Context
Nitrogen (N) is essential for rice production but often exhibits low use efficiency and substantial environmental losses, especially in intensive double-season rice system. Resin-coated controlled-release urea (CRU) has the potential to better synchronize N release and crop demand; however, its long-term impacts on soil health, agronomic performance, and environmental outcomes remain insufficiently understood.
Objective
This study assessed the long-term effects of CRU compared to conventional urea (CK) on rice yield, soil properties, nutrient use efficiency, and environmental sustainability in double-season rice.
Methods
A 13-year field experiment (2012–2024) was conducted in central China with CRU and CK in both early and late-season rice. Measurements included soil physicochemical properties, yield and yield components. and nutrient uptake. Metrics such as partial factor productivity of fertilizer; physiological efficiency; nutrient harvest index, N balance; and carbon and N sequestrations were also calculated.
Results and discussion
Both treatments improved soil fertility over time, but CRU led to substantially greater gains – increasing soil organic carbon (+54.9 %), total N (+53.8 %), and total phosphorus (+27.0 %) relative to initial soil status. Compared to CK, CRU increased carbon and N sequestration by 17.6 % and 13.1 %, respectively; increased rice yields by 13.1 % in the early-season rice and 15.5 % in the late-season rice, driven by improvements in both source and sink capacity; increased total N, P, and K uptake by 21.0–22.9 %; and improved partial factor productivity of fertilizer by 13.2–15.5 %. Moreover, CRU reduced N surplus by 24.8–38.9 % and achieved a tighter alignment between N balance and yield, indicating simultaneous gains in crop productivity and environmental performance over CK.
Significance
This long-term study demonstrates that under the specific soil and climatic conditions tested, CRU-based N management enhances soil health, rice yield, and nutrient use efficiency, while reducing N losses and associated environmental risks. The findings provide robust evidence supporting CRU as a key technology for the sustainable intensification of rice production in intensive double-season rice system.
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