Americas and Oceania Group - International Plant Nutrition Institute

ecommendation plots received on average 150-57-58-20-5 kg N-P 2 O 5 -K 2 O-S-Zn/ha, respectively, while
farmer fertilizer practice (FFP) plots received an average of 202-107-91 kg N-P 2 O 5 -K 2 O/ha, respectively.
First year results of the study showed that grain yield (12.1 t/ha) and profit (USD 3,452/ha) obtained in
NE-based treatments were higher than those in the FFP, where corresponding values were 11.9 t/ha and USD
3,294/ha although not statistically significant. However, significantly higher agronomic efficiency of N (18.8
kg/kg) was obtained using NE-based fertilizer recommendations than using FFP, where the corresponding
value was 13.1. Also, 25.7% less fertilizer N was used in the NE-based treatment than that used in the FFP.
Thus, the first year results of this study demonstrated the promise of NE tool as a viable alternative to soil
testing. Jilin-NMBF
Global Maize Project in China: Liufangzi, Gongzhuling, Jilin Province
Project Leader: Kuan Zhang, Agricultural Environment and Resource Research Centre Jilin Academy of Agricultural
Sciences, Beijing, Jilin. E-mail: xiejiagui@163.com
Project Cooperators: Jiagui Xie and Xiufang Wang
This long-term field experiment was initiated in 2009 in Liufangzi, Gongzhuling City, Jilin Province, where
mono-cropping of spring maize is common. The aim of the experiment is to compare the performance of
ecological intensification (EI) practices with common farmers’ practice (FP) for yield and N use efficiencies.
The main plot had two treatments: (a) EI treatment with 180-75-90-20-5 kg N-P 2 O 5 -K 2 O-S-Zn/ha fertilizer
application and (b) a FP treatment with 251-145-100 kg N-P 2 O 5 -K 2 O/ha fertilizer application. Three sub-plots
included: (a) N applied in all years (N all yr); (b) N applied in 2 of every 3 years (N 2/3 yr); and (c) no N
applied any year (N 0 yr). In the year 2011, spring maize was planted on April 27 and harvested on September
24.
Ecological intensification treatment produced significantly higher grain yield (11.7 t/ha) than the FP
treatment (11.1 kg/ha). Agronomic N efficiency (kg grain yield increase per kg N applied) was 42.3 kg/kg
in the EI treatment and 29.2 kg/kg in the FP treatment. Similarly, partial factor productivity of N (kg grain
yield per kg N applied) was 64.8 kg/kg with EI and 44.5 kg/kg with FP. EI with lower nutrient input obtained
higher grain yield and nutrient use efficiency. Grain yield under N 2/3 yr treatment was significantly lower
than under N all yr treatment, which demonstrated the value of N application in every spring maize growing
season at the experimental site. IPNI-20 v
84 IPNI Interpretive Summaries