Abstract: Water extraction method and soil incubation method were used to study the nutrient release characteristics of four slow- and controlled release fertilizers (CRF1, CRF2, SCU, and IBDU), and pot experiment was conducted to assess the effects of the release characteristics on the nutrient requirements of canola (Brassica napus L.). The nutrient release curves of test fertilizers in water were S pattern for CRF1 and CRF2, burst pattern for SCU, and reverse L pattern for IBDU. The nutrient release characteristics of the four fertilizers in water and in soil all fitted binomial equations, suggesting that there existed some similarities in the nutrient release in the two media. The nutrient uptake and biomass of canola plants treated with CRF1 and CRF2 were significantly higher than those treated with SCU and IBDU, and CRF2 had the greatest effect. The nutrient release curves of CRF1 and CRF2 accorded more closely with the nutrient requirements of canola.

Key words: climate aridity, livestock density, NDVI.