Different behaviors in nitrogen leaching between soil types following the substitution of synthetic fertilizers by manure

The substituting chemical nitrogen (N) fertilizer with organic forms such as livestock manure in agroecosystems improves crop yields while reducing nutrient losses. However, the effects of such management practices in China on different soil types and cropping systems are widely unknown. The present lysimeter study investigated the different chemical fertilizer replacement rates on crop yields and N leaching rates for two spring maize systems on a Luvisol (the typical soil type in the North China Plain) and the other on a Chernozem (the typical soil in the Northeast China Plain). The results achieved herein indicated that manure substitution gave higher crop yields in the Luvisol, except for the treatment with 100% manure N replacement, which showed a slight yield reduction in the short term. For the Chernozem, manure substitution showed a significantly negative effect on crop yield in the short term, but the yield gradually increased and, over longer periods, even surpassed the yields found under baseline conditions. Manure substitution significantly reduced total N (TN) leaching by 57–76% in the Luvisol, while it increased TN leaching by 15–21% in the Chernozem. Results showed that soil properties, including water-holding capacity and clay and organic carbon contents are the main factors that can explain the contrasting effects of manure substitution on N leaching and crop yields for the two selected regions. Such information will enable more bespoke nutrient management measures in these two regions achieving agronomic and environmental benefits.