Intensity Of Fertilizer Application Research Articles

More Land, Less Pollution? How Land Transfer Affects Fertilizer Application.

Reducing fertilizer use is key to curbing agricultural pollution and ensuring food safety. Land transfer enables farmers to obtain a more appropriate production scale, but its effect on the intensity of fertilizer application is not theoretically certain. On one hand, farmers with more land may adopt more scientific production methods, thus reducing the use of chemical fertilizers. On the other hand, the short-term behavior of land grantees on transferred land may increase fertilizer use intensity. This paper attempts to theoretically elucidate the specific mechanisms by which land transfer affects the intensity of fertilizer application and to verify the relationship between the two using data from fixed rural observation sites across China from 2011–2014 with the fixed-effects model and the mediating effect model. This paper concludes that (1) land transfer significantly reduces the intensity of fertilizer use; (2) land transfer increases the land size and promotes the use of machinery by farmers, but only the increase in land size further reduces the intensity of fertilizer application; (3) the effect of land transfer on fertilizer application intensity is significant only for food crops and not for cash crops, and (4) the effect of land transfer on fertilizer application intensity is most pronounced in western China, where land fragmentation is the severest and insignificant in eastern China, where agricultural modernization is more advanced.

Analysis of Spatial Distribution and Influencing Factors of Nitrogen and Phosphorus Fertilizer Application Intensity in Chengdu Plain

The spatial distribution of fertilization intensity and its influencing factors are significant for the accurate management of fertilization and pollution prevention and control. Previous studies are mostly limited to the discussion of human factors that influences the spatial distribution of fertilization intensity while ignoring natural geographical factors. Based on the chemical fertilizer survey data collected from 23492 sites in Chengdu Plain and combined with Geostatistics analysis and Geographic Information System (GIS) technology, the spatial distribution characteristics and influencing factors of average nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer application intensity from 2010 to 2015 in this region were explored. The results show that:① the average annual application intensity of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer in the study area from 2010 to 2015 is generally in the low and medium risk intensity of 120-360 kg·hm-2 and 60-180 kg·hm-2. The high risk intensity is mainly distributed in the grain (fruit) and vegetable growing areas such as Pidu, Pengzhou, Shifang, Longquanyi and Jintang, while the relatively low value areas are mostly distributed in the south and northeast. ② the nugget coefficients of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer application intensities are 66.17% and 41.60%. Their spatial distribution is determined by structural and random factors, showing a moderate spatial autocorrelation. ③ both human and natural factors have significant effects on the application intensity of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer. The crop type (fine classification) can explain the spatial variation of nitrogen fertilizer and phosphorus fertilizer respectively by 12.90% and 25.10%, which is the main controlling factor affecting the spatial distribution of nitrogen and phosphorus application intensity; the importance of soil parent material is second only to the planting crop type, and the independent explanation ability of phosphorus application intensity is about 3.6 times higher than that of nitrogen application intensity. When the type of planting crop plays a decisive role, the soil parent material still deeply restricts and affects the spatial distribution of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer application intensity in the study area. Therefore, the comprehensive effects of planting crop types and soil parent materials should be considered in fertilization management and environmental risk analysis, and the effects of soil parent material should also be taken into account in the application of phosphate fertilizer.

Towards an integrated nutrient management in crop species to improve nitrogen and phosphorus use efficiencies of Chaohu Watershed

Low nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) and phosphorus use efficiency (PUE) of crop farming has been causing serious environmental consequences. Here, we established a NUECF (nutrient use efficiency of crop farming) model with substance flow analysis (SFA) method to examine NUE and PUE of cultivating nine main crops in Chaohu Watershed in 2015. We collected data mainly from questionnaires, interview, literature, and governmental statistical yearbooks. We found that the total NUE and the total PUE were low, bellowing 12.3% and 5.2%, respectively. The nutrient inputs especially large-scale livestock manure, domestic livestock manure, and chemical fertilizers far exceeded the crop products. Different crops also showed the various patterns of nutrient use efficiencies. Rice consumed the largest nutrient inputs (807 kg N ha−1 and 367 kg P ha−1) and contributed the lowest nutrient use efficiencies (NUE: 5.8%, PUE: 2.7%). This was mainly resulted from its large fertilizer application intensity and the largest cultivated area. Rapeseed, vegetable, and wheat also contributed the great nutrient inputs and low nutrient use efficiencies, due to the similar reasons. Concerning the various patterns of fertilizer-application and cultivated areas of these crops, we analyzed six scenarios focusing on rice, wheat, rapeseed, and vegetable for 2030 and 2050 to explore an efficient nutrient management. We selected the four key factors including application intensity of chemical fertilizer, application rate of domestic livestock manure, application rate of large-scale livestock manure, and cultivated area to design the scenarios. The scenario results showed that though current policy of controlling chemical fertilizer application is a good start to manage nutrient, we have to enhance an integrated nutrient management, including reducing chemical fertilizers on specific crops, enlarging livestock manure, and controlling cultivated areas of specific crops. With the integrated nutrient management, we can expect the nutrient inputs to reduced by 26% and hence improve the nutrient use efficiencies efficiently from 2015 to 2050. The study managed the nutrients from examining nutrient use efficiencies among different crops, and could provide an effective way to mitigate the environmental problems from crop farming.

Development Trend and Driving Factors of Agricultural Chemical Fertilizer Efficiency in China

In China, a high input of chemical fertilizers is currently required for a relatively low increase in agricultural production, and this has resulted in prominent nonpoint source pollution and problems related to the quality of agricultural products. These phenomena threaten China’s implementation of United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 2 (SDG-2). To explore agricultural chemical fertilizer efficiency and the factors driving the growth in chemical fertilizer use in China, as based on an international comparative analysis of China’s chemical fertilizer input, the development trend in the application level and the efficiency in the use of chemical fertilizer in China were subject to time series analysis, and the factors influencing change were identified and analyzed using the Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index (LMDI). The results show that: (1) The gap in agricultural chemical fertilizer efficiency is still large when comparing China with modern agricultural countries, and excessive fertilizer input is still a major problem. (2) The continuous growth in the total amount of chemical fertilizer applied in China during the past 18 years has contributed to the increase in chemical fertilizer application intensity, which provided a cumulative contribution of 85.52%, with smaller contributions from the planting structure and crop sown area. Based on the analysis of fertilizer application, the chemical fertilizer application intensity of the main grain crops was the most significant factor, accounting for about a 40.00% cumulative contribution. (3) Since 2015, the total amount of chemical fertilizers has been reduced through gradually improving the utilization rate of chemical fertilizers, reducing the application intensity of chemical fertilizers, and implementing the fallow rotation system and other measures. Of these, the reduction in application intensity was the most effective at reducing the overall amount of applied fertilizer. To meet the target for achieving sustainable agricultural development, China must still reduce its use of chemical fertilizers by at least 21.80 million tons. Based on the results of current measures and international experience, some suggestions for reducing fertilizer usage are provided.

Variation and driving mechanism analysis of water footprint efficiency in crop cultivation in China

Water footprint regulation in agricultural production is of great significance to regional food, water and ecological sustainability. The spatial-temporal characteristics and driving mechanism of water footprint efficiency (WFE) in crop cultivation in China during 1996–2015 were analysed based on the quantification of the crop-water relationship. The results showed that China's total crop water footprint (TWF) was 1125.6 G m3, and the blue, green and grey components accounted for 24.4%, 57.4% and 18.2%, respectively. The national WFE was 0.681 and increased over time due to the improvement of agricultural technology. Spatial autocorrelation analysis showed that provinces with similar WFE values were clustered geographically and have gradually weakened since 2012. Provinces with a high WFE were concentrated in the southeast and northeast, and low-value provinces were distributed in the west of China. The main anthropogenic driving factors were the preliminary fertilizer application intensity (FAI) and population density (PD); however, these factors have been replaced by the irrigation efficiency (IE), agricultural water use ratio (AWR) and irrigation area proportion (IAP) in recent years. Specific regions should formulate water resource management policies according to their WFE performance, agricultural production scale and water resource endowment. The northeast should control crop cultivation and enhance the yield to solve water shortage problems, the central provinces should improve WFE, and the southern provinces should contribute to the promotion of national water use efficiency by expanding crop sowing and irrigation areas. This study provides a reference for water resource management in the context of social and environmental change.

Spatiotemporal evolution and driving factors of fertilizer reduction control in Zhejiang Province

Facing the non-point source pollution caused by fertilizer loss, study on the agricultural factors that have an influence on fertilizer reduction could provide a basis for the implementation of policies on fertilizer reduction control. Based on the panel data during 2002–2016 with cumulative contribution model and Log-Mean Divisia Index (LMDI), this paper innovatively comes up with reduction driving functions (including agricultural scale, intensification, fertilizer utilization, and labor productivity), studies the cumulative contribution rate and driving factors of fertilizer reduction in county units of Zhejiang Province. Main conclusions are: (1) 37 of 63 county units (58.73%) showed decreased in fertilizer application; top five county units contributed 50+%; top county units that contribute to fertilizer reduction are in plain area in Northern Zhejiang, coastal area in Eastern and Southern Zhejiang, valley and basin area in Western and Southern Zhejiang where arable land is relatively even. (2) Fertilizer application intensity (fertilizer application per unit area of land cultivation) in Zhejiang Province increased by 18.67%, but there are only 15 county units where fertilizer application intensity is reduced. In general, fertilizer reduction in Zhejiang Province kept developing steadily. (3) Factors (fertilizer efficiency, intensification and agricultural scale) drive fertilizer reduction while labor productivity triggers the growth in application intensity. In Hangzhou, Ningbo and Shaoxing in Northern and Eastern Zhejiang, the above factors all have a prominent driving effect, but labor productivity also promotes fertilizer increment. In the end, this paper proposes policies on fertilizer reduction control in terms of efficiency, inputs and compensations.

Impact of Alternative Soil Fertility Management Options on Maize Productivity in Malawi’s Smallholder Farming System

This paper focuses on smallholder maize production in Malawi by investigating the link between productivity and soil fertility management. Many studies conducted in Malawi indicate declining levels of maize productivity thereby posing food security concerns, since maize is the staple crop for most areas of the country. This analysis focuses on the factors influencing productivity of maize among smallholder farmers, especially given the fears that unfavorable output and input market conditions throughout the 1990s may have compelled smallholder farmers into unsustainable agricultural intensification. Farm-household survey data is thus used to compare the productivity of smallholder maize production under integrated soil fertility (ISFM) and chemical-based soil fertility management. A normalized translog yield response model is estimated by imposing monotonicity and curvature correctness at the sample mean. The results indicate higher maize yield responses for integrated soil fertility management options, after controlling for the intensity of fertilizer application, labour intensity, seed rate, land husbandry practices and policy factors such as market access, extension and credit access. The estimated model is highly consistent with theoretical regularity conditions. Thus, the findings indicate that the use of ISFM increases maize productivity in comparison to the use of inorganic fertilizers. Since most farmers in the maize-based farming systems are crowded out of the agricultural input market and can hardly afford optimal quantities of inorganic fertilizer, enhancement of ISFM provides scope for enhancing maize productivity and food security especially where inorganic fertilizer is highly unaffordable and risky to use. Thus there is need for policy interventions to promote smallholder uptake of ISFM options. Finally areas of policy support in crop output and input market development, credit access and extension service provision are identified to enhance ISFM uptake in smallholder maize-based farming systems.

Fertilizer application in rural cropland drives cadmium enrichment in bats dwelling in an urban area

The transfer of pollutants from chemical fertilizers through food webs within cropland is well documented; however, its impacts on the wild animals that forage on croplands but roost in other locations remain poorly understood. The potential for this cross-ecosystem ‘spillover’ of pollutants is greatest for bats, some of which exploit urban settlements as roosting niches but must travel long distances to reach croplands as foraging niches. Here, we used hairs from a colony of insectivorous bats, Chinese Noctule (Nyctalus plancyi), from an urban area in Southwest China to assess whether exposure to heavy metals/metalloids by the bats varied from 1975 to 2016. Historical changes occurred in hair cadmium (Cd) concentrations in adult females, which was exclusively explained by the regional fertilizer application intensity (FAI), even considering the potential impacts of Cd emissions in urban areas, as indicated by camphor trees (Cinnamomum camphora) near the bats' roosting niche, and the potential impacts of Cd in industrial wastewater, as documented in authorized databases. Therefore, the data from this bat colony, as urban dwellers, indicates Cd accumulation and cross-ecosystem transfer from rural croplands to an urban area.

Multivariate statistics as means of tracking atmospheric pollution trends in Western Poland

This study was carried out over a period of 4 years (2002–2005) at 2 sites located in western Poland differing as regards to human impact by analysis of chemical composition of bulk precipitation. The aim of the study was to determine the sources of pollutions and assess their quantitative contribution to the bulk precipitation composition and to analyse long term-changes in the chemical quality of precipitation. Based on this information the possible transboundary impacts of pollution were also determined. The samples were characterized by determining the values of pH, electrolytic conductivity and concentration levels of Cl−, F−, SO4 2−, NO3 −, Na+, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+ and NH4 +. Analytical measurements were connected with application of principal component regression (PCR) and time series analysis (TS). Based on PCR results three major sources of pollutants in central part of Poland have been identified and quantitatively assessed as follows: “combined” (Poznań – 31%, WNP – 32%), “soil-particulates” (Poznań – 2%, WNP – 26%), “anthropogenic-fossil fuels” (Poznań – 43%, WNP – 23%). Time series analysis enabled discovering 12-month time cycle for NO3 −, NH4 +, Cl−, F− and SO4 2− in average monthly concentration values in bulk precipitation collected in Wielkopolski National Park. Seasonal variation in the emission of precursors of NO3 − and NH4 + was caused by changes in intensity of fertilizer application in agriculture and automobile exhaust emissions. Decreasing trend was visible for sulphates, nitrates, chlorides and fluorides which is an important indication of the acid rain reduction in the ecologically protected area and in Poznań.

Alternative Soil Fertility Management Options in Malawi: An Economic Analysis

ABSTRACT In this paper, we analyse the factors that influence the productivity of maize among smallholder farmers, given that unfavourable output and input market conditions throughout the 1990s have compelled smallholder farmers into unsustainable agricultural intensification. We use farm-household survey data in order to compare the productivity of smallholder maize production under integrated (ISFM) and chemical-based soil fertility management using a normalised translog yield response model. The results indicate higher maize yield responses for integrated soil fertility management options after controlling for the intensity of fertilizer application, labour intensity, seed rate, land husbandry practices, as well as selected policy factors. The estimated model is highly consistent with theoretical conditions. Thus, we conclude that the use of ISFM improves maize productivity, compared to the use of inorganic fertilizer only. Since most farmers in the maize-based farming systems are crowded out of the agricultural input market and can hardly afford optimal quantities of inorganic fertilizer, enhancement of ISFM is likely to increase their maize productivity. We finally highlight areas of policy support needed to enhance ISFM uptake in smallholder maize-based farming systems.

Are Optical Tools Suitable to Manage Phosphate and Potassium Fertigation in Tomato Crops?

Several experiments on multispectral radiometer showed its suitability in driving nitrogen fertigation in tomato crop. Nir-Green light ratio describes crop nitrogen status well, highlighting element deficiency or excess, which is a great help to farmers in choosing timing and intensity of fertilizer application. The scientific literature reports several studies about nitrogen management only, but not phosphorus and potassium. Because of the advantage obtained with N, it would be desirable to also adapt it to phosphorus and potassium management. For this purpose, a preliminary trial was carried out on the omato cultivar Brigade grown in pots in a greenhouse. Four nutrient solution were supplied. Three were lacking in N, P, or K—the last had all elements needed for a balanced growth. Radiometer readings were taken once a week during the crop cycle, around noon. First results were encouraging. After some data elaboration, it appeared evident that, in some cases, it was possible to set the fertigation treatments apart by only having a look at the single wavelengths measured by the instrument. Through the Nir/green index, used in N management, phosphorus deficiency was identified as well. Potassium trend line was completely different from those of nitrogen and phosphorus, and very similar to that of the control. The utilization of the radiometer in handling potassium fertigation in tomato appeared somewhat difficult. Its application might be desirable, instead, for phosphorus fertigation in addition to nitrogen. The 560 and 710 nm wavelengths might be the especially more useful for this purpose, although a simple index or a combination of some simple indices able to identify phosphorous deficiency/excess and to screen them from those induced by nitrogen are needed.

急傾斜地カンキツ園における防除・施肥作業の省力・軽作業化技術の開発

Most of pesticide and fertilizer application works on steep sloping orchards have been done manually due to the lack of mechanization. In order to reduce these heavy works, we developed two well-performed machines; a walking type air-blast sprayer and a walking type side dressing fertilizer distributor. These machines can be adapted on farm paths which have the width of 1 meter over and the steepness are less than 15 degrees.1) A walking type air-blast sprayer is a crawler type with a pivot turning mission. It can spray fine mist particles of chemicals by a power sprayer with an axial fan. The machine can spray precisely to the target by controlling the direction of a fan drum. The turbulent air by the fun drum swinging automatically is capable of shaking leaves of trees and adhering agricultural chemicals to both sides of leaves. The deposit ratio was about 90% on both side application in one row of trees or two row of zig-zag trees. The working efficiency was 15a/hr, which showed about 33% reduction of working hours. The labor intensity of pesticide application was lessened in comparison with the human-power application.2) A walking type side dressing fertilizer distributor consists of the transporter with lifting container and fertilizer distributor unit. Granular or pellet type fertilizer metered through an auger attached the bottom of the hopper is fed to a discharge pipe and blew out with air from a centrifugal fan for side dressing. The maximum discharged capacity is 25kg/min and the width of application is 4.6-5.0m. The working efficiency is 45a/hr. The labor intensity of fertilizer application was lessened in comparison with the human-power application.

Genetic and environmental variation of foliar nutrient concentrations and strobilus initiation in fertilized loblolly pine seed orchard ramets.

Fertilizer was applied annually for eight years to individual ramets in a loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) seed orchard at rates ranging from 0 to 448 kg nitrogen (N) ha(-1) year(-1). Clonal effects accounted for a major source of variation in both flowering and foliar nutrient concentrations. Foliar N concentrations were generally correlated with the intensity of fertilizer application, but were only weakly correlated with flowering. There was a long-term trend for increasing concentrations of foliar manganese (Mn) and boron (B), and decreasing concentrations of magnesium (Mg) and zinc (Zn) with increasing fertilizer rates, although only the differences in Mn concentration were statistically significant. Fertilizer had little effect on the concentrations of other foliar macro- or micronutrients during the study. The optimum fertilizer rate for flowering was 224 kg N ha(-1) year(-1).

TYPES OF AGRICULTURAL LAND USE IN MOSCOW OBLAST

A study of basic types of agricultural land use in Moscow Oblast regionalizes oblast agriculture according to a series of indices representing land use intensity and productivity: level of capital investment, intensity of fertilizer application, crop rotation schemes, mean farm size, percent of arable land, and number of farm workers. The categories identified ranged from a zone of intensive commercial livestock-feeding and hothouse operations, for the most part lying within or inside the greenbelt of the city, to space-extensive livestock breeding operations along the western and southwestern edges of the oblast having a very small proportion of marketable output (translated by Andrew R. Bond).