Synthesis of Climate, Soil Factors, and Nitrogen Management Practices Affecting the Responses of Wheat Productivity and Nitrogen Use Efficiency to Nitrogen Fertilizer in China

Yunqi Wang,Jiapeng Yang,Rui Zhang,Zhikuan Jia

doi:10.3390/su10103533

Abstract

The reported effects of nitrogen (N) fertilizer on wheat yield and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) vary greatly, due to differences in climate, soil factors, and N management practices in different regions of China. We collected literature published during 1950–2017 that reported the yield and NUE for wheat in China, under N application and control treatments, and analyzed the data therein. A significant increase in yield was observed with N application, and varied with climate, soil factors, and N management practices in different regions. A larger increase in yield was observed under an average annual temperature of 13–15 °C, an average annual precipitation of >800 mm, respectively. Greater yield-increasing effects were observed in soil with a coarse soil texture, lower soil total N, available N, and a soil pH of ≤7 and >8, respectively. In Northwest China, the yield increase was greater under multiple coated urea applications after anthesis, while the higher NUE was observed under single coated urea application before anthesis. In North China, the yield and NUE were greater under multiple coated urea applications before anthesis. In South China, the yield and NUE were greater under multiple N applications. Consequently, to improve wheat yield and NUE, site-specific N management practices should be adopted.

Highlights

Chinese farmers often apply nitrogen (N) fertilizer as an “insurance” against low yields, and this practice is successful in terms of maximizing yield [1]
Many field experiments have been conducted to examine the effects of N fertilizers on wheat production in China; the reported effects of N fertilizer on wheat yield and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) were found to vary greatly due to several factors
To obtain the highest wheat yield in the parts of China with an arid climate and sandy soil, the 160 kg N ha−1 should be applied to spring wheat [2]

Summary

Introduction

Chinese farmers often apply nitrogen (N) fertilizer as an “insurance” against low yields, and this practice is successful in terms of maximizing yield [1]. Many field experiments have been conducted to examine the effects of N fertilizers on wheat production in China; the reported effects of N fertilizer on wheat yield and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) were found to vary greatly due to several factors. The optimum N fertilization rate was uncertain, due to differences in the production regions. To obtain the highest wheat yield in the parts of China with an arid climate and sandy soil, the 160 kg N ha−1 should be applied to spring wheat [2]. The optimum N fertilization rates for rain-fed wheat in arid and semiarid regions were 45, 135, and 180 kg N ha−1 in dry, normal, and wet years, respectively [3]. In North China, the winter wheat yield did not increase significantly at N rates above 200 kg N ha−1 [5]

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