Recovery of nitrogen fertiliser by drill-sown rice crops using best management practice: a 15N-labelled urea study
Terry J. Rose
A B * , Lee J. Kearney A B , Brian W. Dunn C and Tina S. Dunn C
A Faculty of Science and Engineering, Southern Cross University, PO Box 157, Lismore, NSW 2480, Australia.
B Southern Cross Plant Science, Southern Cross University, PO Box 157, Lismore, NSW 2480, Australia.
C NSW Department of Primary Industries, Yanco Agricultural Institute, PMB, Yanco, NSW 2703, Australia.
Crop & Pasture Science 73(11) 1245-1252 https://doi.org/10.1071/CP21754
Submitted: 5 November 2021 Accepted: 19 April 2022 Published: 12 July 2022
© 2022 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND)
Abstract
Context: Optimising nitrogen (N) management strategies for drill-sown rice crops is essential for minimising input costs for growers and reducing the environmental impact of rice production.
Aims: The study aimed to determine the recovery of fertiliser-N in drill-sown Australian rice crops, following current N fertiliser recommendations where two-thirds of the N is applied at sowing (pre-flood) and one-third at panicle initiation.
Methods: 15N-labelled urea was used to quantify N recovery by field-grown rice crops on a Sodosol and a Vertosol, and to determine the contributions of fertiliser-N applied pre-flood vs that applied at panicle initiation to total N fertiliser recovery on the Vertosol.
Results: Recovery of 15N fertiliser in grain + straw was ∼50% of applied N on both soils, with a further 20% recovered from roots and soil to a depth of 30 cm. Recovery of N fertiliser applied at panicle initiation (59%) was significantly higher than of N fertiliser applied pre-flood (43%), likely due to the presence of actively growing roots and higher plant N demand. Crops that received N fertiliser took up more native soil N than unfertilised crops on the Vertosol; hence, apparent fertiliser N recoveries were 10–15% higher than N fertiliser recovery determined using 15N-labelled urea.
Conclusions: The recovery of 50% of fertiliser-N in aboveground plant material indicates that N fertiliser use efficiency in drill-sown rice is similar to that of dryland cereal crops in Australia when best management practice guidelines for N fertiliser use are followed.
Keywords: direct seeding, fertiliser efficiency, isotope, nitrogen recovery, nitrogen use efficiency, temperate rice crops, water savings, water use efficiency.
References
Angus JF, Grace PR (2017) Nitrogen balance in Australia and nitrogen use efficiency on Australian farms. Soil Research 55, 435–450.| Nitrogen balance in Australia and nitrogen use efficiency on Australian farms.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Bacon PE, Heenan DP (1987) Nitrogen budgets for intensive rice growing in Southern Australia. In ‘Efficiency of nitrogen fertilisers in rice’. (Eds JR Freney, R Wetselaar, ACF Trevitt, JR Simpson) pp. 89–95. (International Rice Research Institute: Los Baños, Philippines)
Bollich PK, Lindau CW, Norman RJ (1994) Management of fertiliser nitrogen in dry-seeded, delayed-flood rice. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 34, 1007–1012.
| Management of fertiliser nitrogen in dry-seeded, delayed-flood rice.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Carrijo DR, Lundy ME, Linquist BA (2017) Rice yields and water use under alternate wetting and drying irrigation: a meta-analysis. Field Crops Research 203, 173–180.
| Rice yields and water use under alternate wetting and drying irrigation: a meta-analysis.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Cassman KG, Peng S, Olk DC, Ladha JK, Reichardt W, Dobermann A, Singh U (1998) Opportunities for increased nitrogen-use efficiency from improved resource management in irrigated rice systems. Field Crops Research 56, 7–39.
| Opportunities for increased nitrogen-use efficiency from improved resource management in irrigated rice systems.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Dillon KA, Walker TW, Harrell DL, Krutz LJ, Varco JJ, Koger CH, Cox MS (2012) Nitrogen sources and timing effects on nitrogen loss and uptake in delayed flood rice. Agronomy Journal 104, 466–472.
| Nitrogen sources and timing effects on nitrogen loss and uptake in delayed flood rice.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Dunn BW, Gaydon DS (2011) Rice growth, yield and water productivity responses to irrigation scheduling prior to the delayed application of continuous flooding in south-east Australia. Agricultural Water Management 98, 1799–1807.
| Rice growth, yield and water productivity responses to irrigation scheduling prior to the delayed application of continuous flooding in south-east Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Dunn BW, Dunn TS, Beecher HG (2014) Nitrogen timing and rate effects on growth and grain yield of delayed permanent-water rice in south-eastern Australia. Crop & Pasture Science 65, 878–887.
| Nitrogen timing and rate effects on growth and grain yield of delayed permanent-water rice in south-eastern Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Dunn BW, Dunn TS, Orchard BA (2016) Nitrogen rate and timing effects on growth and yield of drill-sown rice. Crop & Pasture Science 67, 1149–1157.
| Nitrogen rate and timing effects on growth and yield of drill-sown rice.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Humphreys E, Chalk PM, Muirhead WA, Melhuish FM, White RJG (1987) Effects of time of urea application on combine-sown Calrose rice in south-east Australia. III. Fertiliser nitrogen recovery, efficiency of fertilisation and soil nitrogen supply. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 38, 129–138.
| Effects of time of urea application on combine-sown Calrose rice in south-east Australia. III. Fertiliser nitrogen recovery, efficiency of fertilisation and soil nitrogen supply.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Isbell RF (1996) ‘The Australian Soil Classification.’ (CSIRO Publishing: Melbourne, Vic., Australia)
Kuzyakov Y, Friedel JK, Stahr K (2000) Review of mechanisms and quantification of priming effects. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 32, 1485–1498.
| Review of mechanisms and quantification of priming effects.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Norman RJ, Wilson CE, Slaton NA, Griggs BR, Bushong JT, Gbur EE (2009) Nitrogen fertilizer sources and timing before flooding dry-seeded, delayed-flood rice. Soil Science Society of America Journal 73, 2184–2190.
| Nitrogen fertilizer sources and timing before flooding dry-seeded, delayed-flood rice.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Rayment GE, Lyons DJ (2011) ‘Soil chemical methods: Australasia.’ (CSIRO Publishing: Melbourne, Vic., Australia)
Rejesus RM, Palis FG, Rodriguez DGP, Lampayan RM, Bouman BAM (2011) Impact of the alternate wetting and drying (AWD) water-saving irrigation technique: evidence from rice producers in the Philippines. Food Policy 36, 280–288.
| Impact of the alternate wetting and drying (AWD) water-saving irrigation technique: evidence from rice producers in the Philippines.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Rose TJ, Erler DV, Farzana T, van Zwieten L (2016) Delayed permanent water rice production systems do not improve the recovery of 15N-urea compared to continuously flooded systems. European Journal of Agronomy 81, 46–51.
| Delayed permanent water rice production systems do not improve the recovery of 15N-urea compared to continuously flooded systems.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Vlek PLG, Byrnes BH (1986) The efficacy and loss of fertilizer N in lowland rice. Fertilizer Research 9, 131–147.
| The efficacy and loss of fertilizer N in lowland rice.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Westcott MP, Brandon DM, Lindau CW, Patrick HW (1986) Effects of seeding method and time of fertilization on urea-nitrogen-15 recovery in rice. Agronomy Journal 78, 474–478.
| Effects of seeding method and time of fertilization on urea-nitrogen-15 recovery in rice.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Williams RL, Angus JF (1994) Deep floodwater protects high nitrogen rice crops from low temperature damage. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 34, 927–932.
| Deep floodwater protects high nitrogen rice crops from low temperature damage.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
