Reducing the use of chemical fertilizers while improving efficiency is a major global scientific challenge

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The achievements of China’s zero-growth initiative for chemical fertilizers rely primarily on four key technical approaches. The first is soil testing and formula fertilization. Over 300,000 fertilizer formulas have been released, and more than 1 billion fertilizer application advice cards have been distributed. These measures encourage enterprises to produce formulated fertilizers in accordance with these formulas, and guide farmers to apply fertilizers properly using these cards; formulated fertilizers account for over 60% of the fertilizers used for the three major grain crops. Second is the deep application of fertilizer machinery. Priority should be given to promoting side-deep fertilization for rice, simultaneous seeding and fertilization for corn, and mechanical deep fertilization for wheat. The area under mechanical fertilization for the three major food crops reached 650 million mu-times, accounting for 45% of the sown area. Third is the integration of water and fertilizer. Focusing on crops such as corn, potatoes, cotton, vegetables, and fruit trees, technologies such as sprinkler irrigation and drip irrigation are promoted, with the area covered each year exceeding 150 million mu-times. Fourth is the replacement of chemical fertilizers with organic fertilizers. Actions were taken to replace chemical fertilizers with organic fertilizers for fruits, vegetables, and tea cultivation; in 2020, the area where organic fertilizers were used across the country was 550 million mu, a 40% increase compared to 2015, while the area dedicated to the cultivation of green manure exceeded 50 million mu. At present, the international situation is complex and volatile, fertilizer imports and exports are restricted, and there are still prominent problems in the development of fertilizers in our country. First, **actions** taken by our country to ensure the security of the fertilizer industry and to reduce the use of chemical fertilizers while improving their efficiency need to be strengthened. Second is to address the key technical challenges in the industry. Among them, technologies for the efficient utilization of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer resources need to be strengthened urgently ； Technological innovation to enhance the green efficiency of fertilizer products urgently needs to be advanced ； Fertilization techniques and equipment suitable for new types of fertilizers need to be further developed and improved. Third, the policies and regulations aimed at promoting the high-quality development of the fertilizer industry need to be improved urgently. In the future, the fertilizer industry will continue to develop along six strategic directions. First, fertilizer research and development is guided by the needs of agricultural production. Research and development must be tailored to the characteristics of crops, soil, and climate in order to meet the requirements of actual application – such as preventing seed damage when seeds and fertilizers are applied together, ensuring no loss of fertilizer effects with single-application methods, rapid dissolution of fertilizer when applied through pipelines, fast fertilizer efficacy in vegetable cultivation, and preventing clogging of pipes during mechanical application. Second is the rational development and utilization of phosphorus and potassium resources. Pay attention to the sustainable use of phosphorus resources, control the total production capacity of phosphate fertilizers, and restrict their export ； Strengthen the processing and utilization of low-grade solid potash ores, and implement strategies for the organic substitution of potash fertilizers. Third, accelerate innovation in green and efficient technologies for new types of fertilizers. While improving nutrient efficiency, emphasis is placed on the use of safe, environmentally friendly, and biodegradable natural/plant-based materials. Fourth, pay attention to the safe and scientific use of organic fertilizers. Advance the technologies for removing airborne pollutants, heavy metals, antibiotics, and resistance genes from livestock and poultry manure, develop advanced and efficient facilities and equipment for processing such manure and applying it to fields, and support the scientific accumulation and application of organic fertilizers. Fifth is to carry out research on intelligent recommended fertilization techniques. Develop new low-cost, easy-to-promote, lightweight, accurate intelligent fertilization recommendation technologies ； At the same time, it is necessary to develop seed-fertilizer spreaders with functions of precise positioning, intelligent detection, and variable-rate fertilization, as well as mechanical deep fertilization applicators and side-deep fertilizers. Sixth, continue to advance the integrated water and fertilizer management technology in a thorough manner. Develop intelligent decision-based integrated fertilizer and water management technologies and equipment that suit the regional and crop characteristics as well as the actual needs of production.