Effect of ridge film mulching and nitrogen application rate on seed quality, oil yield and nitrogen-use efficiency of winter oilseed rape in northwest China

ABSTRACT

Three-year field experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of ridge film mulching plus furrow planting (RFMF) and traditional flat planting (FP) on the seed quality, oil yield and nitrogen-use efficiency of winter oilseed rape (Brassica napus) and to determine the optimal rate of nitrogen (N) application under the two planting patterns. Six N rates, 0, 60, 120, 180, 240 and 300 kg N ha⁻¹, were applied under both patterns. RFMF significantly increased seed yield, oil yield, N agronomic efficiency (NAE) and N partial factor productivity (NPFP) by 15.5–43.5%, 18.0–48.3%, 2.1–70.6% and 17.9–48.2% respectively, compared with FP. The optimal N application rates were 235 and 218 kg N ha⁻¹ under RFMF and FP, respectively. In conclusion, RFMF could be adopted with N rate of 235 kg N ha⁻¹ for the cultivation of winter oilseed rape in northwest China to improve shoot nutrient uptake, oil yield and N use efficiencies.

KEYWORDS:

• Planting pattern
• nitrogen rate
• oil yield
• nitrogen use efficiency
• oilseed rape
• film mulching

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by the National Key Research and Development Project (grant numbers: 2016YFC0400202) and the National Natural Science Foundation program [51679205].