[Effects of loss-controlled urea on ammonia volatilization, N translocation and utilization efficiency in paddy...

With the common urea split application (CU) as the control, a field experiment was conducted to examine the effects of loss-controlled urea by split application (LCUS) and loss-controlled urea by basal application (LCUB) on ammonia volatilization (NH₃), nitrogen (N) nutrition status, grain yield and N utilization efficiency in rice plants. The results showed that the ratio of NH₃ volatilization loss to total N application were 15.8%, 13.4% and 19.7% under the conditions of CU, LCUS and LCUB treatments, respectively. Compared to CU, LCUS significantly reduced the NH₃ emission by 4.4 kg N·hm^-2, with a decrease of 18.0%, while the LCUB significantly increased the NH₃ emission by 7.2 kg N·hm^-2, which increased by 24.7%. Compared to CU, LCUS increased the chlorophyll contents of leaf, the N content and N accumulation of seed and straw and grain yield, and significantly increased the N recovery efficiency by 7.6%, while significantly reduced the amount of N translocation, apparent N translocation rate and the rate of contribution to N in spike, respectively. However, compared to CU, LCUB significantly reduced the chlorophyll contents of leaf, the N content and accumulation of seed and straw as well as N utilization efficiency, but the grain yield, the amount of N translocation, apparent N translocation rate and the rate of contribution to N in spike were not affected. In conclusion, LCUS could maintain stable production, as well as decrease NH₃ emission, improve N nutrition status and increase N utilization efficiency in rice plants.