Zeolite application coupled with film mulched drip irrigation enhances crop yield with less N 2 O emissions in peanut field

Zeolite has been previously reported to increase nitrogen (N) use efficiency in lowland paddy fields. However, few results are available regarding its effect on N 2 O emissions from upland field, especially with mulched drip irrigation. In present study, two-year peanut field experiments were conducted utilizing a split -plot design to assess the impact of zeolite application and irrigation regimes on plant dry weight and N accumulation, soil inorganic N content, peanut yield, N 2 O emissions, and soil physicochemical properties. Different irrigation regimes (MD, mulched drip irrigation; RF, rain -fed) as well as zeolite application rates (0 t ha - 1 (Z 0 , control), 5 t ha - 1 (Z 5 ), and 10 t ha - 1 (Z 10 )) were applied. Results showed that the MD treatment increased plant dry weight, N accumulation, soil NH 4 + -N, NO 3 - -N content and mean soil temperature compared to the RF control. Furthermore, cumulative N 2 O emissions and peanut yield were raised by 24.3% and 15.8%, respectively, with the MD treatment. The increased peanut yield by mulched drip irrigation might be resulted from the promoted soil inorganic N, soil temperature, and plant N accumulation. Regardless of irrigation, zeolite addition increased dry weight and N accumulation during all measured stages except seedling, mean soil NH 4 + -N, NO 3 - -N content, mean soil pH, and peanut yield. In contrast, cumulative N 2 O emissions were decreased compared to the non-zeolite control. Moreover, findings showed that Z 10 performed better in increasing peanut yield by 12.7% and decreasing N 2 O emissions by 35.7% than Z 5 . Increasing soil inorganic N content with zeolite addition contributed to improve plant N accumulation and promote dry weight and peanut yield. Furthermore, the reduction of N 2 O emissions by zeolite was related to improved soil inorganic N and pH. Though MD increased N 2 O emissions, the MDZ 10 treatment had 20.6% of cumulative N 2 O emissions lower than the conventional practice (RFZ 0 ), indicating that zeolite application alleviated the adverse effect of mulched drip irrigation on N 2 O emissions. It was concluded that zeolite dose at 10 t ha - 1 coupled with mulched drip irrigation gave a high peanut yield with less N 2 O emissions. Our findings could be adopted in arid areas to enhance peanut production and mitigate environmental risk induced by N 2 O emissions.