Nutrient Expert, an Environmental Friendly Fertilizer Recommendation Tool, Improves Crop Productivity and Nutrient Efficiency.

Nutrient Expert, an environmental friendly fertilizer recommendation tool, improves crop productivity and nutrient efficiency

Ping He^1,2, Xinpeng Xu¹, Rongrong Zhao¹, Limin Chuan¹, Adrian Johnston³

1 Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 2 International Plant Nutrition Institute China Program, Beijing China 100081, 3 International Plant Nutrition Institute, Saskatoon, S7N 3A3 CANADA 

Over and imbalanced fertilization is proved to be the limitation of further yield increase, and also the causes for low fertilizer use efficiencies. To develop a user and environmental friendly fertilizer recommendation method is important for crop production and improvement of the nutrient efficiency. The International Plant Nutrition Institute (IPNI) developed a site-specific nutrient management method, Nutrient Expert (NE), to optimize the supply and crop need for nutrients and achieve balanced plant nutrition with considering the soil indigenous supply and crop rotation systems. Total numbers of 290 wheat and 544 maize field validation conducted in main wheat and maize production areas from 2010 to 2014. Results indicated that NE can improve grain yield and nitrogen (N) use efficiency parameters, and at the same time reduced greenhouse gases (GHG) emission through better nutrient management practices, that were to apply fertilizer with the right source, right rate, right time and right placement, with integration of other agronomic practices. Fertilizer application rate for NE treatment averaged 165 kg N/ha, 84kg P₂O₅/ha and 74 kg K₂O/ha for wheat and 158 kg N/ha, 52 kg P₂O₅/ha and 68 kg K₂O/ha for maize respectively, as compared to farmer’s practice (FP) with 279 kg N/ha, 119 kg P₂O₅/ha and 49 kg K₂O/ha for wheat and 230 kg N/ha, 62 kg P₂O₅/ha and 49 kg K₂O/ha for maize, and soil testing with 239 kg N/ha, 107 kg P₂O₅/ha and 71 kg K₂O/ha for wheat and 200 kg N/ha, 56 kg P₂O₅/ha and 74 kg K₂O/ha for maize, respectively. No significant yield increased from NE as compared with FP and soil testing. However, Higher agronomic efficiency, recovery efficiency and partial factor productivity of N and lower GHG emission in NE treatment was observed than those in FP and soil testing. It was demonstrated that the NE is a promising fertilizer recommendation method that can improve grain yield and nutrient efficiency and protect the environment, and can be used with or without soil testing.