation did not affect N uptake or yield but reduced N losses through N2O emissions, compared with the conventional system (sprinkler irrigation without inhibitors)[15] It remains unknown whether double inhibitors of NBPT and DCD can slow N transformation to match crop N needs under drip-fertigation system. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of ESN and urease (NBPT) and nitrification (DCD) inhibitors on yield, N uptake and allocation, and fiber quality of cotton grown under drip-fertigation system.
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