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N transformation mechanisms and N dynamics of organic fertilisers as partial substitutes for chemical fertilisers in paddy soils

  • Soils, Sec 5 • Soil and Landscape Ecology • Research Article
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose

Knowledge of nitrogen (N) dynamics of organic fertilisers as partial substitutes for chemical fertilisers could improve the retention of mineral N and optimise fertilisation practices in paddy soils.

Materials and methods

15 N tracing was performed to quantify the effect of 36 years of partial substitution of chemical N by organic N on gross N transformation rates in soils, and its relationship to organic N fractions. Treatments were chemical fertilisation (NPK), substitution of chemical N with 30%, 50% and 70% organic N (70F + 30 M, 50F + 50 M and 30F + 70 M), and no fertilisation (control).

Results and discussion

Partial substitution elevated N mineralisation, ammonium immobilisation, autotrophic nitrification and nitrate consumption rates by 58.4–609.3%, 36.0–304.2%, 0.5–320.0% and 51.4–112.6%, respectively, compared to NPK treatment. However, gross N transformation rates differed with varying organic N substitution proportions. Fifty percent substitution increased mineralisation and immobilisation of the labile organic N pool by increasing the level and distribution of amino acid N fractions in acid-hydrolysable N, resulting in the highest N supply and retention capacity and the lowest N loss potential. Thirty percent substitution also increased the supply and retention capacity of nitrogen, but its integrated effect was inferior to the 50% substitution treatment. However, 70% substitution increased the potential loss of nitrate by increasing the ratio of gross nitrification rate to gross ammonia immobilisation rate (N/I). Partial substitution also increased the yield by 4.26–6.91% (p < 0.05), but there were no significant differences between organic N substitution proportions.

Conclusion

Thus, accumulating active fractions of the soil organic N pool enhanced soil N supply and mineral N retention in acidic rice fields. Given optimal sustainable agricultural practices, and considering yield, N retention and potential N losses, a 50% substitution of chemical N with organic N can be recommended for the study region.

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Funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (3216180537), the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangxi Province (20212BAB205020) and the Key R&D Program of Jiangxi Province (20202BBF62003).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Resources & Environment, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128, Hunan, China

    Hongqian Hou & Weijun Zhou

  2. Soil & Fertiliser and Resources and Environment Institute, Jiangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanchang, 330200, Jiangxi, China

    Hongqian Hou, Xiumei Liu, Jianhua Ji, Xianjin Lan, Zhenzhen Lv & Yiren Liu

  3. Center for Red Soil Improvement, National Engineering and Technology Research, Nanchang, 330200, Jiangxi, China

    Hongqian Hou, Xiumei Liu, Jianhua Ji, Xianjin Lan, Zhenzhen Lv & Yiren Liu

  4. School of Geography, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, China

    Jinbo Zhang

  5. Jiangsu Center for Collaborative Innovation in Geographical Information Resource Development and Application, Nanjing, 210023, China

    Jinbo Zhang

  6. Institute of Plant Ecology, Justus-Liebig University Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26, 35392, Giessen, Germany

    Christoph Müller

  7. School of Biology and Environmental Science and Earth Institute, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland

    Christoph Müller

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  1. Hongqian Hou
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Correspondence to Weijun Zhou.

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Hou, H., Liu, X., Zhou, W. et al. N transformation mechanisms and N dynamics of organic fertilisers as partial substitutes for chemical fertilisers in paddy soils. J Soils Sediments 22, 2516–2529 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-022-03246-4

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