@Article{phyton.2022.023050,
AUTHOR = {Xiaolan Guo, Di Zhao, Jinbin Hu, Delu Wang, Jianbin Wang, Muhammad Shakeel},
TITLE = {The Effects of Water and Fertilizer Coupling on Plant and Soil Nitrogen Characteristics and Fruit Growth of Rabbiteye Blueberry Plants in a Semi-Arid Region in China},
JOURNAL = {Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany},
VOLUME = {92},
YEAR = {2023},
NUMBER = {1},
PAGES = {209--223},
URL = {http://www.techscience.com/phyton/v92n1/49595},
ISSN = {1851-5657},
ABSTRACT = {
<p>To evaluate the effects of nitrogen (N) and irrigation coupling on the soil N distribution, plant N utilization, and fruit yield of rabbiteye blueberries (<i>Vaccinium virgatum</i>), a field experiment was designed using two factors (water and fertilizer application) with four levels of irrigation and three levels of fertilization, and a control. Under the different water and fertilizer combinations, N primarily accumulated in the leaves. Irrigation and N application within appropriate ranges (pure N &#x2264; 29 g/plant and irrigation volume &#x2264; 2.5 L/plant) significantly improved the blueberry fruit yield. Increases in water and N within these ranges promoted the effective accumulation of N in various organs and the absorption and utilization of N in the plants, which ultimately promoted blueberry yield. With increased N application rate, the nitrate N content of the 0&#x2013;20 cm and 20&#x2013;50 cm soil layers increased. With increased irrigation volume, the nitrate N content of the 0&#x2013;20 cm soil layer decreased, while the nitrate content in the 20&#x2013;50 cm soil layer increased. Low N and moderate water treatments resulted in high fruit yields and reduced nitrate N retention in the soil. Under these conditions, the economic input-output ratio was high and the soil N accumulation was low, and thus the economic and ecological benefits were maximized.</p>
},
DOI = {10.32604/phyton.2022.023050}
}