The effect of drip irrigation and drip fertigation on N2O and NO emissions, water saving and grain yields in a maize field in the North China Plain.
N2O and NO emissions, the water usage and grain yields of a maize field in the North China Plain (NCP) under traditional flood irrigation, drip irrigation and drip fertigation were compared. With respect to the flood irrigation treatment, N2O emissions were reduced by 13.8% in the drip irrigation treatment and 7.7% in the drip fertigation treatment. NO emissions were reduced to 16.7% in the drip irrigation treatment but increased by 21.7% in the drip fertigation treatment. The molar ratios of NO/N2O within 2days after each fertilization event were evidently greater from the drip fertigation treatment than from the flood irrigation treatment, indicating that nitrification was more intensive in the drip fertigation treatment than in the treatment of flood irrigation. Compared with the flood irrigation treatment, evident increase of the maize yields in the drip irrigation treatment (28%) and the drip fertigation treatment (3.7%) were found. Although the drip fertigation treatment could evidently increase NO emission, the 40% water reduction in drip fertigation is of great importance for the sustainable development of agriculture in the NCP where water resources are extremely limited. To mitigate NO emissions from agricultural fields in the NCP with drip fertigation, the addition of a nitrification inhibitor combined with N or nitrate fertilizer was recommended.
Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
Di
D
Tian
Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
Yuanyuan
Y
Zhang
Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; Center for Excellence in Urban Atmospheric Environment, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, 361021, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China. Electronic address: yjmu@rcees.ac.cn.
Yujing
Y
Mu
Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
Yizhen
Y
Zhou
Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
Chenglong
C
Zhang
Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
Junfeng
J
Liu
Drip irrigation; Grain yields; Nitric oxide; Nitrous oxide; Water saving