Global Maize Project in China: Liufangzi, Gongzhuling, Jilin Province

Project was initiated in 2009 to test how the performance of ecological intensification (EI) compares to that of current farmer practice (FP)

IPNI-2009-CHN-GM20

06 Mar 2010

2009 Annual Interpretive Summary

Global Maize Project in China: Liufangzi, Gongzhuling, Jilin Province, 2009

A long-term field experiment was initiated at Liufangzi, Gongzhuling City, in Jilin to investigate the ability of ecological intensification (EI) practices to improve yields over time, compared to farmer practices (FP), while minimizing adverse environmental impacts. In this first year, a split-plot design with four replicates was used. The maize plots consisted of two treatments: EI (180-75-90-20-5 kg N-P2O5-K2O-S-Zn/ha) and FP (251-145-100 kg N-P2O5-K2O/ha). The three split plots were: 1) N applied in all years; 2) N applied in 2 of 3 years; and 3) no N applied any year. The site represents the typical mono-cropping system of spring maize. Spring maize was planted on May 4 and harvested on September 29.

Results indicated that an average grain yield of 8.5 t/ha was obtained in the EI treatment, which was 14.2% greater than FP. Agronomic efficiency (kg grain yield increase per kg N applied) was 20.5 kg grain/kg N in the EI treatment and 9.4 kg grain/kg N in the FP treatment. Partial factor productivity (kg grain yield per kg N applied) was 47.3 kg grain/kg N with EI and 29.7 kg grain/kg N with FP. The apparent recovery efficiency of N (increase in kg N uptake per kg N applied) was 28.3% for EI and 20.9% for FP. Compared to FP, the EI treatment increased P and K uptake, but not N uptake. IPNI-20