en.Wedoany.com Reported - A study by the Institute of Soil Science at the Chinese Academy of Sciences challenges the traditional view of nitrogen loss in rice cultivation, finding that most nitrogen gas emitted from flooded rice paddies comes from soil organic nitrogen rather than applied fertilizers. Published as a cover article in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on April 22, this research may provide new insights for improving sustainable rice production strategies.

Led by Yan Xiaoyuan of the Institute of Soil Science at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the study overturns the previous scientific consensus that fertilizer nitrogen is the primary source of nitrogen loss in rice paddies. Due to the abundance of nitrogen gas in the atmosphere, accurately measuring nitrogen emissions has long posed technical challenges, making it difficult to distinguish emissions originating from soil. The new study overcomes this measurement limitation, confirming that soil organic nitrogen is the main source of gaseous nitrogen loss in flooded rice systems.

This finding holds particular significance for China, where nitrogen fertilizer application in rice production is estimated to be two to three times the global average. Excessive nitrogen fertilizer use often leads to environmental losses and reduced nutrient use efficiency. The research shows that hybrid rice varieties can enhance plant nitrogen uptake and microbial nitrogen use efficiency, reducing gaseous nitrogen loss per unit yield by approximately 43% while maintaining crop productivity. The study suggests that integrating crop breeding with soil and microbial management may help lower agriculture's environmental footprint while increasing yields.

By revising the understanding of nitrogen sources in rice paddies, this study provides a new analytical framework for refining global nitrogen budgets and developing more efficient agricultural nutrient management practices.

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