Impact of nitrogen fertilizer strategies and straw return on wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) productivity and soil health  ​


Citation :- Impact of nitrogen fertilizer strategies and straw return on wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) productivity and soil health​. Res. Crop. 26: 229-244
KEM SENOU PAVEL DARYL, GABRIEL HOPLA AKWAKWA, MENGJUAN LI2,YUHANG YAN, LILI SHI AND XIAOYAN WANG wamail_wang@163.com; pavelsenou@qq.com
Address : Department of Crop Science, College of Agriculture, Yangtze University, Jingzhou 434025, China
Submitted Date : 29-05-2025
Accepted Date : 10-06-2025

Abstract

Straw is a significant byproduct of cereal production, often considered waste, but it has the potential to be a valuable resource in sustainable agriculture. While straw return improves soil health and crop productivity, its benefits depend on optimizing nitrogen fertilizer application, which remains poorly understood. Therefore,this study aimed to investigate the effects of straw return on wheat growth and yield under varying nitrogen fertilizer strategies in Hubei Province, China. Over three growing seasons, we conducted a randomized complete block experiment using the wheat variety Yangmai 23. Two straw return treatments (S0: straw removal, S1: full straw return) and three nitrogen fertilizer strategies, each applied at a total rate of 180 kg N/ha, were tested: N1 (1:0:0, 180kg N/ha at the basal stage), N2 (7:3:0, 126 kg N/ha at the basal stage, 54 kg N/ha at overwinter), and N3 (1:1:1, 60 kg N/ha at basal, overwinter, and jointing stages). The study assessed the impact of these treatments on wheat yield, dry matter accumulation, soil fertility (total and available nitrogen), and photosynthesis (SPAD, LAI). We found that straw return had varying effects across nitrogen treatments. Under N1 and N2, straw return decreased dry matter accumulation, soil available nitrogen (AN), total nitrogen (N), SPAD, LAI, and grain yield, with reductions ranging from 5% to 9% (p < 0.05). In contrast, under N3, straw return increased dry matter, soil AN, total N, SPAD, and LAI, with grain yield increases of 4% to 11% (p < 0.05). Among the nitrogen strategies, N3 showed the best results for soil AN, total N, SPAD, and LAI, which were amplified by straw application. However, N2 resulted in the highest grain yield (7732.3 kg/ha in the 2022-2023 season for S0-N2). This study highlights the importance of optimizing nitrogen fertilizer strategies in combination with straw return to enhance wheat productivity. The findings provide a theoretical reference for optimizing nitrogen application practices, contributing to more sustainable and efficient wheat farming systems.

Keywords

Above - ground biomass dynamics nitrogen fertilizer efficiency photosynthetic efficiency soil fertility improvement straw - soil interaction effect wheat production optimization 


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