| Popis: |
Potatoes, as a high-nitrogen (N)-demand crop, are strongly influenced by both the quantity and form of N supply. Previous studies have demonstrated that applying nitrate N prior to tuber formation and ammonium N post-tuber formation can substantially enhance potato yields and improve N fertilizer use efficiency. However, the ammonium N introduced into the soil undergoes nitrification, creating challenges in aligning the N supply form with the needs of potatoes. This study explored novel N regulation strategies aimed at augmenting potato yields and improving N fertilizer use efficiency. Two field experiments were conducted from 2020 to 2022. Experiment 1 involved four N gradients, namely no N, 150 kg N ha−1, 300 kg N ha−1, and 450 kg N ha−1. Soil samples were collected regularly to determine the transformation patterns of soil ammonium N during potato growth. Experiment 2 included three N management practices: farmer practice (Con), ''nitrate followed by ammonium'' with nitrification inhibitor (N–NI), and optimization (the soil ammonium N transformation-based split application of N fertilizer, Opt). The potato yield and N fertilizer use efficiency were compared to assess the performance of the optimized strategy. The results showed that 90 % of the ammonium N transformed 20 days after the basal dressing of N. When N fertilizer was applied as top dressing during the tuber formation and bulking stages, more than 90 % of ammonium N was transformed after 10 days. The optimized strategy resulted in a 20 % increase in potato yield, a 20 % increase in N fertilizer partial factor productivity, and a 12–20 % reduction in residual inorganic N in the 0–60 cm soil layer. This suggests that ammonium N applied as base fertilizer exhibits a relatively slow transformation rate, while applying ammonium N as top dressing during the tuber formation and bulking stages accelerates the transformation rate. The split application of ammonium N based on soil ammonium N transformation patterns can improve the alignment between the N supply form with the specific demands of potatoes. |
