Effect of replacing synthetic nitrogen fertilizer with animal manure on grain yield and nitrogen use efficiency in China: a meta-analysis

To reduce reliance on synthetic nitrogen (N) fertilizer and sustain food production, replacing synthetic N fertilizer with animal manure as an effective method is widely used. However, the effects of replacing synthetic N fertilizer with animal manure on crop yield and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) remain uncertain under varying fertilization management practices, climate conditions, and soil properties. Here, we performed a meta-analysis of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), maize (Zea mays L.), and rice (Oryza sativa L.) based on 118 published studies conducted in China. Overall, the results indicated that substituting synthetic N fertilizer with manure increased yield by 3.3%-3.9% for the three grain crops and increased NUE by 6.3%-10.0%. Crop yields and NUE did not significantly increase at a low N application rate (<= 120 kg ha(-1)) or high substitution rate (>60%). Yields and NUE values had higher increases for upland crops (wheat and maize) in temperate monsoon climate/temperate continental climate regions with less average annual rainfall (AAR) and lower mean annual temperature (MAT), while rice had higher increases in subtropical monsoon climate regions with more AAR and higher MAT. The effect of manure substitution was better in soil with low organic matter and available phosphorus. Our study shows that the optimal substitution rate was 44% and the total N fertilizer input cannot be less than 161 kg ha(-1) when substituting synthetic N fertilizer with manure. Moreover, site-specific conditions should also be considered.

Automated summary

Replacing synthetic nitrogen fertilizer with animal manure is an effective method to reduce reliance on synthetic nitrogen fertilizer and sustain food production. However, the effects of this substitution on crop yield and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) are uncertain. Based on a meta-analysis of 118 studies conducted in China, we found that substituting synthetic N fertilizer with manure increased yield by 3.3%-3.9% and NUE by 6.3%-10.0% for wheat, maize, and rice. The effects varied depending on fertilization management practices, climate conditions, and soil properties.