Optimizing Nitrogen Fertilizer Rate and Investigating Mechanism Driving Grain Yield Increase for Rice in the Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River
Investigating the factors influencing rice grain yield (GY) is critical for optimizing nitrogen (N) management and enhancing resource use efficiency in rice cultivation. However, few studies have comprehensively investigated the factors affecting rice GY, considering an entire influence chain encomp...
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2025-07-01
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| Series: | Plants |
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| author | Tianxiang Xu Hailin Zhang Jie Gong Ling Wang Yongsheng Wang Weiwen Qiu Muxing Liu Shenglong Li Yuanhang Fei Qi Li Xin Ni Jun Yi Chuanqin Huang |
| author_facet | Tianxiang Xu Hailin Zhang Jie Gong Ling Wang Yongsheng Wang Weiwen Qiu Muxing Liu Shenglong Li Yuanhang Fei Qi Li Xin Ni Jun Yi Chuanqin Huang |
| author_sort | Tianxiang Xu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Investigating the factors influencing rice grain yield (GY) is critical for optimizing nitrogen (N) management and enhancing resource use efficiency in rice cultivation. However, few studies have comprehensively investigated the factors affecting rice GY, considering an entire influence chain encompassing rice N uptake, growth indicators, and GY components. In this study, field experiment with six different N fertilizer rates (0, 60, 120, 180, 225, and 300 kg N ha<sup>−1</sup>, i.e., N0, N60, N120, N180, N225, and N300) was conducted in the Jianghan Plain in the Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River, China, to comprehensively elucidate the factors influencing rice GY from aspects of rice N uptake, growth indicators, and GY components and determine the optimal N fertilizer rate. The results showed that rice GY and N uptake initially increased and then either stabilized or declined with higher N fertilizer rate, while apparent N loss escalated with increased N fertilizer rate. The application of N fertilizer significantly promoted the increase in straw N uptake, which was significantly positively correlated with growth indicators (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Among all GY components, panicle number per hill was the most significant positive factor influencing rice GY, and it was significantly positively correlated with all rice growth indicators (<i>p</i> < 0.05). In addition, N180 was the optimal N fertilizer rate, ensuring more than 95% of maximum GY and reducing N loss by 74% and 39% compared to N300, respectively. Meanwhile, the average N balance for N180 remained below 60 kg N ha<sup>−1</sup>. In conclusion, optimizing the N fertilizer application in paddy fields can effectively maintain stable rice GY and minimize environmental pollution. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-5a201375e68a4020ad51077ceee71981 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2223-7747 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Plants |
| spelling | doaj-art-5a201375e68a4020ad51077ceee719812025-08-20T04:00:50ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472025-07-011415232610.3390/plants14152326Optimizing Nitrogen Fertilizer Rate and Investigating Mechanism Driving Grain Yield Increase for Rice in the Middle Reaches of the Yangtze RiverTianxiang Xu0Hailin Zhang1Jie Gong2Ling Wang3Yongsheng Wang4Weiwen Qiu5Muxing Liu6Shenglong Li7Yuanhang Fei8Qi Li9Xin Ni10Jun Yi11Chuanqin Huang12Hubei Province Key Laboratory for Geographical Process Analysis and Simulation, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, ChinaHubei Province Key Laboratory for Geographical Process Analysis and Simulation, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, ChinaHefeng County Cultivated Land Quality and Fertilizer Work Station, Enshi 445000, ChinaHefeng County Cultivated Land Quality and Fertilizer Work Station, Enshi 445000, ChinaInstitute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, ChinaThe New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, Private Bag 3230, Hamilton 3240, New ZealandHubei Province Key Laboratory for Geographical Process Analysis and Simulation, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, ChinaHubei Province Key Laboratory for Geographical Process Analysis and Simulation, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, ChinaHubei Province Key Laboratory for Geographical Process Analysis and Simulation, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, ChinaHubei Province Key Laboratory for Geographical Process Analysis and Simulation, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, ChinaHubei Province Key Laboratory for Geographical Process Analysis and Simulation, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, ChinaHubei Province Key Laboratory for Geographical Process Analysis and Simulation, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, ChinaKey Laboratory of Arable Land Conservation (Middle and Lower Reaches of Yangtze River), Ministry of Agriculture, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, ChinaInvestigating the factors influencing rice grain yield (GY) is critical for optimizing nitrogen (N) management and enhancing resource use efficiency in rice cultivation. However, few studies have comprehensively investigated the factors affecting rice GY, considering an entire influence chain encompassing rice N uptake, growth indicators, and GY components. In this study, field experiment with six different N fertilizer rates (0, 60, 120, 180, 225, and 300 kg N ha<sup>−1</sup>, i.e., N0, N60, N120, N180, N225, and N300) was conducted in the Jianghan Plain in the Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River, China, to comprehensively elucidate the factors influencing rice GY from aspects of rice N uptake, growth indicators, and GY components and determine the optimal N fertilizer rate. The results showed that rice GY and N uptake initially increased and then either stabilized or declined with higher N fertilizer rate, while apparent N loss escalated with increased N fertilizer rate. The application of N fertilizer significantly promoted the increase in straw N uptake, which was significantly positively correlated with growth indicators (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Among all GY components, panicle number per hill was the most significant positive factor influencing rice GY, and it was significantly positively correlated with all rice growth indicators (<i>p</i> < 0.05). In addition, N180 was the optimal N fertilizer rate, ensuring more than 95% of maximum GY and reducing N loss by 74% and 39% compared to N300, respectively. Meanwhile, the average N balance for N180 remained below 60 kg N ha<sup>−1</sup>. In conclusion, optimizing the N fertilizer application in paddy fields can effectively maintain stable rice GY and minimize environmental pollution.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/15/2326<i>Oryza sativa</i> L.grain yieldN fertilizerN balanceN loss |
| spellingShingle | Tianxiang Xu Hailin Zhang Jie Gong Ling Wang Yongsheng Wang Weiwen Qiu Muxing Liu Shenglong Li Yuanhang Fei Qi Li Xin Ni Jun Yi Chuanqin Huang Optimizing Nitrogen Fertilizer Rate and Investigating Mechanism Driving Grain Yield Increase for Rice in the Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River Plants <i>Oryza sativa</i> L. grain yield N fertilizer N balance N loss |
| title | Optimizing Nitrogen Fertilizer Rate and Investigating Mechanism Driving Grain Yield Increase for Rice in the Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River |
| title_full | Optimizing Nitrogen Fertilizer Rate and Investigating Mechanism Driving Grain Yield Increase for Rice in the Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River |
| title_fullStr | Optimizing Nitrogen Fertilizer Rate and Investigating Mechanism Driving Grain Yield Increase for Rice in the Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River |
| title_full_unstemmed | Optimizing Nitrogen Fertilizer Rate and Investigating Mechanism Driving Grain Yield Increase for Rice in the Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River |
| title_short | Optimizing Nitrogen Fertilizer Rate and Investigating Mechanism Driving Grain Yield Increase for Rice in the Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River |
| title_sort | optimizing nitrogen fertilizer rate and investigating mechanism driving grain yield increase for rice in the middle reaches of the yangtze river |
| topic | <i>Oryza sativa</i> L. grain yield N fertilizer N balance N loss |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/15/2326 |
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