Impact of nitrogen gradients in fertigation on physiological characteristics, nitrogen transference and yield formation of wheat and rapeseed: a case in Hulunbuir area
摘要
Nitrogen fertigation influences nutrient absorption and utilization by modulating the growth stages and nitrogen translocation in wheat and rapeseed. However, research on the effects of varying nitrogen fertigation levels on crop nitrogen uptake is scarce. To address this gap, a two-year (2022–2023) field experiment was conducted in the Hulunbuir region, in which nitrogen fertigation at different rates, high (HNF: 120 and 150 kg N ha− 1), medium (MNF: 60 and 75 kg N ha− 1), low (LNF: 30 and 45 kg N ha− 1), and no nitrogen (NNF: 0 kg N ha− 1), was compared with traditional fertilization (surface broadcasting). The results demonstrated that increasing nitrogen fertigation significantly prolonged the jointing stage in wheat and budding stage in rapeseed, thereby extending the effective growth period of both crops. Nitrogen fertigation also improved physiological traits and nitrogen accumulation during anthesis, facilitating greater nitrogen remobilization to grains. Furthermore, higher nitrogen fertigation reduced the number of infertile spikes in wheat and infertile siliques in rapeseed, thus promoting the translocation of nutrients from stems and leaves to grains and seeds. This resulted in increased nitrogen accumulation in the grain, with HNF enhancing accumulation by 9.70 and 15.04% in wheat and rapeseed, respectively, and MNF enhancing accumulation by 4.75% in wheat and 11.30% in rapeseed. Regarding nitrogen utilization efficiency, MNF outperformed HNF by improving nitrogen partial factor productivity by 6.22 and 12.96%, nitrogen agronomic efficiency by 51.55 and 50.57%, and nitrogen recovery efficiency by 68.46 and 79.63% in wheat and rapeseed, respectively. Our findings suggest that rapeseed exhibits a greater potential than wheat for improving nitrogen use efficiency under fertigation conditions. Additionally, this study provides insights into why fertigation is more effective than traditional fertilization in enhancing the yield and nitrogen uptake in wheat and rapeseed.