TY - JOUR

T1 - Quantifying synergies and trade-offs in the food-energy-soil-environment nexus under organic fertilization

AU - Xu, Yi

AU - Luo, Bolun

AU - Jia, Rong

AU - Xiao, Jing

AU - Wang, Xiquang

AU - Yang, Yadong

AU - Xue, Shuai

AU - Zeng, Zhaohai

AU - Brown, Rob

AU - Zang, Huadong

PY - 2024/1/1

Y1 - 2024/1/1

N2 - Recycling livestock manure in agroecosystems can maintain crop production, improve soil fertility, and reduce environmental losses. However, there has been no comprehensive assessment of synergies and trade-offs in the food-energy-soil-environment nexus under manure application. Here, we evaluate the sustainability of maize production under four fertilization regimes (mineral, mineral and manure mixed, manure, and no fertilization) from the aspect of food security, energy output, soil quality, and environmental impact based on a five-year field experiment. Manure and mineral mixed fertilization maintained grain and straw quantity and quality compared with mineral fertilization. Manure and mineral mixed fertilization increased stem/leaf ratio and field residue index by 9.1–28.9% and 4.5–17.9%, respectively. Manure also maintained the theoretical ethanol yield but reduced the straw biomass quality index by increasing ash. Further, manure application increased the soil quality index by 40.5% and reduced N2O emissions by 55.0% compared with mineral fertilization. Manure application showed the highest sustainability performance index of 19, followed by mineral (15), mixed (13), and without fertilization (8). In conclusion, manure application maintains food production and energy output, enhances soil quality, and reduces environmental impact, thereby improving the sustainability of maize production.

AB - Recycling livestock manure in agroecosystems can maintain crop production, improve soil fertility, and reduce environmental losses. However, there has been no comprehensive assessment of synergies and trade-offs in the food-energy-soil-environment nexus under manure application. Here, we evaluate the sustainability of maize production under four fertilization regimes (mineral, mineral and manure mixed, manure, and no fertilization) from the aspect of food security, energy output, soil quality, and environmental impact based on a five-year field experiment. Manure and mineral mixed fertilization maintained grain and straw quantity and quality compared with mineral fertilization. Manure and mineral mixed fertilization increased stem/leaf ratio and field residue index by 9.1–28.9% and 4.5–17.9%, respectively. Manure also maintained the theoretical ethanol yield but reduced the straw biomass quality index by increasing ash. Further, manure application increased the soil quality index by 40.5% and reduced N2O emissions by 55.0% compared with mineral fertilization. Manure application showed the highest sustainability performance index of 19, followed by mineral (15), mixed (13), and without fertilization (8). In conclusion, manure application maintains food production and energy output, enhances soil quality, and reduces environmental impact, thereby improving the sustainability of maize production.

U2 - 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119526

DO - 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119526

M3 - Article

VL - 349

JO - Journal of Environmental Management

JF - Journal of Environmental Management

SN - 0301-4797

M1 - 119526

ER -