Assessment and Simulation of Soil Water and Nitrogen Fate Under Different Drip Fertilization Scheduling Methods for Corn in North China

ABSTRACT The coordinated management of water and fertilizer has become a necessary strategy to solve the global water crisis and improve crop productivity. This study undertook a field experiment to examine drip irrigation of maize utilizing lysimeters. The impacts of four distinct nitrogen fertilization treatments, with application rates of 105 (CK), 153 (T1), 204 (T2) and 255 kg ha −1 (T3), on crop growth, development and the efficiency of water and fertilizer utilization were investigated separately. During the experimental period (2021–2022), the yield reached its maximum under the T2 treatment, which were 20% and 32% greater than that of the CK treatment. The water use efficiency (WUE) increased with increasing fertilizer application. Conversely, the partial factor productivity of nitrogen (PFPN) decreased with increasing fertilizer application. Using the calibrated HYDRUS‐2D model, we analysed the impacts of irrigation volume and water–nitrogen interactions on water and fertilizer utilization. The simulations revealed an irrigation quota of 1855 m 3 ha −1 ; the maximum root nitrogen uptake was 196 kg ha −1 , whereas the nitrogen leaching loss from deep soil was only 12 kg ha −1 . These results provide a scientific basis for optimizing water–fertilizer management in water‐scarce regions of North China.