Reduction of nitrogen fertilizer and simultaneously application of organic fertilizer optimizes yield, water productivity and nitrogen metabolism of spring maize by improving soil properties in the Loess Plateau of China

Summary

Reduction of nitrogen fertilizer and simultaneously application of organic fertilizer (RNF) is regarded as an essential approach for realizing sustainable agricultural development. Nevertheless, studies on the effects of crop growth, N metabolism, water productivity, as well as the mechanisms by which soil factors regulate grain yield of spring maize under RNF conditions in the Loess Plateau of China, remain lacking. A three-year (2021, 2022, and 2023) field spring maize planting experiment with six treatments (no N fertilizer and organic fertilizer substituting 0%, 12.5%, 25%, 37.5%, and 50% of chemical fertilizer N, respectively) was conducted using a randomized block design to study the effect of RNF on growth, yield, water productivity, and N metabolism of spring maize. The results sho