Effect of combined application of February Orchid（Orychophragmus violaceus L.）and chemical fertilizer on nutrient uptake and utilization of spring maize

Effects of reducing farmers fertilizer rates on yield and nutrient utilization of spring maize were investigated by using February Orchid (Orychophragmus violaceus L.) as green manure. There were six treatments, control (F0), farmers fertilizer rate (F100), green manure application only (F0+G), and green manure combined with 70%, 85% and 100% of farmers fertilizer rates (F70+G, F85+G and F100+G), respectively. The results show that both the fertilizer and the fertilizer combined with green manure could increase the yields and nutrient accumulation amounts of shoot and component tissues, and could improve the nutrient distribution in maize. The yields of F100, F70+G, F100+G and F85+G are 101.4, 108.4, 115.5 and 130.4 g/plant, which are about 120.9%, 129.2%, 137.6% and 155.3% higher than the control, respectively. Compared with F100, maize grain yield and shoot N accumulation under the treatment of F85+G are significantly increased by 29.0 g/plant and 0.65 g/plant, respectively. There are no significant differences among the treatments of F100, F85+G and F100+G for biomass and nutrient accumulation. The nutrient accumulation and distribution in grains under the green manure application combined with fertilizer treatments (F100+G, F85+G and F70+G) are similar to those of the F100 treatment.