Partial Substitution of Inorganic Fertilizer with Organic Manure and Reduced Phosphorus Inputs Enhance Rice Yields and Phosphorus Fertilizer Efficiency

Abstract

Chemical phosphorus (P) fertilizers generally exhibit low utilization efficiency. The combined application of chemical fertilizers and organic manure is considered an effective strategy to improve soil P availability and crop yields. However, the long-term effects of partially substituting chemical P fertilizer with organic manure on P fertilizer efficiency and crop yield remain poorly understood. To address this, a 5-year field experiment was conducted in a double-rice cropping system to evaluate the impact of substituting chemical P fertilizer with organic manure on rice yield, apparent P recovery (APR), and soil P availability. Our results showed that compared to conventional chemical fertilization (NPK), substituting 20% of P with organic manure, while maintaining the same total N, P, and K inputs (CM(P)), increased grain yield by 4.59% and soil Olsen-P content by 25.48%. In contrast, 20% swine manure substitution with reduced P input (CM(-P)) sustained rice yield and soil Olsen-P levels comparable to NPK. Additionally, treatments CM(P) and CM(-P) increased APR by 59.91% and 82.50%, respectively, and the P activation coefficient by 139.13% and 171.74%. Rice yield and APR were significantly positively correlated with soil Olsen-P, suggesting that manure-induced improvements in soil P availability promoted both rice yield and APR. Overall, our study demonstrates that partial substitution of chemical P fertilizer with organic manure, particularly with reduced P input, is a sustainable fertilization strategy for enhancing P fertilizer efficiency and maintaining crop yields.