Organic Fertilizers as Partial Substitutes for Chemical Fertilizers Enhance Nitrogen Immobilization and Optimize Nitrogen Fate in Paddy Soils

Organic fertilizers as partial substitutes for chemical fertilizers improve soil nitrogen (N) retention capacity. However, the relative importance of biotic and abiotic N immobilization at different levels of organic N substitution and the subsequent effects on N utilization in paddy soils are not w...

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Main Authors: Hongqian Hou, Jianhua Ji, Xianjin Lan, Marios Drosos, Xiumei Liu, Zhenzhen Lv, Yiren Liu, Zhengxin Cheng, Weijun Zhou
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-12-01
Series:Agriculture
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/14/12/2300
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author Hongqian Hou
Jianhua Ji
Xianjin Lan
Marios Drosos
Xiumei Liu
Zhenzhen Lv
Yiren Liu
Zhengxin Cheng
Weijun Zhou
author_facet Hongqian Hou
Jianhua Ji
Xianjin Lan
Marios Drosos
Xiumei Liu
Zhenzhen Lv
Yiren Liu
Zhengxin Cheng
Weijun Zhou
author_sort Hongqian Hou
collection DOAJ
description Organic fertilizers as partial substitutes for chemical fertilizers improve soil nitrogen (N) retention capacity. However, the relative importance of biotic and abiotic N immobilization at different levels of organic N substitution and the subsequent effects on N utilization in paddy soils are not well elucidated. To address these, a combination of <sup>15</sup>N incubation experiments and pot experiments were conducted to investigate biotic and abiotic N immobilization features and their effects on N fertilizer fate under long-term different fertilization regimes in paddy soils in China. Test soils that had received chemical fertilization (NPK), chemical N was substituted with 30%, 50%, and 70% organic N (70 F + 30 M, 50 F + 50 M, and 30 F + 70 M, respectively), and no fertilization (control) for 36 years. The results revealed that both abiotic and biotic NH<sub>4</sub><sup>+</sup>-N immobilization were enhanced under organic N substitution soils. The highest NH<sub>4</sub><sup>+</sup>-N abiotic and biotic N immobilization was observed under 50 F + 50 M soil, significantly increasing by 195.5% and 51.4%, respectively, compared to the NPK soil. In contrast, only abiotic NO<sub>3</sub><sup>−</sup>-N immobilization increased with rising organic substitution N proportions. N fertilizer utilization efficiency was significantly enhanced in 50 F + 50 M soil (36.7%) compared to the NPK soil (30.3%), which was primarily attributed to the enhanced N pool activity and N immobilization capacity. However, the N fertilizer residue rate was significantly higher in the 30 F + 70 M soil (23.6%) compared to the NPK soil (21.6%), largely attributed to the soil properties improvement. Our results suggest that N immobilization capacity and N fertilizer utilization can be optimized with a 50% organic substitution ratio in our studied soil–crop system.
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spelling doaj-art-63d4c7923ecd4428811dba79c12f684d2025-08-20T02:53:39ZengMDPI AGAgriculture2077-04722024-12-011412230010.3390/agriculture14122300Organic Fertilizers as Partial Substitutes for Chemical Fertilizers Enhance Nitrogen Immobilization and Optimize Nitrogen Fate in Paddy SoilsHongqian Hou0Jianhua Ji1Xianjin Lan2Marios Drosos3Xiumei Liu4Zhenzhen Lv5Yiren Liu6Zhengxin Cheng7Weijun Zhou8Institute of Soil, Fertilizer, Resources and Environment, Jiangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanchang 330200, ChinaInstitute of Soil, Fertilizer, Resources and Environment, Jiangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanchang 330200, ChinaInstitute of Soil, Fertilizer, Resources and Environment, Jiangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanchang 330200, ChinaDepartment of Agricultural, Forest, Food and Environmental Sciences (DAFE), University of Basilicata, Viale Dell’Ateneo Lucano 10, 85100 Potenza, ItalyInstitute of Soil, Fertilizer, Resources and Environment, Jiangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanchang 330200, ChinaInstitute of Soil, Fertilizer, Resources and Environment, Jiangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanchang 330200, ChinaInstitute of Soil, Fertilizer, Resources and Environment, Jiangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanchang 330200, ChinaJiangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanchang 330200, ChinaCollege of Resources, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, ChinaOrganic fertilizers as partial substitutes for chemical fertilizers improve soil nitrogen (N) retention capacity. However, the relative importance of biotic and abiotic N immobilization at different levels of organic N substitution and the subsequent effects on N utilization in paddy soils are not well elucidated. To address these, a combination of <sup>15</sup>N incubation experiments and pot experiments were conducted to investigate biotic and abiotic N immobilization features and their effects on N fertilizer fate under long-term different fertilization regimes in paddy soils in China. Test soils that had received chemical fertilization (NPK), chemical N was substituted with 30%, 50%, and 70% organic N (70 F + 30 M, 50 F + 50 M, and 30 F + 70 M, respectively), and no fertilization (control) for 36 years. The results revealed that both abiotic and biotic NH<sub>4</sub><sup>+</sup>-N immobilization were enhanced under organic N substitution soils. The highest NH<sub>4</sub><sup>+</sup>-N abiotic and biotic N immobilization was observed under 50 F + 50 M soil, significantly increasing by 195.5% and 51.4%, respectively, compared to the NPK soil. In contrast, only abiotic NO<sub>3</sub><sup>−</sup>-N immobilization increased with rising organic substitution N proportions. N fertilizer utilization efficiency was significantly enhanced in 50 F + 50 M soil (36.7%) compared to the NPK soil (30.3%), which was primarily attributed to the enhanced N pool activity and N immobilization capacity. However, the N fertilizer residue rate was significantly higher in the 30 F + 70 M soil (23.6%) compared to the NPK soil (21.6%), largely attributed to the soil properties improvement. Our results suggest that N immobilization capacity and N fertilizer utilization can be optimized with a 50% organic substitution ratio in our studied soil–crop system.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/14/12/2300<sup>15</sup>N tracer techniquesorganic N fractionsN immobilizationN fertilizer fatepaddy soil
spellingShingle Hongqian Hou
Jianhua Ji
Xianjin Lan
Marios Drosos
Xiumei Liu
Zhenzhen Lv
Yiren Liu
Zhengxin Cheng
Weijun Zhou
Organic Fertilizers as Partial Substitutes for Chemical Fertilizers Enhance Nitrogen Immobilization and Optimize Nitrogen Fate in Paddy Soils
Agriculture
<sup>15</sup>N tracer techniques
organic N fractions
N immobilization
N fertilizer fate
paddy soil
title Organic Fertilizers as Partial Substitutes for Chemical Fertilizers Enhance Nitrogen Immobilization and Optimize Nitrogen Fate in Paddy Soils
title_full Organic Fertilizers as Partial Substitutes for Chemical Fertilizers Enhance Nitrogen Immobilization and Optimize Nitrogen Fate in Paddy Soils
title_fullStr Organic Fertilizers as Partial Substitutes for Chemical Fertilizers Enhance Nitrogen Immobilization and Optimize Nitrogen Fate in Paddy Soils
title_full_unstemmed Organic Fertilizers as Partial Substitutes for Chemical Fertilizers Enhance Nitrogen Immobilization and Optimize Nitrogen Fate in Paddy Soils
title_short Organic Fertilizers as Partial Substitutes for Chemical Fertilizers Enhance Nitrogen Immobilization and Optimize Nitrogen Fate in Paddy Soils
title_sort organic fertilizers as partial substitutes for chemical fertilizers enhance nitrogen immobilization and optimize nitrogen fate in paddy soils
topic <sup>15</sup>N tracer techniques
organic N fractions
N immobilization
N fertilizer fate
paddy soil
url https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/14/12/2300
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