Study and Application of Nutrient Management Expert System in a Summer Maize-Winter Wheat Rotation

IPNI China program is encouraging the use of crop nutrient management expert system in China, Since 2013, supported by IPNI China program, the project cooperators in the Soil and Fertilizer Institute, Anhui Academy of Agricultural Science carried out this project for use the system on maize in Anhui province.

IPNI-2013-CHN-AH20

25 Mar 2015

2014 Annual Interpretive Summary


Anhui is one of the major maize-producing provinces in China, with a total planting area of 761,000 ha in 2010. But the average maize yield in this province is only 4,100 kg/ha, which is 25% lower than the national average. Apart from climate, an important reason for low maize yields is unbalanced fertilization. The Nutrient Expert(R) (NE) system was introduced in this study to improve nutrient management in maize.

Field experiments were conducted from 2013 to 2014 in wheat-maize fields in Bozhou and Lixin Counties of Anhui. Six field trials of optimum fertilization for maize and wheat were conducted, which included recommended fertilization according to the NE system (NE), a treatment of optimum fertilization based on soil testing, and a farmer practice treatment.

Maize field trials in Lixin showed a remarkable response to treatments designed by the NE system. The ecological optimum fertilization treatment (NE, 182-72-75 kg/ha of N-P2O5-K2O) produced a maize yield of 8,350 kg/ha. Omission of N, P, K, or NPK resulted in 22%, 1%, 7%, and 24% less yield, respectively, compared to the NE. Farmer practice (FP, 240-120-60 kg/ha of N-P2O5-K2O) dropped yield to 7,440 kg/ha, which was 11% lower than the NE. Optimum fertilization from soil test (OPTs, 210-90-105 kg/ha of N-P2O5-K2O) yielded 8,060 kg/ha or 0.6% less than the NE. In wheat, the NE (167-89-99 kg/ha of N-P2O5-K2O) produced 7,500 kg/ha. Omission of N, P, K, or NPK lowered yield by 22%, 10%, 10%, and 26%, respectively. The FP (240-120-90 kg/ha of N-P2O5-K2O) yielded 9% less than the NE. Lastly, the OPTs (180-90-90 kg/ha of N-P2O5-K2O) produced 4% more than the NE.

In Bozhou, the NE (143-48-94 kg/ha of N-P2O5-K2O) produced 6,900 kg/ha of wheat. Omission of N, P, K, or NPK dropped yields to 5,475, 7,050, 7,075, and 5,375 kg/ha, respectively. The OPTs (165-60-90 kg/ha of N-P2O5-K2O) yielded 2% more than the NE. The FP (240-120-120 kg/ha of N-P2O5-K2O) produced 8% less than the NE. In maize, the NE (182-72-75 kg/ha of N-P2O5-K2O yielded 7,650 kg/ha. Omission of N, P, K, or NPK reduced yield by 18%, 3%, 7%, and 19%, respectively. Yield under the OPTs (210-90-105 kg/ha of N-P2O5-K2O) was 7,700 kg/ha, or 1% higher than the NE. The FP (240-120-60 kg/ha of N-P2O5-K2O) yielded 10% less that the NE treatment.