Effects of Organic Fertilization Rates on Surface Water Nitrogen and Phosphorus Concentrations in Paddy Fields

Abstract

Inappropriate organic fertilizer application may cause serious environmental risks, especially nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) losses. To achieve a win–win for high yield and environmental protection in organic agriculture, it was essential to demonstrate the relationship between the organic fertilizer input, rice yields, and risks of N and P losses. Based on a rice and green manure cropping rotation field experiment in the Yangtze River Delta of China, the effects of organic fertilization rates on the dynamics of surface water N and P concentrations and rice grain yields were determined. The results showed that the N (total N, ammonium-nitrogen, nitrate-nitrogen) and P (total P and dissolved P) concentrations in surface water immediately and greatly reached the highest values 1 day after basal fertilization and topdressing fertilization. Then, the N and P concentrations sharply decreased and were maintained at a relatively low level. The initial 3 and 7 days after organic fertilization were the high-risk periods for controlling N and P runoff losses. The surface water N and P concentrations had a positive correlation with the organic fertilization rate in high-risk periods. Besides, the effects of organic fertilization on surface water P concentrations existed longer than those of N concentrations. The rice grain yields increased with the increase in organic fertilization rates, but high organic fertilizer input (>225 kg N per hectare) did not increase the grain yield. Meanwhile, the high organic fertilizer input had the highest risks for N and P losses. Therefore, in organic rice farming, organic fertilization rates with 150~200 kg N per hectare are the optimal organic fertilizer input, with relatively high grain yields and low N and P losses.