Comprehensive assessment of the agronomic, environmental and economic benefits effects of nitrogen fertigation management on maize in Northeast China

ABSTRACT Seeking economical, efficient and environmentally friendly nitrogen fertigation management strategies is extremely important for sustainable maize production. A two-year field experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of four nitrogen fertilization methods N0: no nitrogen application; FP: applying 234 kg N ha−1 at sowing; NF1: applying 210 kg N ha−1, 50% N at sowing and 50% N fertigation at the V8 stage; and NF4: applying 210 kg N ha−1 sowing: 30%, fertigation at V8: 20%, V12: 20%, R1: 20%, R3: 10% on maize yield, nitrogen and water use efficiency, economic benefits and the environmental assessment in Northeast China. The results showed that compared with the FP treatment, the NF1 and NF4 treatments significantly increased maize yield by 13.2% and 18.6%, increased recovery efficiency of nitrogen (REN) by 38.6% and 68.4%, agronomic nitrogen efficiency (AEN) by 58.6% and 78.2%, water use efficiency (WUE) by 23.8% and 26.9%, and net income by 16.1% and 25.7%, respectively. Additionally, the treatments reduced the apparent nitrogen loss by 69.5% and 96.1%, nitrogen footprint by 34.4% and 37.4% and carbon footprint by 17.0% and 20.8%, respectively. The yield, REN and net income of NF4 were significantly higher than those of NF1 by 4.8%, 21.6% and 8.3%, respectively, and the nitrogen and carbon footprints of NF4 were significantly lower than those of NF1 by 4.6% and 4.6%, respectively. The NF4 treatment was recommended as an effective method for improving yield and net income and reducing the environmental cost while achieving sustainable maize production. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT