Alteration of Nitrogen Fertilizer Forms Optimizes Nitrogen Balance in Drip-Irrigated Winter Wheat Systems of Northern China by Reducing Gaseous Nitrogen Losses

Ruixuan Hao, Junyi Mu, Xiaoting Xie, Qiqi Ha, Yuanyuan Wang, Wenbo Zhai, Peng Wu, Aixia Ren, Zhiqiang Gao, Ru Guo and Min Sun ()
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Ruixuan Hao: College of Agriculture, Shanxi Agricultural University/Key Laboratory of Sustainable Dryland Agriculture of Shanxi Province, Taiyuan 030031, China
Junyi Mu: College of Agriculture, Shanxi Agricultural University/Key Laboratory of Sustainable Dryland Agriculture of Shanxi Province, Taiyuan 030031, China
Xiaoting Xie: College of Agriculture, Shanxi Agricultural University/Key Laboratory of Sustainable Dryland Agriculture of Shanxi Province, Taiyuan 030031, China
Qiqi Ha: College of Agriculture, Shanxi Agricultural University/Key Laboratory of Sustainable Dryland Agriculture of Shanxi Province, Taiyuan 030031, China
Yuanyuan Wang: College of Agriculture, Shanxi Agricultural University/Key Laboratory of Sustainable Dryland Agriculture of Shanxi Province, Taiyuan 030031, China
Wenbo Zhai: College of Agriculture, Shanxi Agricultural University/Key Laboratory of Sustainable Dryland Agriculture of Shanxi Province, Taiyuan 030031, China
Peng Wu: College of Agriculture, Shanxi Agricultural University/Key Laboratory of Sustainable Dryland Agriculture of Shanxi Province, Taiyuan 030031, China
Aixia Ren: College of Agriculture, Shanxi Agricultural University/Key Laboratory of Sustainable Dryland Agriculture of Shanxi Province, Taiyuan 030031, China
Zhiqiang Gao: College of Agriculture, Shanxi Agricultural University/Key Laboratory of Sustainable Dryland Agriculture of Shanxi Province, Taiyuan 030031, China
Ru Guo: College of Agriculture, Shanxi Agricultural University/Key Laboratory of Sustainable Dryland Agriculture of Shanxi Province, Taiyuan 030031, China
Min Sun: College of Agriculture, Shanxi Agricultural University/Key Laboratory of Sustainable Dryland Agriculture of Shanxi Province, Taiyuan 030031, China

Agriculture, 2025, vol. 15, issue 20, 1-22

Abstract: Winter wheat covers approximately 2.21 × 10 8 ha globally, making it the most widely cultivated cereal crop in the world. In recent years, integrated water and fertilizer management has significantly improved winter wheat yield and nitrogen use efficiency; however, quantitative assessments of nitrogen cycling under different fertilizer forms in such high-yield systems remain limited. From 2022 to 2024, a two-year field experiment was conducted in drip-irrigated winter wheat fields in northern China. Four nitrogen fertilizer forms were applied: nitrate nitrogen fertilizer (NON), ammonium nitrogen fertilizer (NHN), amide nitrogen fertilizer (CON), and urea ammonium nitrate fertilizer (UAN), along with an unfertilized control (CK). Compared with NON, NHN, and CON, UAN reduced cumulative N 2 O emissions by 10.40–15.64% and NH 3 volatilization by 2.04–9.33% ( p < 0.05). It also increased the leaf area index and biomass accumulation at maturity, as well as grain yield (3.70–10.28%), nitrogen harvest index (4.58–12.88%), and nitrogen use efficiency (12.14–39.25%) ( p < 0.05). Furthermore, UAN significantly decreased the net nitrogen surplus (24.18–45.70%) and nitrogen balance values (25.64–55.82%) ( p < 0.05). Correlation analysis indicated that the reduction in nitrogen balance was primarily attributed to lower N 2 O emissions and improved nitrogen use efficiency ( p < 0.05). In conclusion, the application of urea ammonium nitrate under integrated water–fertilizer management achieved higher yield, greater efficiency, and environmentally sustainable production in drip-irrigated winter wheat systems in northern China.

Keywords: winter wheat; drip irrigation; high yield; N 2 O; NH 3; nitrogen balance (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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