Major nutrient balances in small-scale vegetable farming systems in peri-urban areas in China

Balances of major nutrients such as nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) in small-scale farming systems are of critical importance to nutrient management and sustainable agricultural development. Mass balances of N, P, and K and some of their influencing factors were studied for two years from July 2003 to July 2005 on small-scale vegetable-farming systems in two contrasting peri-urban areas (Nanjing and Wuxi) of the Yangtze river delta region of China. This balance approach considered organic fertilizer inputs (cow manure, pig manure, and human biosolids), inorganic fertilizer inputs (urea, composite fertilizer, and phosphates), irrigation water, and atmospheric deposition; and considered outputs by vegetables. Input via organic fertilizers was significant for all element balances in the Nanjing area. Inorganic and organic fertilizer, particularly inorganic fertilizer, contributed major nutrient inputs to the system in the Wuxi area. Compared with nutrient output by vegetables, there were significant surpluses of N and P on two vegetable farm systems. Furthermore, N surplus in the Nanjing area was higher than that in the Wuxi area with an inverse relationship to P surplus. In contrast, the general trend of K balances was negative on both sites; hence, the nutrient use efficiency was significantly lower for N and P than K. The nutrient imbalance may be attributed to the differences between fertilizer types and management modes driven by social economic status differences among farmer households. The large N and P net excess creates an environmental threat because of potential losses to ground or surface waters, whereas negative K balance creates soil fertility risks. The results highlight researchers’ and farmers’ need to develop rational fertilization technology to optimize nutrient management on vegetable farmlands to promote sustainable agricultural development in peri-urban areas.

[1]  Marija J. Norusis,et al.  SPSS for Windows Base System User''s Guide , 1992 .

[2]  G. Almendros,et al.  Organic carbon storage in soils of the Basque Country (Spain): the effect of climate, vegetation type and edaphic variables , 2003, Biology and Fertility of Soils.

[3]  N. Fierer,et al.  Carbon and nitrogen losses by surface runoff following changes in vegetation. , 2002, Journal of environmental quality.

[4]  Curt Forsberg,et al.  Nonpoint pollution in agricultural watersheds of endangered coastal seas , 2000 .

[5]  Ingrid Öborn,et al.  Field balances of some mineral nutrients and trace elements in organic and conventional dairy farming-a case study at Öjebyn, Sweden , 2003 .

[6]  Xuezheng Shi,et al.  Environmental assessment of small-scale vegetable farming systems in peri-urban areas of the Yangtze River Delta Region, China , 2006 .

[7]  Nguyễn Mạnh Khải,et al.  Nutrient flows in small-scale peri-urban vegetable farming systems in Southeast Asia—A case study in Hanoi , 2007 .

[8]  Hari Eswaran,et al.  Soil Classification : A Global Desk Reference , 2002 .

[9]  B. H. Janssen,et al.  Basics of budgets, buffers and balances of nutrients in relation to sustainability of agroecosystems. , 1999 .

[10]  Ingrid Öborn,et al.  Element balances as a tool for sustainable nutrient management: a critical appraisal of their merits and limitations within an agronomic and environmental context , 2003 .

[11]  R. Chambers Participatory rural appraisal (PRA): analysis of experience , 1994 .

[12]  H. Blume,et al.  Page, A. L., R. H. Miller and D. R. Keeney (Ed., 1982): Methods of soil analysis; 2. Chemical and microbiological properties, 2. Aufl. 1184 S., American Soc. of Agronomy (Publ.), Madison, Wisconsin, USA, gebunden 36 Dollar. , 1985 .

[13]  Niels Halberg,et al.  Input output accounting systems in the European community*/an appraisal of their usefulness in raising awareness of environmental problems , 2003 .

[14]  A. Veldkamp,et al.  A spatially explicit methodology to quantify soil nutrient balances and their uncertainties at the national level , 2007, Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems.

[15]  Hongjie Wang,et al.  Spatial Distribution of Heavy Metals in Agricultural Soils of an Industry-Based Peri-Urban Area in Wuxi, China , 2007 .

[16]  Xin-ping Chen,et al.  Yield and Nitrogen Balance of Greenhouse Tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum Mill.) with Conventional and Site-specific Nitrogen Management in Northern China , 2007, Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems.

[17]  Oene Oenema,et al.  Nutrient Disequilibria in Agroecosystems: Concepts and Case Studies , 1999 .

[18]  A. Page Methods of soil analysis. Part 2. Chemical and microbiological properties. , 1982 .

[19]  W. de Vries,et al.  Approaches and uncertainties in nutrient budgets: implications for nutrient management and environmental policies , 2003 .

[20]  J. P. Riley,et al.  A modified single solution method for the determination of phosphate in natural waters , 1962 .

[21]  G. Kowalchuk,et al.  Nitrification in acid soils: micro-organisms and mechanisms , 2001 .

[22]  Xuezheng Shi,et al.  Surface water quality of factory-based and vegetable-based peri-urban areas in the Yangtze River Delta region, China , 2007 .

[23]  S. Erşahin,et al.  Estimating potential nitrate leaching in nitrogen fertilized and irrigated tomato using the computer model NLEAP , 2001 .

[24]  Gan‐Lin Zhang,et al.  Development of Soil Classification in China , 2002 .

[25]  Henry Lin,et al.  Cross-reference system for translating between genetic soil classification of China and soil taxonomy , 2006 .

[26]  D. Midmore,et al.  Soil erosion and environmental impact of vegetable production in the Cameron Highlands, Malaysia. , 1996 .

[27]  J. Oades,et al.  Decomposition of plant material in Australian soils. III. Residual organic and microbial biomass C and N from isotope-labelled legume material and soil organic matter, decomposing under field conditions , 1985 .

[28]  Angelija Bučien,et al.  Balances of the major nutrients N, P and K at the farm and field level and some possibilities to improve comparisons between actual and estimated crop yields , 2003 .