@article{Tang2026, 
author = {Xin'ao Tang and Ziyu Li and Zhengyang Wu and Yuhui Wang and Hao Wu and Fei Yang and Maomao Sun and Baoshou Zhao and Bo Lu and Zhengrong Jiang and Haoyu Qian and Zhenghui Liu and Yanfeng Ding and Ganghua Li},
title = {Increasing double-peak nitrogen release from controlled-release blended fertilizer boosts uptake efficiency and yield in late japonica rice in Yangtze River Delta},
year = {2026},
journal = {The Crop Journal},
volume = {14},
number = {2},
pages = {618-627},
keywords = {Rice N uptake, Bulk blended fertilizer, N release mode, Synchronization, Yield},
url = {https://www.sciopen.com/article/10.1016/j.cj.2025.11.003},
doi = {10.1016/j.cj.2025.11.003},
abstract = {The objective of this study was to identify an application strategy for a blend of two controlled-release nitrogen fertilizers (CRNFs) that optimized yield and N-use efficiency of late japonica rice in the Yangtze River Delta. In a two-year field experiment using high-yield split-applied urea (CK) and no-N fertilization as control (N0), nine CRNF treatments were evaluated for their effects on grain yield, N uptake (NUP), soil ammonium nitrogen (NH4+-N) dynamics, and ammonia volatilization (AV). The treatments included sulfur-coated urea (SCU), urease inhibitor urea (AHA), 90-d polymer-coated urea (P90), 120-d polymer-coated urea (P120), and five BBFs prepared by mixing CRNFs at a 3:7 ratio (AHAP90, SP90, AHAP120, SP120, and P90P120). Based on N release characteristics, CRNFs were categorized into four release modes: pre-positioned single-peak (PrSRM), post-positioned single-peak (PoSRM), decreasing double-peak (DDRM), and increasing double-peak (IDRM). Synchronization between soil NH4+-N dynamics under CRNFs and plant N uptake rate (NUPR) under CK was quantified using dynamic time warping (DTW), with smaller values indicating higher synchrony. Results showed that single-peak release modes significantly reduced grain yield and NUP by 12.6% and 10.5%, respectively. The IDRM treatment, a blend of 90-d and 120-d polymer-coated urea, showed NH4+-N supply dynamics most closely matching the N demand of high-yielding rice, with lower two-year average DTW values (SSRDTW 1.01, NUPSDTW 1.72) than DDRM (1.03 and 2.00), which translated into increases in spikelet number, grain yield, and NUP by 4.49%, 6.03%, and 4.85%, respectively, while decreasing AV by 86.7% compared with CK. One-time application of IDRM fertilizer can align soil NH4+-N supply with rice N demand, ensure high yield, and reduce N losses, providing an optimized fertilization strategy for sustainable rice production in the Yangtze River Delta.}
}