Effect of balanced nutrient fertilizer: A case study in Pinggu District, Beijing, China

Agriculture has played an indispensable role in the economic and social development of China. However, the inappropriate application of fertilizers in agriculture has brought about environmental pollution. Therefore, under the requirements of green development, the inevitable choice has been reducing the application amount while increasing the utilization rate of fertilizers. To solve the problems resulting from fertilizers, this research designed and made Balanced Nutrient Fertilizer based on the nutrient balance method. To test Balanced Nutrient Fertilizer, continuous planting experiments on three crops (peas, corns, and peaches) were carried out in Pinggu District, Beijing. Furthermore, a substance flow analysis (SFA) was conducted to obtain a deeper understanding of the Balanced Nutrient Fertilizer. Through a series of tests, the application of Balanced Nutrient Fertilizer was shown to increase the crop yield by 3%. The product quality was also improved. In addition, the amount of nutrients applied was significantly reduced in the experimental group (specifically, 35%–88% for nitrogen, 69%–93% for phosphorus, and 8%–82% for potassium). The results of the SFA revealed that applying the Balanced Nutrient Fertilizer could meet the required amount of nutrients for the best crop growth, greatly decrease the negative influence of chemical fertilizers on the soil and reduce agricultural non-point source pollution. [Display omitted] •Balanced Nutrient Fertilizer can increase yield 3–7% with less fertilizer input.•The total application of NPK has been decreased by 35%–93%.•SFA was used to evaluate the influence of the fertilizer on environment.•A new calculation method of nutrient elements utilization rate