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<p>The European Union (EU) actively promotes the adoption of organic farming, in which crop N requirements are satisfied via organic fertilizers, such as slurry. Maize (<i>Zea mays</i> L.) is a key crop for both feed and food production with high N uptake. In this short-term study, we tested fertigation with microfiltered slurry liquid faction for maize fertilization as viable strategy to enhance nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) under organic farming while reducing N losses, via ammonia (NH<sub>3</sub>), nitrous oxide (N<sub>2</sub>O), and nitrate leaching (NO<sub>3</sub><sup>-</sup>). We compared three strategies (i) slurry application through surface broadcast of the liquid fraction before sowing as reference fertilization (“Ante” treatment, or “A”), (ii) slurry application through both pre-sowing broadcast of the liquid fraction and fertigation as side-dressing with the microfiltered liquid fraction (“Ante + Post” treatment, or “A + P”), and (iii) slurry microfiltered liquid fraction application as side dressing via fertigation (“Post” treatment, or “P”). Compared to “A”, cumulative N losses were reduced by 38% under “A + P” and 58% under “P”. Furthermore, NH<sub>3</sub> volatilization decreased by 43% and 71% under “A + P” and “P”, respectively. These treatments also reduced N<sub>2</sub>O emissions by 30% and 37%. Nitrate leaching was reduced by 56% in the “P” treatment. Overall, the “P” strategy was the most effective in reducing N losses, while “A + P” tended to increase grain production (12.6&#xa0;Mg ha<sup>-1</sup>) and NUE (38.1&#xa0;kg grain kg<sup>-1</sup> N supply) compared to “P” (11.0&#xa0;Mg ha<sup>-1</sup> and 35.5&#xa0;kg grain kg<sup>-1</sup> N supply). These results were primarily attributed to the improved synchronization between N supply and maize N requirements, emphasizing the risk associated with slurry application before sowing. Although conducted over a short experimental period, our study suggests that drip fertigation with slurries can overcome the potential yield losses of organic systems for crops with high N demand such as maize, while reducing N losses, fulfilling the environmental principles of organic farming and current requirements from EU policies.</p>

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Drip fertigation with slurry as a promising tool to reduce nitrogen losses under organic maize

  • 期刊论文

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  • 发表日期：

    2025年5月15日

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  • Federico Capra,
  • Federico Ardenti,
  • Diego Abalos,
  • Michela Lommi,
  • Davide Pochintesta,
  • Paola Ganugi,
  • Alessia Perego,
  • Vincenzo Tabaglio,
  • Andrea Fiorini

摘要

The European Union (EU) actively promotes the adoption of organic farming, in which crop N requirements are satisfied via organic fertilizers, such as slurry. Maize (Zea mays L.) is a key crop for both feed and food production with high N uptake. In this short-term study, we tested fertigation with microfiltered slurry liquid faction for maize fertilization as viable strategy to enhance nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) under organic farming while reducing N losses, via ammonia (NH3), nitrous oxide (N2O), and nitrate leaching (NO3-). We compared three strategies (i) slurry application through surface broadcast of the liquid fraction before sowing as reference fertilization (“Ante” treatment, or “A”), (ii) slurry application through both pre-sowing broadcast of the liquid fraction and fertigation as side-dressing with the microfiltered liquid fraction (“Ante + Post” treatment, or “A + P”), and (iii) slurry microfiltered liquid fraction application as side dressing via fertigation (“Post” treatment, or “P”). Compared to “A”, cumulative N losses were reduced by 38% under “A + P” and 58% under “P”. Furthermore, NH3 volatilization decreased by 43% and 71% under “A + P” and “P”, respectively. These treatments also reduced N2O emissions by 30% and 37%. Nitrate leaching was reduced by 56% in the “P” treatment. Overall, the “P” strategy was the most effective in reducing N losses, while “A + P” tended to increase grain production (12.6 Mg ha-1) and NUE (38.1 kg grain kg-1 N supply) compared to “P” (11.0 Mg ha-1 and 35.5 kg grain kg-1 N supply). These results were primarily attributed to the improved synchronization between N supply and maize N requirements, emphasizing the risk associated with slurry application before sowing. Although conducted over a short experimental period, our study suggests that drip fertigation with slurries can overcome the potential yield losses of organic systems for crops with high N demand such as maize, while reducing N losses, fulfilling the environmental principles of organic farming and current requirements from EU policies.