A simple equation for calculating the residual effect of phosphorus fertilizers

A simple equation to calculate the residual effect of fertilizer phosphorus is derived from a model distinguishing only two soil phosphorus pools. With time intervals of one year the model calculates the phosphorus transfers between the pools, the uptake of phosphorus by the crop and the resulting pool sizes. Most input data required to operate the model can be obtained from ordinary one-season phosphorus fertilizer trials.For easily soluble phosphorus fertilizers the residual effect can also be calculated with a formula: Rt = (0.8 – R1)^t-1* R1 where Rt and R1 are the recovery fractions in year t and year 1, respectively. During the first five years after fertilizer application the residual effects, as calculated with the equation, are almost equal to those obtained with the model.     

Effects of varying nitrogen supply at different growth stages on nitrogen uptake and nitrogen partitioning efficiency in two wheat cultivars

The objective of this work was to determine the effect of N availability upon N uptake and nitrogen partitioning efficiency and its relationship with %N in the grain in two wheat cultivars, differing in their grain protein content.Plants were grown in a nutrient solution with 2 nitrogen levels, 200 ppm (H) and 40 ppm (L). Four treatments were imposed: HH, HL, LH and LL. Nutrient solution exchange was done at maximum floret number. Plants were harvested at terminal spikelet stage, maximum floret number, 10 days after anthesis and maturity.Nitrogen content, N uptake and N distribution at maturity were significantly affected by N supply. Nitrogen content in the grain was similar in both cultivars, but varied significantly between treatments and decreased as follows: LH; HH; LL and HL. In both cultivars a low leaf %N was observed in HL 10 days after anthesis, which suggest early N utilization and its premature depletion, resulting in a low %N in the grain. Total %N in the plant, for both cultivars was higher in HH and LH than other treatments. When N availability was high during the whole crop cycle (HH), N distribution to the ear was improved.It is concluded that late N availability is necessary to achieve high %N in the grain. On the other hand if high and initial N availability is not maintained, %N in the grain decreased in a significant way.     

The effect of various phosphorus fertilizers on yields,phosphorus uptake by plants and conversion of phosphorus fertilizers in long-term experiments on different soils

Long-term experiments have been undertaken to investigate the effects of various types of phosphorus fertilizers on yields, phosphorus uptake and fertilizer conversion in the soil. Optimum effects were obtained from water-soluble phosphate, whereas finely ground soft rock phosphate had little effect even with large amounts of phosphorus fertilizers and with a pH value of the soil of around 5.4. Partially decomposed and sintered phosphates performed well, as did NPK fertilizers (100% water soluble) and Thomas phosphate. The addition of large amounts of phosphorus fertilizers (to cereals, 26.4 kg/ha, to other crops 44 kg/ha) led to yields being increased by 7% and phosphorus extraction being increased by 11%. Smaller amounts of phosphorus fertilizers (13.2 and 17.6 kg/ha) did not have this effect. Increases in the amount of double-lactate-soluble phosphorus in the soil depended on the level of fertilization and did not differ significantly according to the type of phosphorus fertilizer used.     

The effect of nitrogen,phosphorus and potassium fertilizer applications on the seed yield of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) grown on sandy soils and the prediction of phosphorus and potassium responses by soil tests

The nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium requirement of sunflower was evaluated when the crop was grown on siliceous sands overlying clay in the south east of South Australia. Of the seven sites used in the investigation, significant seed yield responses to phosphorus were recorded at two, while at a further two sites seed yields were increased by potassium additions. Nitrogen applications did not significantly increase seed yields at any site but decreased seed yields at two. This lack of nitrogen response was attributed to the sites having been long term legume pastures prior to the sunflower crops.Oil concentrations of sunflower seed ranged from 40.6% to 45.3% between sites, but fertilizer treatment had no significant effect.Critical nutrient ranges for both soil (Colwell) extractable phosphorus and potassium were derived at maximum seed yield. These were 16–20 mg kg^–1 for extractable phosphorus and 70–80 mg kg^–1 for extractable potassium.     

The effect of nitrogen on root growth and nutrient uptake of young tea plants (Camellia sinensis L.) grown in sand culture

Root growth and nutrient uptake of a tea clone were studied in a sand culture experiment using ammonium sulphate, ammonium nitrate and urea each at 35, 70 and 105 ppm N. Results show that increasing N levels regardless of forms increased the proportion of white roots and decreased brown root weight.As to the composition of the aerial parts (plant tops) enhanced N supply increased concentrations of Ca and NO₃, while K and H₂PO₄ concentration decreased. Use of ammonium sulphate increased the sulphate levels. Increased N level through urea increased Cl concentration, while the reverse was true with both ammonium sulphate and ammonium nitrate. Concentrations of Mg and Na remained unaffected by N fertilization, though the former tended to increase with increased level of N irrespective of forms. The organic acid concentration measured as the difference of sum equivalents of cations and that of anions increased with an increase supply of N in any of the three forms.The white:brown root ratio was correlated positively with growth, Ca:K ratio and organic acid content of plant tops.     

Effects of nitrogen on growth,and nitrogen and phosphorus uptake in tops and roots of sorghum grown in an Alfisol and a Vertisol

A greenhouse pot experiment was conducted to study the effects of added nitrogen (0, 10, 25, 50 and 100 mg N kg^–1 soil) on dry matter production, and N and P uptake in tops and roots of sorghum (cv CSH6) grown in a Vertisol and an Alfisol for 42 days at field capacity soil moisture content. More dry matter accumulated in the tops and roots of sorghum growing in the Alfisol than in the Vertisol. This resulted in higher N and P uptake. Top dry weight responded to N application up to 50 mg N kg^–1 soil, whereas the root weight increased at N application up to 25 mg N kg^–1. Ratios of root dry weight to total plant dry weight and N uptake in roots/total N uptake were similar in the two soils. Ratio of P uptake in roots to total P uptake was higher in Alfisol than in Vertisol. This result was attributed mainly to higher ratio of P content in roots compared to tops in the Alfisol.Approved for publication as ICRISAT Journal Article No. 709.     

Development of nitrogen fertilizer recommendations for arable crops in the Netherlands in relation to nitrate leaching

In the Netherlands, current nitrogen fertilizer recommendations for arable crops are based on the amount of soil mineral nitrogen in early spring. The larger the amount of soil mineral nitrogen, the lower the recommended application rate of fertilizer nitrogen. A more refined method is to draw up a balance sheet in which the nitrogen requirement of the crop is given on the one side and the contributions of fertilizer nitrogen, soil mineral nitrogen, and the amount of nitrogen mineralized during the growing period on the other. The most refined method of nitrogen fertilizer recommendation is the use of a simulation model that predicts the daily crop nitrogen requirement and nitrogen supply to the crop from various pools during the growing period. A simulation model thus adds the time element to nitrogen fertilizer recommendations. Moreover, in contrast with the other two methods, a simulation model allows identification of environmental side-effects of nitrogen fertilizer application.The current Dutch nitrogen fertilizer recommendations aim at predicting the economically optimum application rate of fertilizer nitrogen. From the environmental point of view it is interesting to know how much soil mineral nitrogen has accumulated in the soil at harvest, because this nitrogen is a potential loss to the environment through nitrate leaching during the subsequent winter period. If the economically optimum application rate of fertilizer nitrogen is applied to arable crops, it is unlikely that soil mineral nitrogen accumulates, except in the case of potatoes. Model calculations have shown that accumulation of soil mineral nitrogen after potatoes can be prevented when the recommended nitrogen application rate is reduced by 25%. In that case tuber yield is reduced by only 2%.     

Nitrogen movement and uptake by rice fertilized with urea supergranules in two contrasting Mollisols

In a glasshouse experiment, the periodic movement, loss and uptake of N by lowland rice fertilized with point-placed urea supergranule (USG) was studied in two soils differing in texture. Movement of urea-N, NH ₄ ⁺ -N and NO ₃ ^- -N was significantly faster in Patharchatta sandy loam (Typic Hapludoll) than in Beni silty clay loam (Aquic Hapludoll) and was mostly downward with peak concentration near the placement site.Nitrogen in leachate was higher in Patharchatta sandy loam than in Beni silty clay loam. About 60–70% of leaching of urea-N took place within 2 days of USG placement. The leaching of NH ₄ ⁺ -N and NO ₃ ^- -N increased till 14 and 21 days of USG placement in Patharchatta sandy loam and Beni silty clay loam, respectively. Nitrogen leached through urea, NH ₄ ⁺ and NO ₃ ^- forms was, respectively, 64, 25 and 25% higher from sandy loam. During 49 days, 49 and 32% of the applied N was recovered by rice plants from silty clay loam and sandy loam, respectively.     

Single superphosphate depresses molybdenum uptake and limits yield response to phosphorus in groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) grown on an acid sandy soil in Niger,West Africa

The effect of phosphorus (P) fertilization on dry matter production and nitrogen (N) uptake of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) was studied during the growing seasons of 1989, 1990 and 1991 under rainfed conditions on an acid sandy soil in Niger, West Africa. Annual application of 16 kg P ha^–1 as single superphosphate (SSP) failed to increase the total dry matter production significantly in all three years.Fertilization with SSP increased the concentrations of P and sulfur (S) in shoots from deficiency to sufficiency levels. It decreased the already very low concentrations of molybdenum (Mo), especially in the nodules, and also the N concentration in the shoot dry matter.With SSP application, total N uptake declined over three years. Foliar application of P and soil application of triple superphosphate (TSP) enhanced dry matter production, N and Mo uptake.Although these acid sandy soils are known to be deficient in P and S, care must be taken in using SSP in groundnuts as it may induce Mo deficiency, unless supplementary Mo is applied.ICRISAT Journal Article No. 1230     

沉水植物对水中氮、磷的去除效果

通过静态模拟试验,研究了水蕴草[Elodea densa(Planch.)Casp.]、金鱼藻(Ceratophyllum demersum L)、绿菊(Cabomba carliniana)3种沉水植物在不同营养浓度条件下(中、富、超富和胁迫浓度)对水中氮、磷的去除效果及其生物量的变化。结果表明,在不同营养浓度条件下,3种沉水植物均能去除水体中的氮、磷营养物质。其中,在前3种营养条件下金鱼藻对水中的TN有较好的去除效果,水蕴草在胁迫营养浓度条件下对水中氮的脱除效果较好;水蕴草在4种条件下对水中的TP有较好的去除效果,尤其是在超富营养和胁迫浓度条件下,去除效果远远好于其它两种植物。     

Phosphorus content in soil, uptake by plants and balance in three European long-term field experiments

The fate of phosphorus (P) derived from mineral fertilisers and organic manures, and the effective P balance, have been assessed in three long-term field experiments at Rothamsted (UK), Bad Lauchstaedt (Germany) and Skierniewice (Poland). This paper discusses the plant availability, uptake and overall utilisation of P over the last 30 years, based on soil test P availability indices and crop analyses determined by the standard methods used in each of the three countries. The data suggest that differences in soil type significantly influence the dynamics of P at the three locations, but most significantly between a loess Chernozem at Bad Lauchstaedt with a high organic matter content and the soils at the other two locations which have a low organic matter content. The application of P either as inorganic fertiliser or organic manure had a considerable influence on the availablity, uptake, leaching or fixing of P, but the crop recovery rate of P from mineral fertiliser did not exceed 35% with the smallest recovery (average 18%) occurring in the soil with the highest clay content at Rothamsted. At Bad Lauchstaedt and Rothamsted the most efficient utilisation of P (averages of 47% and 37%, respectively) was from soils treated with farmyard manure (FYM), with the greater quantity of P either leached or fixed (8 and 25 kg ha^-1 y^-1, respectively) occurring in soils treated with superphosphate. At Skierniewice, however, the reverse was true. Overall, the most efficient crop utilisation from mineral P (30% average) was from the loamy sand at Skierniewice. P balances for the three locations show that quantitatively, for the same P input, the amount of P either leached from or fixed in the plough layer of Broadbalk field, Rothamsted, was 2–3 times greater than at Skierniewice and 3–6 times greater than at Bad Lauchstaedt. The results suggest that differences in the soil physico-chemical properties, climate, the availability of other major nutrients, and the form in which P is applied, all influence the effectiveness of P fertilisation and P balance. The investigation highlights the importance of maintaining long-term field experiments and archived soil and crop samples on a world-wide basis for understanding nutrient cycling and fertility dynamics.     

Deciphering the Genetic Basis of Root and Biomass Traits in Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) through the Integration of GWAS and RNA-Seq under Nitrogen Stress

An excellent root system is responsible for crops with high nitrogen-use efficiency (NUE). The current study evaluated the natural variations in 13 root- and biomass-related traits under a low nitrogen (LN) treatment in a rapeseed association panel. The studied traits exhibited significant phenotypic differences with heritabilities ranging from 0.53 to 0.66, and most of the traits showed significant correlations with each other. The genome-wide association study (GWAS) found 51 significant and 30 suggestive trait–SNP associations that integrated into 14 valid quantitative trait loci (QTL) clusters and explained 5.7–21.2% phenotypic variance. In addition, RNA sequencing was performed at two time points to examine the differential expression of genes (DEGs) between high and low NUE lines. In total, 245, 540, and 399 DEGs were identified as LN stress-specific, high nitrogen (HN) condition-specific, and HNLN common DEGs, respectively. An integrated analysis of GWAS, weighted gene co-expression network, and DEGs revealed 16 genes involved in rapeseed root development under LN stress. Previous studies have reported that the homologs of seven out of sixteen potential genes control root growth and NUE. These findings revealed the genetic basis underlying nitrogen stress and provided worthwhile SNPs/genes information for the genetic improvement of NUE in rapeseed.     

Impact of vesicular arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi andRhizobium on the growth and P, N and Fe uptake by faba-bean

The effect of rhizobial inoculation, vesicular arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungi on the growth, P, N and Fe uptake by faba-bean plants (Vicia faba L.V. Giza 2) grown in virgin sandy soil, treated with super or rock-P were studied under green-house conditions. The earthern pots received a half of the recommended rate of P either as single super phosphate or rock-P in the rate of 20 mg P/kg soil, and calcium ammonium nitrate was added in the rate of 10 mg N/kg soil. Iron was applied in two levels 0 and 5 mg Fe/kg soil, in the form of iron sulphate (FeSO₄·7H₂O). Dry matter yield, as well as P, N and Fe-uptake were determined. Nodule numbers and their dry weights, spore numbers and mycorrhizal root infection were determined. Results indicated that, fungal infection and rhizobial inoculation either alone or in combination increased dry matter yield as compared to uninoculated plants, whereas the percentages increase in dry matter were 34, 26 and 57% in case of super-P application, while they were 56, 47 and 89% in case of rock-P when inoculated withRhizobium, VAM and dual inoculation respectively. Also P, N and Fe uptake were significantly increased due to inoculation, and dual inoculation resulted the highest effect. Generally, inoculation withRhizobium and/or mycorrhizae can remove the deficient effect of P and Fe on N₂-fixation and plant growth in the soil of low nutrients content.     

Root Rotation and Plastic Work Effects in the Peel Test

A review of the analysis to determine the global energy release rate in the peel test is given. The local bending at the root is then analysed using large displacement elastic beam theory and the role of the beam root rotation in partitioning the energy between bending and direct transmission is demonstrated. The analysis is further refined using an elastic-plastic solution incorporating a model for predicting the root rotation. The resulting solution appears to predict observed variations in peel energy with thickness and angle.     

Root Rotation and Plastic Work Effects in the Peel Test

A review of the analysis to determine the global energy release rate in the peel test is given. The local bending at the root is then analysed using large displacement elastic beam theory and the role of the beam root rotation in partitioning the energy between bending and direct transmission is demonstrated. The analysis is further refined using an elastic-plastic solution incorporating a model for predicting the root rotation. The resulting solution appears to predict observed variations in peel energy with thickness and angle.     

旱地土壤条件下包膜控释肥料养分释放的试验与数学模拟

采用室内培养方法,测定了不同土壤水分含量条件下指数线性和S线性包膜控释肥料养分释放速率。计算出不同土壤含水量条件下养分释放速率常数(k)。该k值与土壤在最大持水量30%时的k值的比值定义为释放速率系数a,并用土水势(Ψ)的函数表示。分别建立不同旱土水分含量条件下指数线性和S线性包膜控释肥料养分释放数学模型。结果表明,这两个数学模型能够较好地模拟指数线性和S线性包膜控释肥料在自然旱地条件下,任一日变化土温和任一日变化土壤含水量下的氮素释放率,模拟值与实测值基本一致,表明这两个数学模型具有实用性。     

A model to predict changes in soil moisture,NO3-N content and N uptake by wheat

A simulation model to predict fertilizer N behaviour in a soil-plant (wheat) system has been developed and tested. The model predicts components of field water balance (evaporation, transpiration, drainage and run-off) and changes in soil nitrogen amounts due to N transformations (urea hydrolysis, mineralization, nitrification and volatilization), N movement and plant N uptake using information on N transformation coefficients for the soil, atmospheric evaporative demand (E_pan), leaf area development and root growth characteristics of the crop. The model predicts N uptake by wheat through mass flow using a new simplified crop cover function. The coefficients of correlation between the measured and predicted N uptake by wheat grown under three different moisture regimes in the two years (1987–88 and 1988–89) approached unity. The computed amount of residual NO₃-N in the soil profile at wheat harvest matched well with the measured amount with a root mean square error of 13.7 percent. The close matching of the measured and model predicted components of nitrogen and water balances under three widely different set of irrigation treatments suggests of model's capabilities to help in on-farm N management both under irrigated and rainfed conditions.     

Yield and growth response to potassium of grain sorghum as influenced by variety in a savanna soil of Nigeria

Field trials were conducted at Samaru over a three-year period (1980–82) to study the yield, growth and nutrient concentration of three grain sorghum varieties (L. 187, SK5912 and FFBL) in relation to potassium fertilization in a savanna soil. Potassium application rates were 0, 25, 50 and 75 kg K ha^–1. Year × potassium interactions were not significant although there were significant variety × K interactions. The highest grain yields for var. L.187, SK5912 and FFBL occurred from the application of 25, 50 and 75 kg K ha^–1 respectively. Straw yield was generally increased by K application, which also promoted tillering and hastened flowering in grain sorghum. Although grain weight per head, head number per m², grain number and 1000-grain weight were unaffected by this nutrient, weight per head was reduced by 22.8 per cent. K application enhanced N concentration of sorghum plants but caused decline in P concentration. The highest K rate gave the highest K concentration in each of the three varieties at 7 weeks after planting. Optimum K requirement of grain sorghum would seem to be between 25 and 50 kg K ha^–1.     

Simulation of nitrogen dynamics and biomass production in winter wheat using the Danish simulation model DAISY

A dynamic simulation model for the soil plant system is described. The model includes a number of main modules, viz., a hydrological model including a submodel for soil water dynamics, a soil temperature model, a soil nitrogen model including a submodel for soil organic matter dynamics, and a crop model including a submodel for nitrogen uptake. The soil part of the model has a one-dimensional vertical structure. The soil profile is divided into layers on the basis of physical and chemical soil characteristics. The simulation model was used to simulate soil nitrogen dynamics and biomass production in winter wheat grown at two locations at various levels of nitrogen fertilization. The simulated results were compared to experimental data including concentration of inorganic nitrogen in soil, crop yield, and nitrogen accumulated in the aboveground part of the crop. Based on this validation it is concluded that the overall performance of the model is satisfactory although some minor adjustments of the model may prove to be necessary.