AUTHOR=Ma Yuanqi , Sun Hongchun , Yang Yurong , Li Zhao , Li Ping , Qiao Yuetong , Zhang Yongjiang , Zhang Ke , Bai Zhiying , Li Anchang , Li Cundong , Liu Liantao 

TITLE=Long-term nitrogen fertilizer management for enhancing use efficiency and sustainable cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Plant Science

VOLUME=Volume 14 - 2023

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science/articles/10.3389/fpls.2023.1271846

DOI=10.3389/fpls.2023.1271846

ISSN=1664-462X

ABSTRACT=Optimal management of nitrogen fertilizer profoundly impacts sustainable development by influencing nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) and seed cotton yield. However, the effect of long-term gradient nitrogen application on the sandy loam soil is unclear. Therefore, we conducted an eight-year field study (2014 to 2021) using six nitrogen levels: 0 (N0), 75 (N1), 150 (N2), 225 (N3), 300 (N4), and 375 (N5) kg/hm2. The  showed that: (1) nitrogen fertilizer had insignificantly affected the basic soil fertility but decreased the soil total nitrogen (STN) content by 5.71-19.67%, 6.67-16.98%, and 13.64-21.74% at 0-20, 20-40, and 40-60cm soil layers, respectively. (2) The reproductive organs of N3 plants showed the highest nitrogen accumulation and dry matter accumulation in both years. Increasing the nitrogen application rate gradually decreased the dry matter allocation ratio to the reproductive organs. (3) The boll number per unit area of N3 was the largest among all treatments in both years. On sandy loam, the most optional nitrogen rate was 190 kg/hm2 to 270 kg/hm2 for high seed cotton yield with minimal nitrogen loss and reduced soil environment pollution.