Optimizing Sowing Patterns and Nitrogen Management Strategies Used to Balance Maize Crop Productivity, N2O Emissions, and Economic Benefits in the Loess Plateau Region of China

Understanding the combined effects of sowing patterns and nitrogen (N) management strategies on crop productivity, environmental costs, economic benefits is important to ensuring sustainable development dryland agriculture. Thus, we conducted a three-year field experiment explore two spring maize (FS, flat sowing; RFPM, ridge furrow plastic film mulching) four N (N0, no fertilizer; N1, normal urea as base N2, split application at large flare period ratio 3:2; N3, all controlled-release fertilizer) growth, grain yield, uptake utilization efficiency, N2O emissions, in Loess Plateau region China. Our results showed that compared FS, RFPM promoted growth canopy increased cumulative uptake, use efficiency. emissions by improving soil’s hydrothermal environment, but it reduced cost (yield-scaled emission). production cost, net income total output. Compared traditional (N1), N2 N3 treatments improved productivity income, they costs synchronization supply. However, due decreasing rural labor force available China, more beneficial terms reducing inputs. Therefore, suggest can be form an efficient strategy for balances benefits.