Mitigating gaseous nitrogen emissions in cotton fields through green manure and reduced nitrogen fertilization

Integrating green manure with reduced nitrogen (N) fertilization is a promising strategy to mitigate N emissions in intensive cotton cultivation, however, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. This study investigated the effects of three green manure incorporation patterns—no green man...

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Main Authors: Ru Ma, Zhenggui Zhang, Jian Wang, Yingchun Han, Ke Li, Mengyao Hou, Yaping Lei, Shiwu Xiong, Beifang Yang, Xiaoyu Zhi, Yahui Jiao, Tao Lin, Shijie Zhang, Yabing Li
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Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-06-01
Series:Frontiers in Microbiology
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1615142/full
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author Ru Ma
Zhenggui Zhang
Jian Wang
Yingchun Han
Ke Li
Mengyao Hou
Mengyao Hou
Yaping Lei
Shiwu Xiong
Beifang Yang
Xiaoyu Zhi
Yahui Jiao
Tao Lin
Shijie Zhang
Shijie Zhang
Yabing Li
Yabing Li
author_facet Ru Ma
Zhenggui Zhang
Jian Wang
Yingchun Han
Ke Li
Mengyao Hou
Mengyao Hou
Yaping Lei
Shiwu Xiong
Beifang Yang
Xiaoyu Zhi
Yahui Jiao
Tao Lin
Shijie Zhang
Shijie Zhang
Yabing Li
Yabing Li
author_sort Ru Ma
collection DOAJ
description Integrating green manure with reduced nitrogen (N) fertilization is a promising strategy to mitigate N emissions in intensive cotton cultivation, however, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. This study investigated the effects of three green manure incorporation patterns—no green manure (NG), Orychophragmus violaceus (OVG), and Vicia villosa (VVG)—combined with four N reduction levels (100, 50, 25%, and conventional) on gaseous N emissions (NH3 and N2O), soil physicochemical properties, and bacterial community characteristics using a cotton field experiment in the Yellow River Basin. Results showed that OVG incorporation with 25% N reduction (N2 treatment) significantly reduced total gaseous N emissions by 36.07% on average during the cotton growth period, reducing NH3 and N2O emissions by 13.31–54.11% and 32.25–68.77%, respectively, compared with N2 application without OVG. OVG application also increased the relative abundance of Proteobacteria (28.10%), enhanced heterogeneous selection in bacterial community assembly (200%), and increased the complexity of co-occurrence networks, compared with NG. Compared with conventional N fertilization (N3 treatment), ≥50% N reduction significantly lowered NH3 (>25.51%) and N2O (>32.76%) emissions, reduced the relative abundance of Acidobacteria (−20.23%), simplified co-occurrence networks, and increased homogeneous selection in bacterial assembly (50.00%). Integrating green manure with 25% N reduction substantially reduced gaseous N emissions, which was associated with the enhanced microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and facilitated recruitment of key bacterial taxa (e.g., Sphingosinicella, Azohydromonas, Phototrophicus) within the microbial co-occurrence network. These findings provide insight into how green manure application coupled with N reduction can mitigate gaseous N losses and reshape soil microbial ecology, offering a theoretical basis for sustainable nutrient management during cotton production.
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spelling doaj-art-c03a5945af5e43e88e251f53301df7202025-08-20T02:01:47ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Microbiology1664-302X2025-06-011610.3389/fmicb.2025.16151421615142Mitigating gaseous nitrogen emissions in cotton fields through green manure and reduced nitrogen fertilizationRu Ma0Zhenggui Zhang1Jian Wang2Yingchun Han3Ke Li4Mengyao Hou5Mengyao Hou6Yaping Lei7Shiwu Xiong8Beifang Yang9Xiaoyu Zhi10Yahui Jiao11Tao Lin12Shijie Zhang13Shijie Zhang14Yabing Li15Yabing Li16Zhengzhou Research Base, State Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-Breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-Breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-Breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, ChinaZhengzhou Research Base, State Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, ChinaZhengzhou Research Base, State Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, ChinaHenan Key Laboratory of Ion-Beam Green Agriculture Bioengineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-Breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-Breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-Breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-Breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-Breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, ChinaXinjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Institute of Cash Crops, Ürümqi, ChinaZhengzhou Research Base, State Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, ChinaHenan Key Laboratory of Ion-Beam Green Agriculture Bioengineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, ChinaZhengzhou Research Base, State Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-Breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, ChinaIntegrating green manure with reduced nitrogen (N) fertilization is a promising strategy to mitigate N emissions in intensive cotton cultivation, however, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. This study investigated the effects of three green manure incorporation patterns—no green manure (NG), Orychophragmus violaceus (OVG), and Vicia villosa (VVG)—combined with four N reduction levels (100, 50, 25%, and conventional) on gaseous N emissions (NH3 and N2O), soil physicochemical properties, and bacterial community characteristics using a cotton field experiment in the Yellow River Basin. Results showed that OVG incorporation with 25% N reduction (N2 treatment) significantly reduced total gaseous N emissions by 36.07% on average during the cotton growth period, reducing NH3 and N2O emissions by 13.31–54.11% and 32.25–68.77%, respectively, compared with N2 application without OVG. OVG application also increased the relative abundance of Proteobacteria (28.10%), enhanced heterogeneous selection in bacterial community assembly (200%), and increased the complexity of co-occurrence networks, compared with NG. Compared with conventional N fertilization (N3 treatment), ≥50% N reduction significantly lowered NH3 (>25.51%) and N2O (>32.76%) emissions, reduced the relative abundance of Acidobacteria (−20.23%), simplified co-occurrence networks, and increased homogeneous selection in bacterial assembly (50.00%). Integrating green manure with 25% N reduction substantially reduced gaseous N emissions, which was associated with the enhanced microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and facilitated recruitment of key bacterial taxa (e.g., Sphingosinicella, Azohydromonas, Phototrophicus) within the microbial co-occurrence network. These findings provide insight into how green manure application coupled with N reduction can mitigate gaseous N losses and reshape soil microbial ecology, offering a theoretical basis for sustainable nutrient management during cotton production.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1615142/fullN2O emissionsNH3 volatilizationgreen manureN fertilizer reductionbacterial keystone taxa
spellingShingle Ru Ma
Zhenggui Zhang
Jian Wang
Yingchun Han
Ke Li
Mengyao Hou
Mengyao Hou
Yaping Lei
Shiwu Xiong
Beifang Yang
Xiaoyu Zhi
Yahui Jiao
Tao Lin
Shijie Zhang
Shijie Zhang
Yabing Li
Yabing Li
Mitigating gaseous nitrogen emissions in cotton fields through green manure and reduced nitrogen fertilization
Frontiers in Microbiology
N2O emissions
NH3 volatilization
green manure
N fertilizer reduction
bacterial keystone taxa
title Mitigating gaseous nitrogen emissions in cotton fields through green manure and reduced nitrogen fertilization
title_full Mitigating gaseous nitrogen emissions in cotton fields through green manure and reduced nitrogen fertilization
title_fullStr Mitigating gaseous nitrogen emissions in cotton fields through green manure and reduced nitrogen fertilization
title_full_unstemmed Mitigating gaseous nitrogen emissions in cotton fields through green manure and reduced nitrogen fertilization
title_short Mitigating gaseous nitrogen emissions in cotton fields through green manure and reduced nitrogen fertilization
title_sort mitigating gaseous nitrogen emissions in cotton fields through green manure and reduced nitrogen fertilization
topic N2O emissions
NH3 volatilization
green manure
N fertilizer reduction
bacterial keystone taxa
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1615142/full
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