Abstract: Clarifying the pattern of nitrogen absorption and utilization of rice under the treatments of Astragalus sinicus combined with chemical fertilizer application and the pattern of absorption, utilization, distribution and residue of A. sinicus nitrogen in rice-soil system could provide basis to rational fertilization for rice planting area in southern Henan. In this study, undisturbed soil column simulation and isotope tracer technology of ¹⁵N were used to examine the differences of nitrogen uptake and utilization of rice, nitrogen nutrient balance of rice-soil system and nitrogen uptake, utilization, distribution and residue of A. sinicus nitrogen after mineralization and decomposition among seven treatments. The treatments involved 1) no fertilization (CK); 2) chemical fertilizer+22500 kg·hm^-2 A. sinicus (FM1); 3) chemical fertilizer+30000 kg·hm^-2 A. sinicus (FM2); 4) chemical fertilizer+37500 kg·hm^-2 A. sinicus (FM3); 5) chemical fertilizer+22500 kg·hm^-2 A. sinicus +lime (FM1+CaO); 6) chemical fertilizer+30000 kg·hm^-2 A. sinicus lime (FM2+CaO); 7) chemical fertilizer+37500 kg·hm^-2 A. sinicus +lime (FM3+CaO). Results showed that compared with CK, fertilization significantly increased nitrogen uptake of grain and rice stalks, apparent nitrogen loss, and nitrogen surplus. The grain nitrogen uptake, rice straw nitrogen uptake and nitrogen use efficiency of rice increased firstly and then decreased with the increasing A. sinicus application rates, while the apparent nitrogen loss and nitrogen surplus showed the opposite trend. The best performance was presented under the treatment of chemical fertilizer combined with 30000 kg·hm^-2 of A. sinicus. Lime addition could increase grain nitrogen uptake, rice straw nitrogen uptake, and nitrogen use efficiency of rice, while reducing apparent nitrogen loss and nitrogen surplus, with the best performance of FM2+CaO. For all the treatments, the proportion of nitrogen absorbed by rice from A. sinicus was 6.3%-13.2%, while that from soil and chemical fertilizer was 86.8%-93.7%. The utilization ratio of A. sinicus nitrogen by rice was 23.8%-33.6%. The utilization ratio of A. sinicus nitrogen in different parts of rice was grain > stem and leaf > root. The residue rate of A. sinicus nitrogen in soil was 37.6%-62.4%. The loss rate of A. sinicus nitrogen was 7.8%-38.6%. Comprehensively considering nitrogen absorption and utilization of rice, nitrogen nutrient balance of rice-soil system, and the distribution situation of nitrogen from A. sinicus in rice, FM2+CaO was the optimum fertilization pattern in the study area.

Key words: Astragalus sinicus, nitrogen use efficiency, ¹⁵N isotope, nitrogen absorption, nitrogen distribution