Improving Phosphorus Use Efficiency and Optimizing Phosphorus Application Rates for Maize in the Northeast Plain of China for Sustainable Agriculture

Wenting Jiang,Yuan Yin,Xiaohu Liu,Lihui Yang,Xiukang Wang

doi:10.3390/su11174799

Wenting Jiang, Yuan Yin + Show 3 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/su11174799

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Abstract

Optimizing the phosphorus (P) application rate can increase grain yield while reducing both cost and environmental impact. However, optimal P rates vary substantially when different targets such as maximum yield or maximum economic benefit are considered. The present study used field experiment conducted at 36 experiments sites for maize to determine the impact of P application levels on grain yield, plant P uptake, and P agronomy efficiency (AEP), P-derived yield benefits and private profitability, and to evaluated the agronomically (AOPR), privately (POPR), and economically (EOPR) optimal P rate at a regional scale. Four treatments were compared: No P fertilizer (P0); P rate of 45–60 kg ha−1 (LP); P rate of 90–120 kg ha−1 (MP); P rate of 135–180 kg ha−1 (HP). P application more effectively increased grain yield, reaching a peak at MP treatment. The plant P uptake in HP treatment was 37.4% higher than that in P0. The relationship between P uptake by plants (y) and P application rate (x) can be described by the equation y = −0.0003x2 + 0.1266x + 31.1 (R2 = 0.309, p < 0.01). Furthermore, grain yield (y) and plant P uptake (x) across all treatments also showed a significant polynomial function (R2 = 0.787–0.846). The MP treatment led to highest improvements in P agronomic efficiency (AEP), P-derived yield benefits (BY) and private profitability (BP) compared with those in other treatments. In addition, the average agronomically (AOPR), privately (POPR), and economically optimal P rate (EOPR) in 36 experimental sites were suggested as 127.9 kg ha−1, 110.8 kg ha−1, and 114.4 kg ha−1, which ranged from 80.6 to 211.3 kg ha−1, 78.2 to 181.8 kg ha−1, and 82.6 to 151.6 kg ha−1, respectively. Economically optimal P application (EOPR) can be recommended, because EOPR significantly reduced P application compared with AOPR, and average economically optimal yield was slightly higher compared with the average yield in the MP treatment. This study was conducive in providing a more productive, use-effective, profitable, environment-friendly P fertilizer management strategy for supporting maximized production potential and environment sustainable development.

Highlights

Phosphorus (P) is the most important essential nutrient for cereal production and animals [1]
The highest grain yields from receiving MP treatment were significantly increased by 12.69% compared with P0 treatment
Plant P uptake gradually increased with P fertilizer input

Summary

Introduction

Phosphorus (P) is the most important essential nutrient for cereal production and animals [1]. Phosphorus (P) deficiency decreases crop productivity on more than two billion hectares worldwide [4]. This deficiency will further increase since global P resources are limited and prices for P fertilizer are increasing [5]. Massive amounts of fertilizer P have been applied to ensure an adequate P nutrient supply in soil with low P fertility during the last century. It is urgent to identify appropriate suitable P fertilizer recommendation, which can meet crop nutrient requirements for high yield, and benefit the environment. How to identify optimal P fertilizer recommendation in terms of increasing yield and ensuring both food security and environment friendly is a great challenge

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