Pathways of nitrogen loss and optimized nitrogen management for a rice cropping system in arid irrigation region, northwest China

The reactive nitrogen (N) loss of the rice cropping system in the arid region shows a different pattern from that of subtropical humid region due to different climate types and crop management. However, little attention has been paid to this region. To fill this knowledge gap, a two-year (2009–2010) field observation was conducted in the Ningxia irrigation region, northwest China, to explore the major pathway of N loss following local farmers'...