Intensity Of Fertilizer Application Research Articles

Temporal and spatial analysis of fertilizer application intensity and its environmental risks in China from 1978 to 2022

Fertilizers are an essential input in agriculture as they can enhance crop yields. However, their use also poses significant environmental risks. To thoroughly explore the intensity of fertilizer use and its potential threats to the ecological environment, this study analyzed the environmental risks of fertilizer use from a temporal and spatial perspective based on fertilizer application data in China from 1978 to 2022. Additionally, the contribution of fertilizer application in Chinese farmland to greenhouse gas N2O emissions was quantified using IPCC emission factor methodology. The results indicated that fertilizer application intensity and N2O emissions in China initially increased and then decreased from 1978 to 2022. Despite the implementation of various fertilizer control measures at the policy level, such as the Zero Growth of Fertilizer Action in 2015 and the Efficiency-Increasing Action for Reducing Fertilizer Use in 2022, the intensity of fertilizer application in China still exceeded international safety standards by 1.33-fold in 2022, reaching 298.79 kg/hm2. Furthermore, N2O emissions amounted to 50.17 × 104t, accounting for 16% of China's total agricultural greenhouse gas emissions that year. Correlation and regression analyses demonstrated that with increasing fertilizer application, crop production exhibits an inverted U-shaped growth trend, indicating limited effectiveness of high-intensity fertilizer use in increasing crop yields. These findings highlight the profound greenhouse effect resulting from the use of agricultural nitrogen fertilizer. Therefore, this study proposed technical and policy-level mitigation measures to address the issues caused by excessive fertilizer application, aiming to provide insights for controlling agricultural non-point source pollution and preserving the agroecological environment.

Research on the Impact of Agricultural Production Outsourcing on Farmers’ Fertilizer Application Intensity: An Inverse U-Shaped Relationship

Agricultural production outsourcing services encourage a shift in the way crops are grown in developing countries and make it easier for small farmers to join the social division of labor in agriculture. This makes production more efficient and has a big effect on the inputs used in agriculture, especially fertilizer. This paper empirically tests the impact of production outsourcing on farmers’ fertilizer intensity using the instrumental variables method with non-planar panel data from the 2020–2022 China Land Economy Survey (CLES) of farm plots. The results showed that there was a significant inverted U-shaped relationship between the degree of agricultural production outsourcing and the intensity of fertilization on farmers’ plots. Mechanistic analysis shows that agricultural production outsourcing affects the fertilizer intensity by changing the labor allocation of farmers. Especially as the degree of agricultural production outsourcing increases, the intensity of farm labor inputs by farmers gradually decreases, and the impact of fertilizer intensity on the plots showed a tendency to be promoted first and then suppressed. The moderating effect showed that plot size was a major moderating factor. This means that the bigger the plot, the flatter the inverted U-shaped curve became, and the same level of outsourcing could lead to less fertilizer application. This happened by moving the inflection point of the inverted U-shaped curve to the left, which stopped the fertilizer application at a lower level of outsourcing. Heterogeneity analysis showed that participation in technology-intensive production outsourcing was beneficial in terms of reducing fertilizer intensity, and that an increased degree of agriculture production outsourcing was beneficial for farmers with large plot sizes and younger heads of household.

Effects of Fertilizer Application Intensity on Carbon Accumulation and Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Moso Bamboo Forest-Polygonatum cyrtonema Hua Agroforestry Systems.

Agroforestry management has immense potential in enhancing forest carbon sequestration and mitigating climate change. Yet the impact and response mechanism of compound fertilization rates on carbon sinks in agroforestry systems remain ambiguous. This study aims to elucidate the impact of different compound fertilizer rates on soil greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, vegetation and soil organic carbon (SOC) sinks, and to illustrate the differences in agroforestry systems' carbon sinks through a one-year positioning test across 12 plots, applying different compound fertilizer application rates (0 (CK), 400 (A1), 800 (A2), and 1600 (A3) kg ha-1). The study demonstrated that, after fertilization, the total GHG emissions of A1 decreased by 4.41%, whereas A2 and A3 increased their total GHG emissions by 17.13% and 72.23%, respectively. The vegetation carbon sequestration of A1, A2, and A3 increased by 18.04%, 26.75%, and 28.65%, respectively, and the soil organic carbon sequestration rose by 32.57%, 42.27% and 43.29%, respectively. To sum up, in contrast with CK, the ecosystem carbon sequestration climbed by 54.41%, 51.67%, and 0.90%, respectively. Our study suggests that rational fertilization can improve the carbon sink of the ecosystem and effectively ameliorate climate change.

Can Farmland Transfer Reduce Fertilizer Nonpoint Source Pollution? Evidence from China

China repeatedly surpasses international fertilizer safety limits, resulting in significant fertilizer nonpoint source pollution (denoted as FNSP), which adversely affects food security and agricultural sustainability. Simultaneously, farmland transfer has emerged as a pivotal strategy for transitioning between agricultural production methods. The present study aims to investigate the relationship between farmland transfer and FNSP. In line with the aim of the study, based on China’s panel data from 2005 to 2020, the fixed-effect model, mediating-effect model, spatial Durbin model, and threshold regression model are employed. The findings reveal that farmland transfer exerts a significant inhibitory effect on FNSP. The reduction in FNSP through farmland transfer is facilitated by the decrease in fertilizer application intensity and increase in compound fertilizer application. Further, farmland transfer demonstrates a significant spatial spillover effect on FNSP, mitigating pollution levels within regions and influencing neighboring areas. Moreover, a nonlinear relationship between farmland transfer and FNSP is observed. These findings contribute to understanding the intricate dynamics between agricultural land management strategies and environmental sustainability, offering valuable insights for policymakers and stakeholders engaged in promoting green and sustainable agricultural practices.

Analysis of Spatial Distribution and Spillover Effects of Fertilizer Application Intensity in Inner Mongolia, China

Analysis of Spatial Distribution and Spillover Effects of Fertilizer Application Intensity in Inner Mongolia, China

Green finance reform and application intensity of chemical fertilizer and pesticide: policy evidence from China.

The environmental hazards resulting from the excessive application of pesticides and fertilizers have been an inevitable agricultural production issue in various countries around the world. New technologies and policies are constantly trying to improve their application efficiency. This paper utilizes panel data of the provincial level in China from 2009 to 2019 to empirically study the effect of green finance reform policies on the chemical fertilizer application intensity (FAI) and pesticide application intensity (PAI). Standard difference-in-differences (DID), synthetic DID, difference-in-difference-in differences (DDD), and spatial DID models are constructed for specific empirical analysis. The findings can be concluded as follows: (1) A unit of the green finance reform policy reduces FAI by 0.0144 and PAI by 1.7921 by promoting green technology innovation. (2) Government financial extractive capacity hinders the reduction effect of green finance on PAI. (3) Coastal geographical location is conducive to reducing PAI through green finance reform. (4) FAI and PAI show positive spatial autocorrelations, and the influence of green finance reform overflows to surrounding areas. The research results can provide policy references for countries around the world to promote the green development of agriculture and reduce environmental pollution.

Nitrogen-derived environmental behavior, economic performance, and regulation potential by human production and consumption in a mega river basin

Human disturbances of the nitrogen (N) cycle have exceeded the carrying threshold of ecological environmental systems. To explore paths for mitigating the environmental impacts and damage costs of N loss in mega river basins, the N-derived environmental behavior, economic performance, and regulation potential by humans in the Yangtze River Basin from 2011 to 2019 were studied using substance flow analysis and life cycle impact assessment. The results show that the intensity of N loss increased until 2015 and then decreased; the average value over the study period was 7413.55 kg N km−2 yr−1. Moreover, fertilizer application intensity was the dominant factor in the decrease of N input and loss. Environmental N loss was higher in the east and lower in the west, while high environmental implications were mainly concentrated in plain areas with a megacity. The mean environmental impact potentials of climate change, acidification, and eutrophication were 3.34 × 1010 kg CO2-eq, 7.01 × 109 kg SO2-eq, and 1.06 × 1010 kg NO3−-eq, respectively. The mean total potential damage costs due to climate change, acidification, eutrophication, and human health were 0.68, 4.34, 17.36, and 12.97 billion $ yr−1, respectively; the total potential cost of damage to human health is closely related to the N loss to atmosphere and hydrosphere. This study demonstrates that integrating the reduction of N losses with improved N use efficiency can effectively reduce N loss and its impact. Future optimized N management for human activities should carefully consider the environmental economy under the changing environment.

Fertilizer Application in Contract Farming: A Risk Analysis

To our knowledge, this is the first study in the world to incorporate risk into the contract-farming participation decision process and to examine empirical evidence on the effect of contract farming on fertilizer application, filling the research gaps in the relevant literature and providing perspectives on both chemical fertilizer reduction and organic fertilizer application behavior. To estimate the impact of contract farming on farmers’ application of chemical fertilizer and organic fertilizer, we used data on tea farmers from the Fujian and Hubei provinces in China and the recursive binary probit model. The 2SLS (two-stage least-squares) model was used to estimate the impact of the contract-farming participation rate on farmers’ organic and chemical fertilizer application intensity. The empirical results show that farmers’ risk-prevention ability had a significant negative impact on farmers’ contract-farming participation decision and rates. Contract-farming participation had a significant, positive impact on farmers’ organic and chemical fertilizer application intensity, while contract-farming participation rates had a significant, negative impact on the intensity of chemical fertilizer application by farmers. However, contract-farming participation rates did not have a significant impact on organic and chemical fertilizer application intensity. To promote fertilizer reduction and organic fertilizer incremental application, an effective strategy could be to promote farmers’ participation in contract agriculture.

Spatiotemporal evolution and driving factors of the coupling coordination between county land urbanization and grain production: the case of Jiangsu province, China

How to ensure a coordinated development between land urbanization and grain production has been a key issue that needs to be urgently addressed to achieve sustainable development in China. Taking Jiangsu province as an example, this paper measures the coupling coordination degree (CCD) between county land urbanization and grain production from 2010 to 2020 based on the coupling coordination degree model (CCDM). In addition, the exploratory spatial data analysis method and the space Durbin model are combined to explore the spatial correlation and influencing factors of the CCD between land urbanization and grain production. The main conclusions are as follows: (1) From a temporal perspective, the CCD between county land urbanization and grain production in Jiangsu is dominated by basically coordinated, with an overall stable rising trend and a distribution pattern of Northern Jiangsu > Central Jiangsu > Southern Jiangsu. (2) From the perspective of spatial distribution, the CCD between the two is dominated by basically coordinated in the Southern, Central and Northern Jiangsu regions. The spatial clustering characteristics are significant, and the distribution of counties with basically coordinated shows concentrated and contiguous characteristics. (3) From the perspective of spatial correlation, the CCD between the two shows a low level of positive spatial autocorrelation. The state of agglomeration is significant in Northern Jiangsu, while spatial agglomeration is sporadic in Southern Jiangsu and insignificant in Central Jiangsu. (4) The factors affecting the CCD between county land urbanization and grain production in Jiangsu province are determined by many factors together. Based on a driver perspective, Per capita GDP and chemical fertilizer application intensity have a negative effect on it. Highway network density and mobile internet penetration rate have a positive effect on it. Population density, advanced industrial structure, per capita grain planting area and agro-industrial agglomeration are not significant. This study offers useful insights for promoting the coupled and coordinated development of county urbanization and grain production in China.

Spatio-Temporal Difference in Agricultural Eco-Efficiency and Its Influencing Factors Based on the SBM-Tobit Models in the Yangtze River Delta, China

In the Yangtze River Delta region, where the agricultural economy is well developed and agricultural pollution and carbon emissions are significant, a regional study of AEE (Agricultural Eco-Efficiency) is crucial to reducing agricultural environmental pollution, improving the rationalization of agricultural production layout, and promoting the realization of low-carbon goals. The SBM-Tobit model and GIS were employed to analyze AEE based on the carbon emission evaluation system in the spatial and temporal characteristics, as well as the influencing factors and the migration path of the center of gravity in the "low carbon" context. A rational plan of agricultural production was proposed according to the results. The following results were obtained: (1) The level of AEE in the Yangtze River Delta region was high, and the region exhibited a U-shaped curve change from 2000 to 2020, with a fluctuating decrease from 2000 to 2003 and a fluctuating increase from 2004 to 2020. The regional spatial development balance was enhanced, while there was a spatial incongruity in the development process of AEE enhancement, high in the southwest and low in the northeast; (2) AEE generally had a high regionalized agglomeration of low-low in the southwest and high-high in the northeast. Nonetheless, temporal heterogeneity was observed in spatial correlation, and the correlation weakened with time variation; (3) Urbanization level, agricultural production structure, crop cultivation structure, and fertilizer application intensity were the main factors influencing AEE in the Yangtze River Delta region; (4) The center of gravity of AEE in the Yangtze River Delta region shifted to the southwest under the influence of "low-carbon" related policies. Therefore, the improvement of AEE in the Yangtze River Delta region should focus on inter-regional coordination and linkages, rational planning of production factors, and the formulation of measures under relevant carbon policies.

A Review on the Agriculture Non-point Source Pollution Research

Agricultural non-point source pollution is an important problem at present. By analyzing the amount and intensity of fertilizer application and the proportion of different types of fertilizer application in the past 10 years, the paper makes clear that the excessive application of fertilizer and the imbalance of fertilizer structure are the main causes of agricultural non-point source pollution.

Spatial-Temporal Changes and Influencing Factors of Ecological Protection Levels in the Middle and Lower Reaches of the Yellow River

In recent years, ecological problems in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River have been frequent. Therefore, exploring its core influences can advance the implementation of “Ecological Protection and High-quality Development of the Yellow River Basin”. This paper constructs an indicator system based on PSR guidelines, evaluates the ecological protection level of 55 cities in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River from 2009 to 2019, and uses correlation analysis with geographically and temporally weighted regression (GTWR) model to explore the spatial distribution characteristics of influencing factors, such as intensity of fertilizer application, amount of agricultural film applied, afforestation area per capita, and green technology innovation level on the ecological protection level. It is found that the overall level of ecological protection has shown a steady increase, but the spatial distribution varies widely. The ecological level increased from 0.2218 to 0.3357, showing a decreasing distribution trend from coastal to inland. Furthermore, it is found that the ecological protection level has a significant positive spatial correlation, mainly for similar clustering. The Global Moran’s I for ecological protection level is greater than 0, and the Moran scatter plot has a high number of cities distributed in the first and third quadrants. There is a heterogeneity in the spatial and temporal distribution of factors influencing the level of ecological protection. Fertilizer application, the agricultural film uses, and afforestation area per capita are mainly negatively affected, while green innovation level has a strong positive effect, and agricultural film use, afforestation area per capita, and green innovation level become the core influencing factor of different regions. Therefore, in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River, the ecological protection level should be improved by implementing a regional differentiated development strategy, realizing cross-regional linkages between cities and focusing on differences in core driving factors.

Effect of agricultural subsidies on heterogeneous farmers’ fertilizer application intensity and its mediating mechanism: Based on China household finance survey database

Agricultural subsidies have an important effect on the farmer’s fertilizer application behavior, but the differences in the effect on different farmers and its mediating mechanism have not been sufficiently studied. Using relevant data from the CFHS database in 2015, this paper focused on the differences in the effect of agricultural subsidies on fertilizer application intensity among farmers with different operation scales and planting structures, as well as the mediating mechanism of the effect of agricultural subsidies on farmers’ fertilizer application intensity. It was found that agricultural subsidies in general helped farmers reduce fertilizer application. This finding still held after replacing the explanatory variables. However, the effect of agricultural subsidies on fertilizer application intensity varied significantly across farmers with different operation scales and planting structures. The fertilizer reduction effect of agricultural subsidies was weakened by the increase in the operation scale and the share of food crop cultivation, i.e., the fertilizer reduction effect of agricultural subsidies on smaller farmers and cash crop cultivation was greater relative to larger farmers and food crop cultivation. Farmers’ operation scale, planting structure and farm machinery inputs are important mediating variables of the effect of agricultural subsidies on farmers’ fertilizer application intensity. The agricultural subsidies played a role in reducing fertilizer application intensity by encouraging farmers to expand their operation scale and increase food crop cultivation, and increased fertilizer application intensity by incentivizing farmers to purchase farm machinery and adopt mechanical farming. Finally, some suggestions were put forward to play the fertilizer reduction effect of agricultural subsidies based on the findings of the study.

Study of the Water Environment Risk Assessment of the Upper Reaches of the Baiyangdian Lake, China

The risk assessment of water environments provides important references for water environment risk management. In this paper, the water environment risk of the upper rivers of the Baiyangdian Lake is assessed, considering both cumulative and sudden environmental risk. For the cumulative environmental risk assessment of the rivers, the characteristics of pollution transmissibility and accumulation in rivers was considered firstly. Furthermore, suggestions for the control of water environment pollution in the Baiyangdian Basin are given. The results indicate that the cumulative water environment risks of the Xiaoyi River—Dingzhou County, Xiaoyi River—Anguo County, Xiaoyi River—Boye County, and Xiaoyi River—Li County are high. The amount of fertilizer applied per unit of cultivated area, water quality, rate of water quality above the standard in water function zoning, and the ratio of environmental investment to gross domestic product (GDP) are important factors influencing the cumulative water environment risk. For sudden water environment assessments, the Xiaoyi River—Boye County is high. In the future, reducing the intensity of fertilizer application, strengthening the water quality control of the rivers, as well as upgrading the industry, should be carried out to protect the water environment in the Baiyangdian Basin.

Impact of the Cultivated-Land-Management Scale on Fertilizer Reduction—Empirical Evidence from the Countryside of China

Reducing the application of chemical fertilizers can improve the quality and promote the sustainable use of cultivated land, which is part of the green and sustainable development of agriculture. Based on the 2019 China Rural Household Panel Survey data, this article evaluated the impact of cultivated-land-management scale on fertilizer reduction via the OLS regression method. The results showed that, after controlling for other factors, the scale of cultivated land management is a strong factor affecting the intensity of fertilizer application by Chinese farmers. According to the results of quantitative analysis, the amount of fertilizer applied per hectare decreased by 20.6% for every 1 ha increase in the average grain sown area per household. The study also found that employing workers in agricultural production and operation can help achieve the aim of fertilizer reduction, but the fact that the head of the household is male, the increase in total household income and the increase in the proportion of household agricultural labor are not conducive to fertilizer reduction. A mechanism-of-action test showed that the expansion of the scale of cultivated land management can drive the reduction of chemical-fertilizer use by urging farmers to adopt agricultural technology and mechanized fertilization. Extensive research found that the fragmentation of cultivated land increased the amount of fertilizer applied per hectare by farmers. Therefore, the fragmentation of cultivated fields is a barrier to decreasing fertilizer application.

Land Fragmentation, Technology Adoption and Chemical Fertilizer Application: Evidence from China

Although it has been widely recognized that land fragmentation has increased chemical fertilizer application, little is known about the role of technology adoption in mitigating these adverse effects. To empirically examine the relationship between land fragmentation, technology adoption and chemical fertilizer application, we developed a mediation model. We applied our analysis to a survey data set encompassing 1388 farm-level samples collected in 14 Chinese provinces in 2019. Our study demonstrated that land fragmentation can not only directly increase chemical fertilizer application but also indirectly increase it by hindering the adoption of agricultural mechanization technologies (AMT’s) and soil testing fertilization technologies (STFT’s). Both are recognized as potent drivers of fertilizer use reductions. Moreover, the adoption of information and communications technologies (ICT’s) can help mitigate the negative effects of land fragmentation on technology adoption, thus reducing chemical fertilizer application intensity (CFAI). However, the direct effects of land fragmentation on CAFI was unaffected by ICT’s. Our findings suggest that ICT’s have revolutionized farmer recognition, promotion and adoption of agricultural technologies by increasing awareness and diffusion of agricultural technology information.

Impact of Agricultural Non-Point Source Pollution on River Water Quality: Evidence From China

Identifying the effect of agricultural non-point source pollutants on water quality is very important for water pollution management. This study used NH3N as an indicator to empirically study the influence of fertilizer application on river water quality based on panel data of 46 prefecture-level cities and 18 state-controlled water quality monitoring points through which the main streams of Yangtze River and Yellow River flow from 2004 to 2019. It is found that: (1) An increase in agricultural fertilizer application amount will exacerbate water pollution, and the worsening water quality in the upper watershed and the influence of precipitation will lead to transboundary water pollution in the lower watershed. (2) The amount of fertilizer application and fertilizer application intensity had a threshold effect on river water quality pollution. When the former exceeded the threshold value of 11.496 tons, and the latter exceeded the threshold value of 7.991 ton/km2, the positive effect of fertilizer application on pollutants in rivers was further enhanced. (3) The amount of fertilizer applied had a long-term effect on water quality through a lagged effect, and as the number of lags increased, the accumulative effect of the negative influence gradually rose. Based on the findings of the empirical study, it is proposed that the inter-basin and inter-regional synergy should be formed in the prevention and control of agricultural non-point source pollution, and the overall top-level design of agricultural subsidies and agricultural environmental policies in the areas along the basin should be considered.

Ecosystem Stability Assessment of Yancheng Coastal Wetlands, a World Natural Heritage Site

By evaluating the stability of coastal wetland ecosystems, health conditions of regional ecosystems can be revealed and the sustainable development of coastal wetlands can be promoted. Coastal wetlands have been scarcely involved in present ecosystem stability evaluation studies, these being performed with relatively simple evaluation data sources. Therefore, in this research, a comprehensive and representative ecosystem stability evaluation index system was constructed by using the pressure-state-response model and multi-source datasets from perspectives of internal and external environmental changes of the Yancheng coastal wetlands, Jiangsu, China. The analysis results indicated that: (1) The ecosystem stability of the Yancheng coastal wetlands was at an early warning stage, and all segments except the Binhai segment (relatively stable) were in an early warning state. (2) In the criterion layer, the Dafeng District and the whole Yancheng District were faced with the highest pressure, followed by the Dongtai, Xiangshui and Binhai segments, successively. The Sheyang segment reached the highest state level, followed by the Binhai, Xiangshui and Dafeng segments in succession. (3) In the factor layer, the whole Yancheng District was faced with high resource and socioeconomic double pressures, with a poor water quality state and relatively low environmental pressure; favorable soil, biological and landscape states; and positive response to wetland protection. Various factors varied from county to county. (4) In the index layer, the ecosystem stability of the Yancheng coastal wetlands was significantly influenced by the invasion of alien species, change rate of natural wetland area (D32), change rate of artificial wetland area, increment of aquafarm area, intensity of fertilizer application and coverage of dominant vegetations. The novel significance of this research lies in enriching global coastal wetlands ecosystem stability evaluation investigations by providing a typical case study.

Impact of the wheat minimum purchase price policy on chemical fertilizer application intensity: Based on the moderation effects of farmland property rights

Impact of the wheat minimum purchase price policy on chemical fertilizer application intensity: Based on the moderation effects of farmland property rights

Spatiotemporal Changes of Chemical Fertilizer Application and Its Environmental Risks in China from 2000 to 2019.

Chemical fertilizers are important inputs in agricultural production. They not only increase crop yield but also bring many negative effects, such as agricultural non-point source pollution. Therefore, a scientific understanding of the regional differences in chemical fertilizer application and its environmental risks is of significance to promote China’s agricultural development. In this study, we analyzed the spatiotemporal pattern of chemical fertilizer application intensity (CFAI) in China since 2000, evaluated the environmental risks of provincial CFAI, and investigated the internal mechanism behind them. The results showed that the total amount and intensity of chemical fertilizer application in China from 2000 to 2019 presented a trend of increasing first and then decreasing. In 2000 and 2019, provincial CFAI in eastern China was generally higher than that in central and western China, and the environmental risks of provincial CFAI were spatially characterized by “high in the north and low in the south”. Factors such as poor soil conditions, unreasonable farming structure and backward fertilization methods are the main reasons for the continuous increase in the total amount and intensity of chemical fertilizer application, while the construction of ecological civilization and the transformation of society and economy are the main reasons for their decline. Finally, measures such as targeted fertilization, adjusting the use structure of chemical fertilizers, improving fertilization methods and replacing chemical fertilizers with organic fertilizers are proposed to promote the quantity reduction and efficiency increase of chemical fertilizer application in China.