Highly Efficient Water and Nitrogen Application Strategies for Maintaining Summer Maize Yield in the North China Plain During Future Drought Years

ABSTRACT Future frequent droughts threaten summer maize production in the North China Plain (NCP). A proper combination of irrigation and nitrogen (N) application can improve water and N use efficiency while maintaining summer maize yield. However, the optimal irrigation and N application strategies...

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Main Authors: Zheng Wang, Changxiu Cheng
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2024-11-01
Series:Food and Energy Security
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/fes3.70014
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author Zheng Wang
Changxiu Cheng
author_facet Zheng Wang
Changxiu Cheng
author_sort Zheng Wang
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACT Future frequent droughts threaten summer maize production in the North China Plain (NCP). A proper combination of irrigation and nitrogen (N) application can improve water and N use efficiency while maintaining summer maize yield. However, the optimal irrigation and N application strategies (OINASs) for summer maize during future drought years in the NCP require further exploration. This study applied the DSSAT‐CERES‐Maize model to investigate OINASs for summer maize for all drought years during 2021–2050 under three shared socioeconomic pathways (SSP1‐2.6, SSP2‐4.5, and SSP5‐8.5). The performance of the OINASs was subsequently evaluated against no irrigation and N application (CK) condition and a conventional irrigation and N application strategy (CINAS). The results highlight the following: (1) For all drought years under the three SSP scenarios, the base fertilizer rate should be 60 kg/hm2, after that the irrigation and N application are required during the jointing and heading periods. Under the SSP1‐2.6 scenario, the average values of irrigation and N application during each earlier period are 35.5 mm and 22 kg/hm2. Under the SSP2‐4.5 and SSP5‐8.5 scenarios, the average values are (34.5 mm, 23 kg/hm2) and (47.5 mm, 18 kg/hm2). (2) Under all SSP scenarios, the optimal irrigation amounts and N application rates are much lower than those under the CINAS. After applying OINASs for summer maize, an average of 1.16–1.22 billion kg of N and 2.98–5.19 billion m3 of freshwater will be saved per future drought year in the NCP. (3) Under all SSP scenarios, the summer maize yields under the OINASs are slightly and significantly greater than those under the CINAS and CK conditions. Moreover, both water and N use efficiencies improved under the OINASs compared with those under the CINAS, with more significant improvements in N use efficiency. The OINASs provide a practical way to ensure food security and environmental sustainability.
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spelling doaj-art-40eb656a964b4f5c80f60f1f125dbe742025-08-20T01:59:49ZengWileyFood and Energy Security2048-36942024-11-01136n/an/a10.1002/fes3.70014Highly Efficient Water and Nitrogen Application Strategies for Maintaining Summer Maize Yield in the North China Plain During Future Drought YearsZheng Wang0Changxiu Cheng1Key Laboratory of Environmental Change and Natural Disaster Beijing Normal University Beijing ChinaKey Laboratory of Environmental Change and Natural Disaster Beijing Normal University Beijing ChinaABSTRACT Future frequent droughts threaten summer maize production in the North China Plain (NCP). A proper combination of irrigation and nitrogen (N) application can improve water and N use efficiency while maintaining summer maize yield. However, the optimal irrigation and N application strategies (OINASs) for summer maize during future drought years in the NCP require further exploration. This study applied the DSSAT‐CERES‐Maize model to investigate OINASs for summer maize for all drought years during 2021–2050 under three shared socioeconomic pathways (SSP1‐2.6, SSP2‐4.5, and SSP5‐8.5). The performance of the OINASs was subsequently evaluated against no irrigation and N application (CK) condition and a conventional irrigation and N application strategy (CINAS). The results highlight the following: (1) For all drought years under the three SSP scenarios, the base fertilizer rate should be 60 kg/hm2, after that the irrigation and N application are required during the jointing and heading periods. Under the SSP1‐2.6 scenario, the average values of irrigation and N application during each earlier period are 35.5 mm and 22 kg/hm2. Under the SSP2‐4.5 and SSP5‐8.5 scenarios, the average values are (34.5 mm, 23 kg/hm2) and (47.5 mm, 18 kg/hm2). (2) Under all SSP scenarios, the optimal irrigation amounts and N application rates are much lower than those under the CINAS. After applying OINASs for summer maize, an average of 1.16–1.22 billion kg of N and 2.98–5.19 billion m3 of freshwater will be saved per future drought year in the NCP. (3) Under all SSP scenarios, the summer maize yields under the OINASs are slightly and significantly greater than those under the CINAS and CK conditions. Moreover, both water and N use efficiencies improved under the OINASs compared with those under the CINAS, with more significant improvements in N use efficiency. The OINASs provide a practical way to ensure food security and environmental sustainability.https://doi.org/10.1002/fes3.70014droughtDSSAT‐CERES‐Maize modelnitrogen use efficiencySSP scenariossummer maize growthwater use efficiency
spellingShingle Zheng Wang
Changxiu Cheng
Highly Efficient Water and Nitrogen Application Strategies for Maintaining Summer Maize Yield in the North China Plain During Future Drought Years
Food and Energy Security
drought
DSSAT‐CERES‐Maize model
nitrogen use efficiency
SSP scenarios
summer maize growth
water use efficiency
title Highly Efficient Water and Nitrogen Application Strategies for Maintaining Summer Maize Yield in the North China Plain During Future Drought Years
title_full Highly Efficient Water and Nitrogen Application Strategies for Maintaining Summer Maize Yield in the North China Plain During Future Drought Years
title_fullStr Highly Efficient Water and Nitrogen Application Strategies for Maintaining Summer Maize Yield in the North China Plain During Future Drought Years
title_full_unstemmed Highly Efficient Water and Nitrogen Application Strategies for Maintaining Summer Maize Yield in the North China Plain During Future Drought Years
title_short Highly Efficient Water and Nitrogen Application Strategies for Maintaining Summer Maize Yield in the North China Plain During Future Drought Years
title_sort highly efficient water and nitrogen application strategies for maintaining summer maize yield in the north china plain during future drought years
topic drought
DSSAT‐CERES‐Maize model
nitrogen use efficiency
SSP scenarios
summer maize growth
water use efficiency
url https://doi.org/10.1002/fes3.70014
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AT changxiucheng highlyefficientwaterandnitrogenapplicationstrategiesformaintainingsummermaizeyieldinthenorthchinaplainduringfuturedroughtyears