Application of Information Technology in Soil Nutrient Management and Balanced Fertilization in Xinjiang

This project is gathering information on soil nutrient status to determine nutrient limiting factors for the region’s cotton producing area.

In pot experiments conducted with Awati County soils, compared to the optimum treatment, cotton dry matter yield was 71, 73, 87, 88, and 92% lower when phosphorus (P), nitrogen (N), potassium (K), manganese (Mn), and copper (Cu) were respectively omitted. Field trials conducted in Awati and Kuche counties agreed with these pot experiment results. Cotton plots treated with adequate NPK produced the highest yield at 1,550 kg lint/ha. One kg of N, P₂O₅, and K₂O, respectively increased lint yields by 2, 2.7, and 3.8 kg in Awati and 1.7, 1.6, and 2.1 kg in Kuche.

A geographic information system soil nutrient map containing several layers of data was completed for the 180 hectare (ha) area being monitored. Fertilizer recommendations based on the nutrient map for cotton are 171-132-58 kg N-P₂O₅-K₂O/ha (Awati County) and 203-151-54 kg/ha (Kuche County). Xinjiang-NMS-02