Effects of Nitrogen Fertilizer Regulation Under Continuous Straw Returning on Spring Maize Nutrient Accumulation and Root System Characteristics in West Liaohe Plain

doi:10.11924/j.issn.1000-6850.casb2026-0062

Abstract

Abstract:

To investigate the effects of reduced nitrogen fertilization on maize biomass accumulation and root growth under long-term straw returning, this study was conducted at Caijiapu of Kailu County, Tongliao City, Inner Mongolia. Using straw removal as the control, four nitrogen application rates were established on fields with 8 consecutive years of straw incorporation: conventional nitrogen application (N4), 20% reduced nitrogen (N3), 30% reduction (N2), and 40% reduction (N1). Corn biomass accumulation, root number, root-to-shoot ratio, root distribution, and root biomass proportion were measured under different nitrogen application rates with continuous straw incorporation. The results indicated that nitrogen application rates significantly influenced maize biomass accumulation and root characteristics under continuous straw incorporation. Pre- and post-flowering biomass accumulation showed that the SR8 treatment significantly exceeded the NSR treatment by 3.75%-13.81% at the same nitrogen rate. After 8 years of continuous straw returning, 30% nitrogen reduction (N2 level) increased pre- and post-flowering maize biomass accumulation by 8.87% and 5.06% compared to N1 and N4 levels, respectively. At the N2 level, root dry weight in the soil profile increased by 1.10%-16.2% during the silking stage, with the root proportion in the 40-60 cm soil layer rising by 1.6%. The root-to-shoot ratio at maturity increased to 5.01%. Under NSR conditions, adequate nitrogen application (N4) promoted root number increase, while moderate nitrogen reduction (N2 level) achieved maximum root number in the 20-60 cm soil layer. In summary, reducing nitrogen fertilizer application by 30% (N2 level) after eight consecutive years of straw incorporation enhances maize biomass accumulation, optimizes root architecture, promotes deeper root penetration, and facilitates the development of an efficient root system. This provides theoretical support for achieving nitrogen efficiency gains through reduced fertilizer application under straw incorporation conditions.

Key words: maize, straw return to fields, reduced nitrogen fertilizer application, root system characteristics, root-to-shoot ratio, root distribution

CLC Number:

S513玉米(玉蜀黍)

LI Xinyu, WU Zhiyu, LI Weimin, ZHAO Hongzhe, ZHOU Linli, SHEN Dongping, ZHANG Yuqin. Effects of Nitrogen Fertilizer Regulation Under Continuous Straw Returning on Spring Maize Nutrient Accumulation and Root System Characteristics in West Liaohe Plain[J]. Chinese Agricultural Science Bulletin, 2026, 42(9): 1-8.

Figures/Tables 7

References 29

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