HUBEI AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES ›› 2026, Vol. 65 ›› Issue (10): 59-67.doi: 10.14088/j.cnki.issn0439-8114.2026.10.009

• Resource & Environment • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Spatial optimization allocation of water and fertilizer management measures and their nitrogen reduction potential in paddy field systems of the Yangtze River Basin

ZHOU Yi-chen1, RUAN Shu-he2, CEN Jun-yi3,4, WANG Zi-jun5, KONG Xiang-qiong6, ZHUANG Yan-hua3,4   

  1. 1. School of Civil Engineering, Architecture and Environment, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan 430068, China;
    2. Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China;
    3. Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430077, China;
    4. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China;
    5. Hanjiang Ecological Environment Monitoring Center, Department of Ecology and Environment of Hubei Province, Xiantao 433000, Hubei, China;
    6. Xingshan Agricultural and Rural Affairs Bureau, Xingshan 443700, Hubei, China
  • Received:2026-07-27 Online:2026-10-25 Published:2026-10-23

Abstract: Agronomic management practices and water-soil-atmosphere environmental background data from 271 field observation sites from 1980 to 2021 were integrated. Based on the established indicator system, the spatial pattern of potential application and comprehensive benefits of four types of water-saving irrigation and eight types of optimized fertilization measures across the Yangtze River Basin were systematically evaluated. The results showed significant spatial heterogeneity in the suitable areas for water-fertilizer measures. Shallow-wet irrigation and slow-controlled release fertilizer exhibited high suitability, covering 91.06% and 100.00% of paddy areas in the Yangtze River Basin, respectively. Combined application of organic and inorganic fertilizers and rainfall-harvesting irrigation had relatively narrow suitable ranges, accounting for 30.25% and 4.11% of the study area, respectively. Scenario simulation indicated that individual water-saving irrigation measures could increase rice yield by 0.59%-12.01% and reduce total nitrogen (TN) emissions by 17.62%-38.70%. Except for fertilizer reduction which posed yield-reduction risks, individual optimized fertilization measures increased rice yield by 4.12%-7.89% and achieved TN emission reduction of 0.80%-37.28%. Synergistic water-fertilizer management greatly enhanced the TN reduction rate, reaching 45.51%-68.94%. Among all scenarios, the combined optimization of fertilizer reduction + slow-controlled release fertilizer + straw returning + shallow-wet irrigation achieved the maximum nitrogen reduction rate. Therefore, source-differentiated emission reduction possessed great potential.

Key words: paddy field system, optimized water-fertilizer management, agricultural non-point source pollution, nitrogen loss, nitrogen reduction potential, Yangtze River Basin

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