Global evaluation of key factors influencing nitrogen fertilization efficiency in wheat: a recent meta-analysis (2000-2022)

Solomon Yokamo; Muhammad Irfan; Weiwei Huan; Bin Wang; Yiliu Wang; Muhammad Ishfaq; Diajun Lu; Xiaoqin Chen; Qiuliang Cai; Huoyan Wang

doi:10.3389/fpls.2023.1272098

Global evaluation of key factors influencing nitrogen fertilization efficiency in wheat: a recent meta-analysis (2000-2022)

Front Plant Sci. 2023 Oct 30:14:1272098. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1272098. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Solomon Yokamo^{1

2}, Muhammad Irfan^{1

2}, Weiwei Huan^{1

2}, Bin Wang^{1

2}, Yiliu Wang^{1

2}, Muhammad Ishfaq³, Diajun Lu^{1

2}, Xiaoqin Chen^{1

2}, Qiuliang Cai⁴, Huoyan Wang^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, China.
² University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
³ Department of Plant Nutrition, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences; The State Key Laboratory of Nutrient Use and Management (SKL-NUM), Ministry of Education, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.
⁴ Guangxi Key Laboratory of Biology for Mango, College of Agriculture and Food Engineering, Baise University, Baise, China.

Abstract

Improving nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) without compromising yield remains a crucial agroecological challenge in theory and practice. Some meta-analyses conducted in recent years investigated the impact of nitrogen (N) fertilizer on crop yield and gaseous emissions, but most are region-specific and focused on N sources and application methods. However, various factors affecting yield and N fertilizer efficiency in wheat crops on a global scale are not extensively studied, thus highlighting the need for a comprehensive meta-analysis. Using 109 peer-reviewed research studies (published between 2000 and 2022) from 156 experimental sites (covering 36.8, 38.6 and 24.6% of coarse, medium, and fine texture soils, respectively), we conducted a global meta-analysis to elucidate suitable N management practices and the key factors influencing N fertilization efficiency in wheat as a function of yield and recovery efficiency and also explained future perspectives for efficient N management in wheat crop. Overall, N fertilization had a significant impact on wheat yield. A curvilinear relationship was found between N rates and grain yield, whereas maximum yield improvement was illustrated at 150-300 kg N ha^-1. In addition, N increased yield by 92.18% under direct soil incorporation, 87.55% under combined chemical and organic fertilizers application, and 72.86% under split application. Site-specific covariates (climatic conditions and soil properties) had a pronounced impact on N fertilization efficiency. A significantly higher yield response was observed in regions with MAP > 800 mm, and where MAT remained < 15 °C. Additionally, the highest yield response was observed with initial AN, AP and AK concentrations at < 20, < 10 and 100-150 mg kg^-1, respectively, and yield response considerably declined with increasing these threshold values. Nevertheless, regression analysis revealed a declining trend in N recovery efficiency (REN) and the addition of N in already fertile soils may affect plant uptake and RE. Global REN in wheat remained at 49.78% and followed a negative trend with the further increase of N supply and improvement in soil properties. Finally, an advanced N management approach such as "root zone targeted fertilization" is suggested to reduce fertilizer application rate and save time and labor costs while achieving high yield and NUE.

Keywords: fertilizer management; meta-analysis; nitrogen rate; recovery efficiency; split application; wheat yield.

Publication types

Systematic Review

Grants and funding

The author(s) declare financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. This work was supported by Guangxi First-class Disciplines (Agricultural Resources and Environment).