Nutrient management and balanced fertilization on main crops in Gansu province
IPNI-2006-CHN-GS3
28 Jan 2008
2007 Annual Interpretive Summary
Soil Nutrient Management and Balanced Fertilization in Gansu, 2007
In 2007, field trials and demonstrations of balanced nutrient management in wheat, corn, barley, and potato were conducted in Wuwei City and Dingxi County.
In Wuwei, yield of corn in the - N and - K treatments was 1,655 kg/ha and 778 kg/ha lower, or 15% and 6%, than that achieved with the complete treatment of 300-120-150 kg N-P2O5-K2O/ha. No P response was observed due to high available soil P (34 mg/l) at the site. In malt barley, compared with the “optimum” (OPT) treatment of 195-90-105 kg/ha, the - N, - P, and - K treatments had 35%, 6%, and 24% less yield, respectively, resulting in US$89 to US$682 less profit. The trial on intercropped wheat and corn determined that 270-75-90 kg/ha plus 6 kg zinc (Zn)/ha could produce 45%, 15%, 11%, 8%, and 15% more total yield (wheat plus corn) and US$670, US$327, US$222, US$181, and US$266/ha more profit than the - N, - P, - K, - Zn, or farmer practice (450-120 kg N-P2O5/ha), respectively.
In Dingxi, application of 225-150-150 kg/ha produced the best results in spring corn. Its yield average was 2,405, 1,664, 1,855, and 1,932 kg/ha, or 17 to 27% higher than the - N, - P, - K, and farmer practice (150-120 kg N-P2O5/ha) treatments, respectively. Profits under the nutrient omission treatments were US$292 to US$426/ha less than the high yielding treatment. In rainfed potato, yield under the OPT of 180-150-75 kg/ha along with 5 kg copper (Cu)/ha, 30 kg iron (Fe)/ha, 15 kg manganese (Mn)/ha, and 6 kg Zn/ha was 3,832, 5,412, and 1,876 kg/ha, or 10 to 34% higher than the - N, - P, and - K treatments, respectively. Profit under the nutrient omission treatments were US$44 to US$205/ha less than the OPT.
Balanced fertilization demonstrations showed that K application could increase the yield of corn, intercropped wheat/corn, and potato by 11%, 7%, and 32%, and could also increase profits by US$202, US$139, and US$184, respectively. Gansu-NMBF