Multifactor effects on the N2O emissions and yield of potato fields based on the DNDC model

Abstract

Maintaining or increasing grain yields while also reducing the emissions of field agricultural greenhouse gases is an important objective. To explore the multifactor effects of nitrogen fertilizer on nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions and the yield of potato fields and to verify the applicability of the DeNitrification-DeComposition (DNDC) model when used to project the N2O emission load and yield, this research chooses a potato field in Shenyang northeast China from 2017~2019 as the experiment site. The experiment includes four nitrogen levels observed the emission of N2O by static chamber/gas chromatograph techniques. The results of this study are as follows: (1) DNDC has a good performance regarding the projection of N2O emissions and yields. The model efficiency index EFs were 0.45~0.88 for N2O emissions and 0.91, 0.85 and 0.85 for yields from 2017~2019. (2) The annual precipitation, soil organic carbon and soil bulk density had the most significant influence on the accumulated N2O emissions during the growth period of potato. The annual precipitation, annual average temperature and CO2 mass concentration had the most significant influences on yield. (3) Under the premise of a normal water supply, sowing potatoes within 5 days after the 5-day sliding average temperature in this area exceeds 10 °C can ensure the temperature required for the normal growth of potatoes and achieve the purpose of maintaining and increasing yield. (4) The application of 94.5 kg•hm -2 nitrogen and 15 mm irrigation represented the best results for reducing N2O emissions while also maintaining the yield in potato fields.