Major nutrient balances in small-scale vegetable farming systems in peri-urban areas in China |
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Authors: | Hong-Jie Wang Biao Huang Xue-Zheng Shi Jeremy Landon Darilek Dong-Sheng Yu Wei-Xia Sun Yong-Cun Zhao Qing Chang Ingrid Öborn |
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Affiliation: | (1) State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, 210008, China;(2) Department of Soil Science, The Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, 75007, Sweden |
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Abstract: | Balances of major nutrients such as nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) in small-scale farming systems are of
critical importance to nutrient management and sustainable agricultural development. Mass balances of N, P, and K and some
of their influencing factors were studied for two years from July 2003 to July 2005 on small-scale vegetable-farming systems
in two contrasting peri-urban areas (Nanjing and Wuxi) of the Yangtze river delta region of China. This balance approach considered
organic fertilizer inputs (cow manure, pig manure, and human biosolids), inorganic fertilizer inputs (urea, composite fertilizer,
and phosphates), irrigation water, and atmospheric deposition; and considered outputs by vegetables. Input via organic fertilizers
was significant for all element balances in the Nanjing area. Inorganic and organic fertilizer, particularly inorganic fertilizer,
contributed major nutrient inputs to the system in the Wuxi area. Compared with nutrient output by vegetables, there were
significant surpluses of N and P on two vegetable farm systems. Furthermore, N surplus in the Nanjing area was higher than
that in the Wuxi area with an inverse relationship to P surplus. In contrast, the general trend of K balances was negative
on both sites; hence, the nutrient use efficiency was significantly lower for N and P than K. The nutrient imbalance may be
attributed to the differences between fertilizer types and management modes driven by social economic status differences among
farmer households. The large N and P net excess creates an environmental threat because of potential losses to ground or surface
waters, whereas negative K balance creates soil fertility risks. The results highlight researchers’ and farmers’ need to develop
rational fertilization technology to optimize nutrient management on vegetable farmlands to promote sustainable agricultural
development in peri-urban areas. |
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Keywords: | Nutrient balance Vegetable farming systems Peri-urban areas Socio-economic status China |
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