Field experiments were conducted to study the effects of the controlled release urea (CRU) application on growth yield and nitrogen recovery efficiency of cotton in the main cotton zone of the Yangtze River basin in 2010. Different nitrogen levels were set in order to determine the suitable dosage of CRU on cotton. The special purpose was to provide evidence for the CRU application in cotton fields. The results show that the application of CRU promotes the growth of cotton significantly and enhances the nitrogen supply in the whole period. Compared to the treatment with total N as base fertilizer (UB), the bod, flower, little bolls and total bolls are increased significantly. There are no significant differences in the yield between the CRU treatment and the treatment of controlled release urea and urea combined application (60%CRU + 40%U), but an increase by 12.38%-22.67% compared to the UB treatment, and an increase by 4.49%-7.23% compared to the treatments of total N split application (UD). The nitrogen uptake of CRU treatment was significantly increased by 13.01%-48.32% and 30.27%-13.01% than UB treatment and UD treatment, respectively. The nutrient recovery efficiency of CRU treatment is increased by 16.42-20.59, 5.92-11.29 and 4.22-12.59 percentage points compared to the UB treatment, UD treatment and 60%CRU + 40%U treatment, respectively. In this study, there was a good linearity relationship between the cotton yield and amount of CRU in Wuxue site. The yield of cotton response to amount of CRU could be described by the model of linear plus plateau in Jingzhou site.
[1] Zhao, B.Q., Zhang, F.S., Liao, Z.W., Xu, X.C., Xu, Q.M., Zhang, F.D., et al. (2004) Research on development strategies of fertilizer in China. Plant Nutrition and Fertilizer Science, 10, 536-545.
[2] Sun, C.H., Feng, L.X., Xie, Z.X., Li, C.D. and Li, J.C. (2007) Physiological characteristics of boll-leaf system and boll weight space distributing of cotton under different nitrogen levels. Scientia Agricultura Sinica, 40, 1638-1645.
[3] Li, C.D., Xie, Z.X. and Wang, W.X. (2004) Source and sink characteristics of various genotypes with different boll weight in cotton. Proceedings of the 4th International Crop Science Congress, Brisbane, 26 September-1 October 2004, 223.
[4] Lou, S.W., Zhang, J.S., Luo, X.S. and Zhou, Q. (2009) Influence of nitrogenous fertilizer level on agronomic characters, fourth leaf from top photosynthetic characteristics and yield of cotton. Journal of Xinjiang Agricultural University, 32, 39-42.
[5] Gerik, T.J., Jackson, B.S. and Stockle, C.O. (1994) Plant nitrogen status and boll load of cotton. Agronomy Journal, 86, 514-518.
[6] Boquet, D.J., Moser, E.B. and Breitenbeck, G.A. (1994) Boll wejght and within-plint yield distribution in field grow cotton given different levels of Nitrogen. Agronomy Journal, 86, 20-26.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2134/agronj1994.00021962008600010005x
[7] Sun, J.Z. and Chen, B.S. (1999) Cotton made to learn. China Agriculture Press, Beijing.
[8] Zhe, T.F., Lin, J.X. and Yang, Q. (1997) Fertilizer to scientific guidelines. Shield Press, Beijing, 16, 40.
[9] Xie, C.S., Tang, S.H., Xu, P.Z., Zhang, F.B. and Chen, J.S. (2006) Effects of single basal application of controlled-release fertilizers on growth and yield of rice. Plant Nutrition and Fertilizer Science, 12, 177-182.
[10] Kiran, J.K., Khanif, Y.M., Amminuddin, H. and Anuara, A.R. (2010) Effects of controlled release urea on the yield and nitrogen nutrition of flooded rice. Communicate Soil Science Plant Analyze, 41, 811-819.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00103621003592333
[11] Xu, M.G., Li, J.M., Li, D.C., Cong, R.H., Qin, D.Z. and Shen, H.P. (2009) Effect of controlled-release nitrogen fertilizer on growth and fertilizer nitrogen use efficiency of double rice in southern China. Plant Nutrition and Fertilizer Science, 15, 1010-1015.
[12] Yang, Y.C., Zhang, M. and Zheng, L. (2010) Controlled release urea improved nitrogen use efficiency, yield, and quality of wheat. American Society of Agronomy, 103, 479-485.
[13] Haderlein, L., Jensen, T.L., Dowbenko, R.E. and Blaylock, A.D. (2001) Controlled release urea as a nitrogen source for spring wheat in Western Canada: Yield, grain N content, and N use efficiency. The Scientific World Journal, 1, 114-121.
[14] Wang, Q., Li, S.L., Han, Y.L., Wang, Y.L., Miao, Y.H., Wu, X.M., et al. (2007) Slow/controlled release fertilizer effect on wheat yield and fertilizer-nitrogen use efficiency. Chinese Journal of Soil Science, 38, 47-50.
[15] Yu, S.F., Yang, L., Zhang, M., Wu, W.L., Ju, X.T., et al. (2010) Effect of controlled release fertilizers on the biological properties of wheat and corn and soil nitrate accumulation. Journal of Agro-Environment Science, 29, 128-133.
[16] Zhao, B., Dong, S.T., Wang, K.J., Zhang, J.W., Liu, P., et al. (2009) Effects of controlled release fertilizers on summer maize grain yield, field ammonia volatilization, and fertilizer nitrogen use efficiency. Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology, 20, 2678-2684.
[17] Bao, S.D. (2000) Soil agricultural chemical analysis. 3rd Edition, China Agricultural Press, Beijing, 265-267.
[18] Li, L.L., Ma, Z.B., Lin, T.B., Fang, W.P. and Xie, D.Y. (2007) Effects of controlled release N fertilizer on cotton yield. Chinese Journal of Eco-Agriculture, 15, 45-47.