IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v9y2017i10p1905-d116045.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Exploring the Trends in Nitrogen Input and Nitrogen Use Efficiency for Agricultural Sustainability

Author

Listed:
  • Shen Yuan

    (National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, MOA Key Laboratory of Crop Ecophysiology and Farming System in the Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China)

  • Shaobing Peng

    (National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, MOA Key Laboratory of Crop Ecophysiology and Farming System in the Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China)

Abstract

Crop production is threatened by the increased nitrogen (N) input and declining N use efficiency (NUE). Information on total N input from planted seeds/tubers, atmospheric deposition, irrigation water, crop residues, animal manure, biological N fixation, and synthetic N fertilizer and NUE based on these N inputs in China’s crop production is limited. We calculated the amount of various N inputs and NUE based on 117 primary crops from 1961 to 2012 in China. The total N input increased from 8.0 Mt in 1961 to 60.8 Mt in 2012. The substantial shift in the types of N input was observed from animal manure and biological N fixation toward synthetic N fertilizer. Animal manure plus biological N fixation and synthetic N fertilizer accounted for 70.9% and 6.8% of total N input in 1961, respectively, and these values were changed to 15.7% and 74.0% in 2012. Partial factor productivity of applied synthetic N and crop’s recovery efficiency of total N input declined substantially during the study period. These results suggest that it is essential to reduce synthetic N input and increase NUE with improved crop management practices and N-efficient crop varieties to achieve the sustainability of crop production in China.

Suggested Citation

  • Shen Yuan & Shaobing Peng, 2017. "Exploring the Trends in Nitrogen Input and Nitrogen Use Efficiency for Agricultural Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(10), pages 1-15, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:9:y:2017:i:10:p:1905-:d:116045
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/9/10/1905/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/9/10/1905/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jacob W. Crandall & Mayada Oudah & Tennom & Fatimah Ishowo-Oloko & Sherief Abdallah & Jean-François Bonnefon & Manuel Cebrian & Azim Shariff & Michael A. Goodrich & Iyad Rahwan, 2018. "Cooperating with machines," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 9(1), pages 1-12, December.
      • Abdallah, Sherief & Bonnefon, Jean-François & Cebrian, Manuel & Crandall, Jacob W. & Ishowo-Oloko, Fatimah & Oudah, Mayada & Rahwan, Iyad & Shariff, Azim & Tennom,, 2017. "Cooperating with Machines," TSE Working Papers 17-806, Toulouse School of Economics (TSE).
      • Abdallah, Sherief & Bonnefon, Jean-François & Cebrian, Manuel & Crandall, Jacob W. & Ishowo-Oloko, Fatimah & Oudah, Mayada & Rahwan, Iyad & Shariff, Azim & Tennom,, 2017. "Cooperating with Machines," IAST Working Papers 17-68, Institute for Advanced Study in Toulouse (IAST).
      • Jacob Crandall & Mayada Oudah & Fatimah Ishowo-Oloko Tennom & Fatimah Ishowo-Oloko & Sherief Abdallah & Jean-François Bonnefon & Manuel Cebrian & Azim Shariff & Michael Goodrich & Iyad Rahwan, 2018. "Cooperating with machines," Post-Print hal-01897802, HAL.
    2. María José Ibarrola-Rivas & Sanderine Nonhebel, 2016. "Variations in the Use of Resources for Food: Land, Nitrogen Fertilizer and Food Nexus," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(12), pages 1-16, December.
    3. Xuejun Liu & Ying Zhang & Wenxuan Han & Aohan Tang & Jianlin Shen & Zhenling Cui & Peter Vitousek & Jan Willem Erisman & Keith Goulding & Peter Christie & Andreas Fangmeier & Fusuo Zhang, 2013. "Enhanced nitrogen deposition over China," Nature, Nature, vol. 494(7438), pages 459-462, February.
    4. LU, Jianxin & SU, Yuwei, 2014. "On Willingness of Rural Land Circulation and Securitization in Central Regions of China," Asian Agricultural Research, USA-China Science and Culture Media Corporation, vol. 6(03), pages 1-6, March.
    5. Bertrand Hirel & Thierry Tétu & Peter J. Lea & Frédéric Dubois, 2011. "Improving Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Crops for Sustainable Agriculture," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 3(9), pages 1-34, September.
    6. Yangyang Li & Lihua Huang & Huan Zhang & Mingming Wang & Zhengwei Liang, 2017. "Assessment of Ammonia Volatilization Losses and Nitrogen Utilization during the Rice Growing Season in Alkaline Salt-Affected Soils," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(1), pages 1-15, January.
    7. Tolkach, Denis & Pratt, Stephen & Zeng, Christine Y.H., 2017. "Ethics of Chinese & Western tourists in Hong Kong," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 83-96.
    8. David Tilman & Kenneth G. Cassman & Pamela A. Matson & Rosamond Naylor & Stephen Polasky, 2002. "Agricultural sustainability and intensive production practices," Nature, Nature, vol. 418(6898), pages 671-677, August.
    9. Nicolas Gruber & James N. Galloway, 2008. "An Earth-system perspective of the global nitrogen cycle," Nature, Nature, vol. 451(7176), pages 293-296, January.
    10. Rebecca F. Graham & Sam E. Wortman & Cameron M. Pittelkow, 2017. "Comparison of Organic and Integrated Nutrient Management Strategies for Reducing Soil N 2 O Emissions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(4), pages 1-14, March.
    11. Andrew P. Whitmore & Keith W. T. Goulding & Margaret J. Glendining & A. Gordon Dailey & Kevin Coleman & David S. Powlson, 2012. "Nutrient Management in Support of Environmental and Agricultural Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 4(10), pages 1-12, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Honghong Ma & Tao Yang & Xinxiang Niu & Zhenan Hou & Xingwang Ma, 2021. "Sound Water and Nitrogen Management Decreases Nitrogen Losses from a Drip-Fertigated Cotton Field in Northwestern China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-13, January.
    2. Mwinuka, Paul Reuben & Mourice, Sixbert K. & Mbungu, Winfred B. & Mbilinyi, Boniphace P. & Tumbo, Siza D. & Schmitter, Petra, 2022. "UAV-based multispectral vegetation indices for assessing the interactive effects of water and nitrogen in irrigated horticultural crops production under tropical sub-humid conditions: A case of Africa," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 266(C).
    3. Aixia Xu & Lingling Li & Junhong Xie & Xingzheng Wang & Jeffrey A. Coulter & Chang Liu & Linlin Wang, 2020. "Effect of Long-Term Nitrogen Addition on Wheat Yield, Nitrogen Use Efficiency, and Residual Soil Nitrate in a Semiarid Area of the Loess Plateau of China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-17, February.
    4. Souhil Harchaoui & Petros Chatzimpiros, 2018. "Energy, Nitrogen, and Farm Surplus Transitions in Agriculture from Historical Data Modeling. France, 1882–2013," Post-Print hal-02999180, HAL.
    5. Jianfei Shen & Erli Dan & Yalin Lu & Yiwei Guo, 2021. "Exploratory Research on Overfertilization in Grain Production and Its Relationship with Financial Factors: Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-19, February.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Qiming Wang & Tao Zhang & Xinyue He & Rongfeng Jiang, 2017. "Assessment of Phosphorus Recovery from Swine Wastewater in Beijing, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(10), pages 1-14, October.
    2. Shichun Xu & Wenwen Zhang & Qinbin Li & Bin Zhao & Shuxiao Wang & Ruyin Long, 2017. "Decomposition Analysis of the Factors that Influence Energy Related Air Pollutant Emission Changes in China Using the SDA Method," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(10), pages 1-18, September.
    3. Huang, Suo & Bartlett, Paul & Arain, M. Altaf, 2016. "An analysis of global terrestrial carbon, water and energy dynamics using the carbon–nitrogen coupled CLASS-CTEMN+ model," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 336(C), pages 36-56.
    4. Zhuang, Minghao & Liu, Yize & Yang, Yi & Zhang, Qingsong & Ying, Hao & Yin, Yulong & Cui, Zhenling, 2022. "The sustainability of staple crops in China can be substantially improved through localized strategies," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    5. Mirhaj, M. & Razzak, M.A. & Wahab, M.A., 2014. "Comparison of nitrogen balances and efficiencies in rice cum prawn vs. rice cum fish cultures in Mymensingh, North-Eastern Bangladesh," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 54-62.
    6. Yi Liu & Yutian Liang & Shiping Ma & Kaixuan Huang, 2017. "Divergent Developmental Trajectories and Strategic Coupling in the Pearl River Delta: Where Is a Sustainable Way of Regional Economic Growth?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(10), pages 1-15, October.
    7. Marlena Gołaś & Piotr Sulewski & Adam Wąs & Anna Kłoczko-Gajewska & Kinga Pogodzińska, 2020. "On the Way to Sustainable Agriculture—Eco-Efficiency of Polish Commercial Farms," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-24, September.
    8. Aizenman, Joshua & Jinjarak, Yothin & Zheng, Huanhuan, 2018. "Chinese outwards mercantilism – The art and practice of bundling," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 31-49.
    9. Weishou Shen & Yaou Long & Zijian Qiu & Nan Gao & Yoko Masuda & Hideomi Itoh & Hirotomo Ohba & Yutaka Shiratori & Adharsh Rajasekar & Keishi Senoo, 2022. "Investigation of Rice Yields and Critical N Losses from Paddy Soil under Different N Fertilization Rates with Iron Application," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(14), pages 1-16, July.
    10. Gao, Wei & Hong, Bongghi & Swaney, Dennis P. & Howarth, Robert W. & Guo, Huaicheng, 2016. "A system dynamics model for managing regional N inputs from human activities," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 322(C), pages 82-91.
    11. Wang, Dan & Mo, Yan & Li, Guangyong & Wilkerson, Carol Jo & Hoogenboom, Gerrit, 2021. "Improving maize production and decreasing nitrogen residue in soil using mulched drip fertigation," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 251(C).
    12. Yongle Li & Bangrong Shu & Xiaoping Shi & Yu Zhu, 2017. "Variation of Land-Expropriated Farmers’ Willingness: A Perspective of Employment and Inhabitance," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(7), pages 1-18, June.
    13. Juntao Fan & Jin Wu & Weijing Kong & Yizhang Zhang & Mengdi Li & Yuan Zhang & Wei Meng & And Mengheng Zhang, 2017. "Predicting Bio-indicators of Aquatic Ecosystems Using the Support Vector Machine Model in the Taizi River, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(6), pages 1-11, May.
    14. He, Wentian & Jiang, Rong & He, Ping & Yang, Jingyi & Zhou, Wei & Ma, Jinchuan & Liu, Yingxia, 2018. "Estimating soil nitrogen balance at regional scale in China’s croplands from 1984 to 2014," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 167(C), pages 125-135.
    15. Eros Borsato & Alejandro Galindo & Paolo Tarolli & Luigi Sartori & Francesco Marinello, 2018. "Evaluation of the Grey Water Footprint Comparing the Indirect Effects of Different Agricultural Practices," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-15, November.
    16. Wang, Lei & Li, Lianqing & Cheng, Kun & Pan, Genxing, 2019. "Comprehensive evaluation of environmental footprints of regional crop production: A case study of Chizhou City, China," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 164(C), pages 1-1.
    17. van Wesenbeeck, C.F.A. & Keyzer, M.A. & van Veen, W.C.M. & Qiu, H., 2021. "Can China's overuse of fertilizer be reduced without threatening food security and farm incomes?," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 190(C).
    18. Elisa Morri & Riccardo Santolini, 2021. "Ecosystem Services Valuation for the Sustainable Land Use Management by Nature-Based Solution (NbS) in the Common Agricultural Policy Actions: A Case Study on the Foglia River Basin (Marche Region, It," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(1), pages 1-23, December.
    19. Liu, Duan & Tang, Runcheng & Xie, Jun & Tian, Jingjing & Shi, Rui & Zhang, Kai, 2020. "Valuation of ecosystem services of rice–fish coculture systems in Ruyuan County, China," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 41(C).
    20. Nils Köbis & Jean-François Bonnefon & Iyad Rahwan, 2021. "Bad machines corrupt good morals," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 5(6), pages 679-685, June.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:9:y:2017:i:10:p:1905-:d:116045. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.