Comparison of Efficiency-Enhanced Management and Conventional Management of Irrigation and Nitrogen Fertilization in Cotton Fields of Northwestern China

Excessive application of nitrogen fertilizers and improper methods of irrigation under conventional management are common problems in the cotton fields of northwestern China. Efficiency-enhanced management, based on the water and nitrogen dynamics and crop requirements, has been used as a valuable s...

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Autores principales: Ping Wang, Zhenyong Zhao, Lei Wang, Changyan Tian
Formato: article
Lenguaje:EN
Publicado: MDPI AG 2021
Materias:
WUE
Acceso en línea:https://doaj.org/article/70e76c32df6a41f2b1be8817655a9b31
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Sumario:Excessive application of nitrogen fertilizers and improper methods of irrigation under conventional management are common problems in the cotton fields of northwestern China. Efficiency-enhanced management, based on the water and nitrogen dynamics and crop requirements, has been used as a valuable strategy in different crops. The present study aimed to compare efficiency-enhanced management and conventional management of irrigation and nitrogen fertilization in the cotton fields at the Junggar Basin (Shihezi) and Tarim Basin (Cele) of northwestern China. Compared with conventional management, efficiency-enhanced management reduced the amount of N fertilizer by 41% in Cele and 44% in Shihezi, and the irrigation quantity by 35% in Cele and 24% in Shihezi. However, the cotton yield under efficiency-enhanced management was similar to that found under conventional management at both the experimental sites. The efficiency-enhanced management increased the water-use efficiency (WUE) and reduced the residual soil mineralizable N (N<sub>min</sub>) and apparent N losses. This study indicated that efficiency-enhanced management can significantly enhance the utilization efficiency of irrigation water and N fertilizers for cotton production in the fields of northwestern China.