Nitrogen (N) and organic-source fertilizers in agriculture are important to sustain crop production for feeding the growing global population. However, their use can result in significant greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, particularly carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), and nitrous oxide (N₂O), which are important climate drivers. This review discusses the interactive effects, uncovering both additive and suppressive outcomes of emissions under various soil and climatic conditions. In addition to examining the effects of nitrogen and the nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), it is crucial to comprehend the mechanisms and contributions of organic fertilizers to GHG emissions. This understanding is vital for developing mitigation strategies that effectively reduce emissions while maintaining agricultural productivity. In this review, the current knowledge is utilized for the management of nitrogen practices, such as the optimization of fertilization rates, timing, and methods of application, in terms of the nitrogen use efficiency and the related GHG emissions. Moreover, we discuss the role of organic fertilizers, including straw, manure, and biochar, as a mitigation strategy in relation to GHG emissions through soil carbon sequestration and enhanced nutrient cycling. Important strategies such as crop rotation, tillage, irrigation, organic fertilizers, and legume crops are considered as suitable approaches for minimizing emissions. Even with the progress made in mitigating fertilizer-related emissions, research gaps remain, specifically concerning the long-term effect of organic fertilizers and the interactions between microbial communities in the soil and fertilization practices. Furthermore, the differences in application practices and environmental conditions present considerable obstacles to accurate emission quantification. This review underlines the importance of conducting more thorough research on the combined application of N and organic fertilizers in multiple cropping systems to evolve region-specific mitigation strategies.

The global population is expected to rise from 7

Soil erosion and extensive management, as key factors limiting the sustainability of the agroecosystem in the Loess Plateau, severely hamper the high-quality development of regional agriculture. Soil fertility and element synergy can be enhanced by applying mulching measures properly. However, there is a lack of systematic research into how soil stoichiometric characteristics under mulching affect crop productivity. This study focused on the agroecosystem of the Loess Plateau. Based on the 11-year field positioning experiment, the management measures of straw mulching (SM), plastic mulching (PM) and ridge-film mulching (RM) were selected to investigate the effects of long-term mulching measures on the stoichiometric characteristics of topsoil and the impact of crop productivity under the ecological stoichiometry theory. The findings revealed a significant increase in soil carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus contents and microbial biomass under mulching. SM and RM significantly decreased the stoichiometric ratio of soil available nutrients, whereas PM and RM had effective alleviating effects on C:N and C:P imbalance. The yield components of long-term SM and RM greatly increased and responded favorably to the synergy of soil carbon and phosphorus. This study provides theoretical guidance and technical support for the assessment of the effective and sustainable use of agricultural resources on the Loess Plateau.

Soil erosion, structural degradation, and inefficient nitrogen (N) use jointly constrain dryland agriculture on the Loess Plateau—a globally recognized ecologically fragile region. A common concern is that soil conservation practices may reduce short-term crop productivity. This study evaluated whether conservation tillage based on no-tillage and straw mulching, particularly when coupled with controlled-release N, could enhance soil aggregate stability, apparent nutrient availability, soybean productivity, and N-use efficiency. A two-year field experiment was conducted in 2022–2023 at the Shenmu Erosion and Environment Research Station, Shaanxi Province, China. Five treatments were compared: conventional tillage without N application (CTCK), conventional tillage with normal N application (CTU), conservation tillage without N application (SMCK), conservation tillage with normal N application (SMU), and conservation tillage with controlled-release N (SMS). SMS consistently increased the proportion of >0.25 mm water-stable macroaggregates, mean weight diameter, and geometric mean diameter. It also increased soil organic carbon and its particulate and mineral-associated fractions in the 0–30 cm profile, improved total N, mineral N, total P, and available P, and produced the highest soybean yield. Across two years, SMS yielded 1960.57 kg ha⁻¹, 162.26% higher than CTCK and 66.66% higher than CTU. The treatment also achieved the highest agronomic efficiency despite reduced N input. These findings indicate that integrating conservation tillage with controlled-release N can enhance soil structural stability, apparent nutrient availability, and soybean productivity. It confirms that soil conservation and high crop output are mutually reinforcing rather than conflicting. Given the ecological sensitivity of the Loess Plateau, this integrated strategy offers a promising pathway toward more resilient dryland farming systems.