A field experiment of drip fertigated nitrogen reduction was set up in a typical Maize planting area in the Xiliao River Basin in 2018 and 2019. Different phased nitrogen reductions were set up under shallow buried drip irrigation during the growth period to explore ways to improve nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) by understanding the Maize regulation of nitrogen absorption and utilization. The recommended nitrogen application in the early stage (Nopt, total nitrogen 240 kg·hm⁻²) had the highest grain nitrogen uptake and total nitrogen uptake, followed by nitrogen reduction before the maximum canopy mulching (Nde-I, total nitrogen 180 kg·hm⁻²), nitrogen reduction after the maximum canopy mulching (Nde-II, total nitrogen 180 kg·hm⁻²) and no nitrogen application (N0). Without nitrogen application, the leaves were thin, green and yellow. The total nitrogen uptake was 38.54~41.31% lower than the recommended nitrogen application in the early stage. When nitrogen fertilizer was reduced in the maximum canopy mulching, grain nitrogen absorption was affected. Grain nitrogen absorption fell by 15.07% to 17.51% when nitrogen was reduced in the maximum canopy mulching compared to the recommended nitrogen application. The harvest index of nitrogen reduction before the maximum canopy coverage was 9.65~11.52% higher than that in the later stage, indicating that the nitrogen absorption between Maize grain, stem, and leaf was better regulated. Maize evapotranspiration water consumption was reduced throughout the growth cycle when nitrogen was reduced at various stages. Nitrogen reduction before maximum canopy mulching boosted water use efficiency (WUE) by 3.44% to 6.12% compared to the recommended nitrogen application in the early stage. The nitrogen fertilizer agronomic efficiency increased by 11.17% to 13.87%. The nitrogen use efficiency rose by 10.99~3.15% (5.24~6.60 percentage points). A total of 25% of nitrogen fertilizer was saved with the yield declining by only about 5%, resulting in increased NUE while maintaining the yield stability. Under shallow buried drip fertigated irrigation, the appropriate reduction in nitrogen fertilizer during the period from Maize sowing to the maximum canopy development ensured the nitrogen supply during tasseling–silking stage and filling stage, which can be used as a regulation method and a way to improve the Maize fertilizer use efficiency.

The nutrient utilization rate of salinized farmland soils is low, the nitrogen loss is high, and soil salinity inhibits the hydrolysis of urea and the release of nutrients. In this work, the effect of microbial fertilizer on the nitrogen transformation characteristics and nitrogen morphology of salinized soils was studied using indoor constant temperature incubation tests with different nitrogen application rates—without (A0) and with microbial fertilizer application (A1 (15 t/ha)) or nitrogen application (N) of 0 kg/ha (N0), 97.5 kg/ha (N1), or 195 kg/ha (N2). The results show the following: (i) When no microbial fertilizer was applied, an increased nitrogen application promoted nitrogen fertilizer’s ammonification and nitrification reactions. Furthermore, the maximum net nitrification rate with the high nitrogen fertilizer application decreased; the apparent ammonification rate and net ammonification rate A0N2 increased by 26.1% and 24.6%, respectively, compared with A0N1 on the first day of incubation; the maximum net nitrification rate of A0N1 was more than that of A0N2; and A0N1 > A0N2 on day 3, while A0N2 > A0N1 on days 3 to 15. At 3 d, the nitrogen conversion process of A0N1 was dominated by the nitrification reaction, while the ammonification reaction dominated in A0N2. (ii) Microbial fertilizers significantly increased the ammonification and nitrification rates under the low N fertilizer application. The intensity of ammonification and nitrification under the low N fertilizer application was greater than that under the high N fertilizer application. The apparent ammonification rate and net ammonification rate of A1N1 increased by 60.9% and 52.6% compared with A0N1 and 21.9% and 21.7% compared with A1N2 on the first day of incubation, and the peak net nitrification rates of A1N1 and A1N2 (28.19 mg/kg d and 11.02 mg/kg d, respectively) and net nitrification rates of A1N1 and A1N2 were 113.7% higher than those of A0N1. The net nitrification rates of A1N1 and A1N2 were 82.3% and 58.6% lower than the maximum net nitrification rates on the 15th day of incubation, respectively. (iii) In saline soils, low-nitrogen microbial fertilizers led to more ammonium nitrogen in the soil, and the high-nitrogen fertilizer application resulted in higher nitrate nitrogen in the soil, leading to nitrogen leaching. Therefore, when applying microbial fertilizer, choosing the most suitable period for reduced chasing is important for the efficient use of fertilizers, the alternative role of biofertilizers, and the study of environmental pollution.

In order to discuss the problems of the transformation of soil nitrogen and nitrogen leaching in saline farmland, this study carried out a split-plot experiment with returning straw and various nitrogen application rates. The main treatment of the experiment was returning corn straw, at quantities of 0.64 g (C1) and 0 g (C0), and the secondary treatment was nitrogen fertilizer (urea) at the quantities of 0 g (N0), 0.015 g (N1) and 0.03 g (N2). The results showed that, firstly, with the extension of the incubation time, the nitrogen nitrification rate of saline soil in each treatment decreased gradually until it stabilized without straw. For Days 0–7 of incubation, the nitrogen mineralization rate of saline soil decreased rapidly, and the mineralization rates of C0N0, C0N1 and C0N2 decreased by 86.91%, 89.26% and 83.64%, respectively. The nitrification rate of nitrogen in saline soil was C0N0 > C0N1 > C0N2, which decreased by 68.01%, 67.42% and 60.52%, respectively. Secondly, under the condition of returning straw to the field, the nitrogen mineralization rate of saline soil in each treatment decreased gradually and became stable with the extension of the incubation time. The nitrogen mineralization rate of saline soil in each nitrogen application treatment was C1N2 > C1N1 > C1N0 within 0–3 days of incubation, which decreased by 87.46%, 87.20% and 81.83%, respectively. The nitrification rate of saline soil under different nitrogen treatments was C1N2 > C1N0 > C1N1, and the nitrification rates of C1N0, C1N1 and C1N2 decreased by 66.62%, 62.54% and 47.21%, respectively. Thirdly, during the incubation period, returning straw slowed down nitrogen mineralization and nitrification in saline soil under the reduced nitrogen and no-nitrogen fertilizer treatments, but it enhanced nitrogen mineralization and nitrification in saline soil under the high nitrogen treatment. In conclusion, returning straw and reducing the application of nitrogen fertilizer to saline soil can retain more ammonium nitrogen, thus inhibiting nitrification of the soil nitrogen, reducing the environmental pollution risk of nitrate leaching and reducing nitrogen losses, all of which are of great significance for environmental pollution.

To explore the effect of coal water slurry (CWS) gasification slag on the soil water physical characteristics of saline-alkali soil in the Yellow River Basin of Inner Mongolia, CWS gasification coarse slag (GCS) and gasification fine slag (GFS) were used as improvement materials and mixed with saline-alkali soil in different proportions. The influence mechanism of GCS and GFS on saline-alkali soil water holding capacity was investigated by measuring particle size composition, water holding capacity, and the change in the soil water characteristic curve after mixing. The results showed that adding gasification slag improved the particle size composition of saline-alkali soil, with sand content increased by -3.79%~217.31% and clay and silt content decreased by 5.77%~56.50% and -0.38%~41.53%, respectively. Soil bulk density decreased significantly ( ), with a decrease range of 15.17%~45.1%. The soil texture changed from silty loam to sandy loam, and the water retention performance improved, affecting the soil saturated water content, capillary water holding capacity, and field water holding capacity ( ), with increases ranging from 20.75%~86.15%, 7.84%~27.81%, and -1.89%~34.56%, respectively. After adding GCS and GFS, the VG model fit the soil water characteristic curve of saline-alkali soil well, indicating that the addition of gasification slag enhanced soil water retention significantly. In conclusion, CWS gasification slag effectively improved the water physical properties of saline-alkali soil and significantly enhanced the water retention and water holding capabilities.

Excessive nitrogen fertilizer application in the black soil region of Northeast China leads to nitrate leaching and gaseous nitrogen loss, posing environmental risks. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of controlled-release urea (CRU) mixed with conventional urea in synchronizing nitrogen fertilizer supply with maize nitrogen requirements, improving nitrogen fertilizer use efficiency (NUE), and increasing economic benefits. A two-year field trial (2023–2024) tested six nitrogen fertilizer application strategies, all with a total nitrogen application rate of 168 kg N ha⁻¹, including no nitrogen fertilizer application (CK), conventional fractionated urea application (C0), and four controlled-release urea–urea mixed application schemes, where CRU supplied 100%, 70%, 50%, and 30% of the total nitrogen (C100, C70, C50, and C30). The results showed that the C70 treatment had the highest maize grain yield and protein yield, at 12,502.92 kg ha⁻¹ and 1567.65 kg ha⁻¹, respectively, and NUE increased by 10.07% in 2024 compared to the C0 treatment. The C70 strategy also reduced nitrate concentrations in deeper soil layers, decreasing nitrogen loss by 29.04–31.21% compared to the C0 treatment. Furthermore, the C70 strategy yielded the highest net benefit, reaching $2817 ha⁻¹. These results indicate that in black soil systems, a single basal application of C70 mixed fertilizer is an effective strategy for increasing maize yield, improving nitrogen fertilizer use efficiency, and reducing environmental risks.

Nitrogen is the principal mineral nutrient limiting maize yield formation and effective nitrogen management is thus key for maximizing yield. However, conventional urea releases nutrients rapidly and the supply of nutrients is often mismatched with crop demand, leading to early-stage nutrient loss and late-stage nitrogen deficiency. Therefore, reasonable nitrogen management is a key measure for increasing maize yield. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of different ratios of controlled-release fertilizer (CRF) and urea on changes in the accumulation, distribution, and translocation of dry matter across the entire growth period of maize to optimize nitrogen management, yield, and maize production efficiency. A two-year field experiment (2023–2024) was performed to test the effects of different CRF-N to urea-N ratios [1:0 (N10, controlled-release fertilizer), 3:7 (N37), 5:5 (N55), 7:3 (N73), and 0:1 (N01, conventional urea), no N (N0) as control] on dry matter accumulation, distribution, translocation and yield. The results showed that dry matter accumulation followed a typical sigmoidal (“S-shaped”) trajectory. The dry matter accumulation advantage of N73 (70% CRF) treatment was most significant after the V6 stage, and dry matter accumulation at R6 increased by 14.58% and 10.33% compared with that in N10 treatment in 2023 and 2024, respectively. With the progress of growth period, the distribution of dry matter among organs was changed, and N73 treatment effectively promoted dry matter allocation to the ear. Logistic equation fitting indicated that N73 treatment moderately delayed the time of the maximum dry matter accumulation rate ( T m a x ), sustained a relatively high maximum dry matter accumulation rate ( V m a x ), and extended the active growth period ( P ). In addition, N73 treatment increased both pre-anthesis dry matter remobilization (DMR) and post-anthesis assimilation (DMA), enhanced the contribution of dry matter accumulation to grain at post-anthesis (DMAC) and maize yield. In summary, a 7:3 CRF:urea application ratio optimizes maize dry matter accumulation and partitioning and coordinates pre-anthesis reserve remobilization with post-anthesis photosynthetic assimilation, and ultimately increased maize yield. Our findings have implications for optimizing nitrogen management, enhancing maize yield, and improving the efficiency of maize production. These results indicate that in the black soil region of Northeast China, a mixture of 70% controlled-release fertilizer and 30% urea is an effective strategy for promoting dry matter accumulation and transport, and for increasing yield of maize.