Role of Crop Residue Management in Sustainable Agricultural Development in the North China Plain

Abstract

ABSTRACT Crop residue, the largest product of agricultural harvests, contains large amounts of assimilated carbon (C) and nutrients such as nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (P); these elements must be recycled for the sustainable development of agriculture. Crop residue management should serve a double function, both confronting global warming and food security by increasing carbon sequestration in agriculture and increasing grain yields. Historically, the North China Plain has experienced different crop residue management practices. While direct burning in the field remains an environmental problem in the region, crop residue amendment triggers benign cycling of C and nutrients in agriculture. Data showed that soil organic carbon (SOC) in topsoil increased by 0.174 to 1.74 g kg−1, with an average of 0.79 g kg−1 after wheat residue amendment collected from 35 sites in the North China Plain. The average increase in grain yield achieved by wheat residue amendment in the region is 260 kg ha−1 year−1 for wheat and 310 kg ha−1 year−1 for maize, for a total of 570 kg ha−1 year−1. At the same time, the available potassium (K2O), the available phosphorus (P2O5), and total nitrogen in soil increased, significantly or not. With the development of the economy, technology, and supporting policy, crop residue management can play an increasingly important role in sustainable agricultural development.