The effect of tillage on nitrogen use efficiency in maize (Zea mays L.) in a ridge-furrow plastic film mulch system

摘要

The widely adopted maize planting pattern of ridge-furrow plastic film mulch (RFPM) in rainfed agricultural areas of the Loess Plateau has resulted in water-saving and increased yields. However, tillage practices used before RFPM may have had varying effects on the spatiotemporal dynamics of surface fertilizers and soil nutrients. To date, no studies have investigated the combined effects of tillage type and RFPM on crop performance. A two-year trial incorporated three treatments-conventional flat planting (CK), rotary tillage before RFPM (MR), and plow tillage before RFPM (MP). Within each treatment plot, a micro-plot was established to trace the fate of urea-N (only 15N labeled in 2017 and 2018). This study aimed to explore the effects of two tillage practices before RFPM on urea-N recovery by crops, crop growth, and water use efficiency.