DOI: 10.5061/dryad.1vhhmgr4d
title: Global meta-analysis of individual and combined nitrogen inhibitors: Enhancing plant productivity and reducing environmental losses

description: The dataset for this study was assembled by collecting all peer-reviewed
 publications from March 2000 to April 2024 using the Web of Science,
 SCOPUS, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure databases. The
 bibliographic retrieval process preferred reporting items for systematic
 reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA), with specific search terms used
 titles, keywords, and abstracts: ("NBPT" OR "N-(n-butyl)
 thiophosphoric triamide") AND ("DMPP" OR
 "3,4-dimethylepyrazole phosphate" OR "DCD" OR
 "dicyandiamide"). Based on the inclusion criteria, 261
 experimental sites from 41 countries were selected for meta-analysis (Fig.
 1).  The selection criteria were based on the following: (1)
 inclusion of only field observations, excluding pot and laboratory
 experiments; (2) experiments using urea as the base fertilizer; (3)
 comparison of the efficacy of individual inhibitors with combination
 inhibitors to determine cost-effective; (4) inclusion of treatment
 replicates (a minimum of three); (5) measurement of at least one of the
 following variables: soil inorganic nitrogen content (ammonium and
 nitrate), leaching of soluble inorganic nitrogen (ammonium and nitrate),
 gas emissions (ammonia, nitrous oxide, methane, etc.), or crop
 productivity (biomass, yield, and nitrogen uptake).
description: # Global meta-analysis of individual and combined nitrogen inhibitors:
 enhancing plant productivity and reducing environmental losses
 [https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.1vhhmgr4d](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.1vhhmgr4d) This dataset serves the article "Global meta-analysis of individual and combined nitrogen inhibitors: enhancing plant productivity and reducing environmental losses" from the Global Change Biology, containing data of the inhibitor use effects under 285 different treatments extracted from 41 studies. The meanings represented by different abbreviations are shown in the “Abbreviation”. The “Data” table contains data on pH type, soil texture type, nitrification inhibitors type, urease inhibitors type, N application rate type, cropping system classified type, soil organic carbon type and environmental impact variables, including mean annual temperature (MAT) and local mean annual precipitation (MAP) extracted from 41 studies. “Data sources” table are the 41 studies from which the data is sourced. “Number” table indicates the number of each effector in different inhibitor type treatments. ## Description of the data and file structure The dataset for this study was assembled by collecting all peer-reviewed publications from March 2000 to April 2024 using the Web of Science, SCOPUS, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure databases. The bibliographic retrieval process preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA), with specific search terms used titles, keywords, and abstracts: ("NBPT" OR "N-(n-butyl) thiophosphoric triamide") AND ("DMPP" OR "3,4-dimethylepyrazole phosphate" OR "DCD" OR "dicyandiamide"). Based on the inclusion criteria, 261 experimental sites from 41 countries were selected for meta-analysis The empty cells in the  uploaded table is filled with "N/A", representing the value is not available or not applicable. ## Access information Data was derived from the following sources: 1. Ahmed, M., Yu, W., Lei, M., Raza, S., & Zhou, J. (2018). Mitigation of ammonia volatilization with application of urease and nitrification inhibitors from summer maize at the Loess Plateau. *Plant Soil and Environment*, 64(4), 164-172. [https://doi.org/10.17221/46/2018-pse](https://doi.org/10.17221/46/2018-pse) 2. Dillon, K. A., Walker, T. W., Harrell, D. L., Krutz, L. J., Varco, J. J., Koger, C. H., & Cox, M. S. (2012). Nitrogen sources and timing effects on nitrogen loss and uptake in delayed flood rice. *Agronomy Journal*, 104(2), 466-472. [https://doi.org/10.2134/agronj2011.0336](https://doi.org/10.2134/agronj2011.0336) 3. Ding, W. X., Chen, Z. M., Yu, H. Y., Luo, J. F., Yoo, G. Y., Xiang, J., Zhang, H. J., & Yuan, J. J. (2015). Nitrous oxide emission and nitrogen use efficiency in response to nitrophosphate, N-(n-butyl) thiophosphoric triamide and dicyandiamide of a wheat cultivated soil under sub-humid monsoon conditions. *Biogeosciences*, 12(3), 803-815. [https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-12-803-2015](https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-12-803-2015) 4. Ding, W. X., Yu, H. Y., & Cai, Z. C. (2011). Impact of urease and nitrification inhibitors on nitrous oxide emissions from fluvo-aquic soil in the North China Plain. *Biology and Fertility of Soils*, 47(1), 91-99. [https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-010-0504-6](https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-010-0504-6) 5. Do Nascimento, A. F., Ferreira, A., & Clemente, R. A. (2024). Strategies for mitigating nitrous oxide emissions from weathered soils fertilized with urea. *Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems*. [https://doi.org/10.1007/s10705-024-10382-5](https://doi.org/10.1007/s10705-024-10382-5) 6. Duff, A. M., Forrestal, P., Ikoyi, I., & Brennan, F. (2022). Assessing the long-term impact of urease and nitrification inhibitor use on microbial community composition, diversity and function in grassland soil. *Soil Biology & Biochemistry*, 170. [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2022.108709](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2022.108709) 7. Forrestal, P. J., Harty, M., Carolan, R., Lanigan, G. J., Watson, C. J., Laughlin, R. J., McNeill, G., Chambers, B. J., & Richards, K. G. (2016). Ammonia emissions from urea, stabilized urea and calcium ammonium nitrate: insights into loss abatement in temperate grassland. *Soil Use and Management*, 32, 92-100. [https://doi.org/10.1111/sum.12232](https://doi.org/10.1111/sum.12232) 8. Fu, Q., Abadie, M., Blaud, A., Carswell, A., Misselbrook, T. H., Clark, I. M., & Hirsch, P. R. (2020). Effects of urease and nitrification inhibitors on soil N, nitrifier abundance and activity in a sandy loam soil. *Biology and Fertility of Soils*, 56(2), 185-194. [https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-019-01411-5](https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-019-01411-5) 9. Gao, Y., Zeng, L., Shi, Y., Zhou, A., Wang, L., & Nie, H. (2011). Effect of urease/nitrification inhibitor on the growth and yield of peanut. *Chinese Agricultural Science Bulletin*, 27(7), 153-157. 10. Harty, M. A., Forrestal, P. J., Carolan, R., Watson, C. J., Hennessy, D., Lanigan, G. J., Wall, D. P., & Richards, K. G. (2017). Temperate grassland yields and nitrogen uptake are influenced by fertilizer nitrogen source. *Agronomy Journal*, 109(1), 71-79. [https://doi.org/10.2134/agronj2016.06.0362](https://doi.org/10.2134/agronj2016.06.0362) 11. Harty, M. A., Forrestal, P. J., Watson, C. J., McGeough, K. L., Carolan, R., Elliot, C., Krol, D., Laughlin, R. J., Richards, K. G., & Lanigan, G. J. (2016). Reducing nitrous oxide emissions by changing N fertiliser use from calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN) to urea based formulations. *Science of the Total Environment*, 563, 576-586. [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.04.120](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.04.120) 12. Harty, M. A., McGeough, K. L., Carolan, R., Mueller, C., Laughlin, R. J., Lanigan, G. J., Richards, K. G., & Watson, C. J. (2017). Gross nitrogen transformations in grassland soil react differently to urea stabilisers under laboratory and field conditions. *Soil Biology & Biochemistry*, 109, 23-34. [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2017.01.025](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2017.01.025) 13. Hu, T., Cui, X., Li, M., Lu, J., Luo, L., & Chen, S. (2021). Effect of different nitrogen fertilizer synergists, water and nitrogen amount on winter wheat yield. *Transactions of the Chinese Society for Agricultural Machinery*, 52(4), 302-310. 14. Jiang, R., Yang, J., Drury, C. F., Grant, B. B., Smith, W. N., He, W., Reynolds, D. W., & He, P.  (2023). Modelling the impacts of inhibitors and fertilizer placement on maize yield and ammonia, nitrous oxide and nitrate leaching losses in southwestern Ontario, Canada. *Journal of Cleaner Production*, 384. [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.135511](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.135511) 15. Kawakami, E. M., Oosterhuis, D. M., Snider, J. L., & Mozaffari, M. (2012). Physiological and yield responses of field-grown cotton to application of urea with the urease inhibitor NBPT and the nitrification inhibitor DCD. *European Journal of Agronomy*, 43, 147-154. [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eja.2012.06.005](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eja.2012.06.005) 16. Krol, D. J., Minet, E., Forrestal, P. J., Lanigan, G. J., Mathieu, O., & Richards, K. G. (2017). The interactive effects of various nitrogen fertiliser formulations applied to urine patches on nitrous oxide emissions in grassland. *Irish Journal of Agricultural and Food Research*, 56(1), 54-64. [https://doi.org/10.1515/ijafr-2017-0006](https://doi.org/10.1515/ijafr-2017-0006) 17. Li, X., Wang, Y., Xu, C., Wang, H., Zhang, Q., Zhu, Q., Zhu, H., Huang, D. (2023). Effects of nitrogen inhibitors on cadmium uptake and transport in rice. *China Environmental Science*, 43(6), 3034-3041. [https://doi.org/10.19674/j.cnki.issn1000-6923.20230104.006](https://doi.org/10.19674/j.cnki.issn1000-6923.20230104.006). 18. Liu, C., Liu, H., Liu, X., Zhang, Y., Zang, H., Li, G., Pan, B., Zhang, M., & Li, Z.  (2023). Nitrogen stabilizers mitigate nitrous oxide emissions across maize production areas of China: A multi-agroecosystems evaluation. *European Journal of Agronomy*, 143. [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eja.2022.126692](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eja.2022.126692) 19. Liu, C., Ren, D., Liu, H., Zhang, Y., Wang, L., Li, Z., & Zhang, M. (2022). Optimizing nitrogen management diminished reactive nitrogen loss and acquired optimal net ecosystem economic benefit in a wheat-maize rotation system. *Journal of Cleaner Production*, 331. [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.129964](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.129964) 20. Liu, C., Zhang, Y., Liu, H., Liu, X., Ren, D., Wang, L., Guan, D., Li, Z., & Zhang, M. (2022). Fertilizer stabilizers reduce nitrous oxide emissions from agricultural soil by targeting microbial nitrogen transformations. *Science of the Total Environment*, 806. [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151225](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151225) 21. Liu, G., Yang, Z., Du, J., He, A., Yang, H., Xue, G., Yu, C., & Zhang, Y.  (2020). Adding NBPT to urea increases N use efficiency of maize and decreases the abundance of N-cycling soil microbes under reduced fertilizer-N rate on the North China Plain. *Plos One*, 15(10). [https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0240925](https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0240925) 22. Liu, S., Chi, Q., Shan, J., Zhu, B., Zhang, X., Cheng, Y., Cai, Z., Zhang, J., Yan, X., & Mueller, C. (2020). Evaluation of the effectiveness of N process inhibitors in paddy rice via a 15N tracing approach. *Soil Biology & Biochemistry*, 147. [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2020.107855](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2020.107855) 23. Pan, L., Wenying, W., Huakun, Z., & Chong, Y. (2021). Ammonia volatilisation and N recovery of nitrogen fertiliser on former alpine grassland based on a nitrogen isotope labelling technique. *Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica Section B-Soil and Plant Science*, 71(6), 423-431. [https://doi.org/10.1080/09064710.2021.1900382](https://doi.org/10.1080/09064710.2021.1900382) 24. Qi, Z., He, M., Dai, X., & Dong, Y. (2022). The effect of controlled release of urea coated with natural rubber and biochemical inhibitor on soil nitrogen supply and winter wheat growth. *Acta Pedologica Sinica*, 59(5), 1408-1419. 25. Qu, Z., Xia, X., Liu, D., Dong, H., Pan, T., Feng, H., Lou, Y., Wang, H., Yang, Q., Yang, Z., Pan, H., & Zhuge, Y. (2024). Response of nitrification and crop yield to the presence of nbpt and dcd in a wheat-corn double cropping system. *Agronomy-Basel*, 14(2). [https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy14020285](https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy14020285) 26. Ren, B., Huang, Z., Liu, P., Zhao, B., & Zhang, J. (2023). Urea ammonium nitrate solution combined with urease and nitrification inhibitors jointly mitigate NH3 and N2O emissions and improves nitrogen efficiency of summer maize under fertigation. *Field Crops Research*, 296. [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2023.108909](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2023.108909) 27. Roche, L., Forrestal, P. J., Lanigan, G. J., Richards, K. G., Shaw, L. J., & Wall, D. P. (2016). Impact of fertiliser nitrogen formulation, and N stabilisers on nitrous oxide emissions in spring barley. *Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment*, 233, 229-237. [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2016.08.031](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2016.08.031) 28. Sanz-Cobena, A., Sanchez-Martin, L., Garcia-Torres, L., & Vallejo, A. (2012). Gaseous emissions of N2O and NO and NO3- leaching from urea applied with urease and nitrification inhibitors to a maize (Zea mays) crop.* Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment*, 149, 64-73. [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2011.12.016](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2011.12.016) 29. Souza, E. F. C., Rosen, C. J., & Venterea, R. T. (2019). Contrasting effects of inhibitors and biostimulants on agronomic performance and reactive nitrogen losses during irrigated potato production. *Field Crops Research*, 240, 143-153. [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2019.05.001](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2019.05.001) 30. Sun, X. X., Li, D. P., Wu, Z. J., Cui, Y. L., Han, M., Li, Y. H., Yang, D. F., & Cui, Y. K. (2016). Characteristics of ammonia volatilization and nitrous oxide emission from a paddy soil under continuous application of different slow/controlled release urea. *The journal of applied ecology*, 27(6), 1901-1909. [https://doi.org/10.13287/j.1001-9332.201606.039](https://doi.org/10.13287/j.1001-9332.201606.039) 31. Wang, J., Wan, S., Li, F., Wu, P., Wang, Y., Bao, X.,& Cheng, Y. (2023). Effect of biochemical inhibitors on yield and nitrogen efficiency of wheat following rice stubble. *Journal of Triticeae Crops* (09), 1165-1173. 32. Wang, J., Wang, Y., Wan, S., Wu, P., Ye, Y., Guo, X., & Lyu, G. (2020). Effects of urease /nitrification inhibitor on nutrient uptake of glutinous rice in plain along the Huaihe River. *Jiangsu Journal of Agricultural Sciences*, 36(1), 77-82. 33. Wang, S., Li, J., Wang, W., Zhang, L., & Wu, Z. (2023). Chamomile plant material effects on soil nitrogen dynamics and ammonia-oxidizers to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions from maize fields. *Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment*, 341. [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2022.108206](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2022.108206) 34. Zaman, M., Zaman, S., Adhinarayanan, C., Nguyen, M. L., Nawaz, S., & Dawar, K. M. (2013). Effects of urease and nitrification inhibitors on the efficient use of urea for pastoral systems. *Soil Science and Plant Nutrition*, 59(4), 649-659. [https://doi.org/10.1080/00380768.2013.812940](https://doi.org/10.1080/00380768.2013.812940) 35. Zaman, M., Zaman, S., Quin, B. F., Kurepin, L. V., Shaheen, S., Nawaz, S., & Dawar, K. M. (2014). Improving pasture growth and urea efficiency using N inhibitor, molybdenum and elemental sulphur. *Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition*, 14(1), 245-257. [http://dx.doi.org/10.4067/S0718-95162014005000020](http://dx.doi.org/10.4067/S0718-95162014005000020) 36. Zhang, J., Wang, X., Cui, X., Li, A., Zhao, L., & Hu, T. (2024). Effects of irrigation amount and nitrogen synergists on yield and utilization of water and fertilizer of summer maize. *Agricultural Research in the Arid Areas*, 42(1), 123. [http://dx.doi.org/10.7606/j.issn.1000-7601.2024.01.12](http://dx.doi.org/10.7606/j.issn.1000-7601.2024.01.12). 37. Zhang, L., Wu, Z., Jiang, Y., Chen, L., Song, Y., Wang, L., Xie, J., & Ma, X. (2010). Fate of applied urea 15N in a soil-maize system as affected by urease inhibitor and nitrification inhibitor. *Plant Soil and Environment*, 56(1), 8-15. [https://doi.org/10.17221/129/2009-pse](https://doi.org/10.17221/129/2009-pse) 38. Zhang, W., Wang, S., Xia, W., Sun, G., Liu, Z., Li, Z., & Liu, G. (2019). Effects of urease inhibitor and nitrification inhibitor on functional nitrifier and denitrifier in paddy soil. *Journal of Plant Nutrition and Fertitizer*, 25(6), 897-909. 39. Zhao, Z., Han, X., Shi, Y., Wu, W., & Meng, F. (2016). Effect of nitrification and urease inhibitor on carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas emissions in winter wheat and summer maize rotation system in North China. *Transactions of the Chinese Society of Agricultural Engineering*, 32(6), 254-262. 40. Zhao, Z., Wu, D., Bol, R., Shi, Y., Guo, Y., Meng, F., & Wu, W. (2017). Nitrification inhibitor's effect on mitigating N2O emissions was weakened by urease inhibitor in calcareous soils. *Atmospheric Environment*, 166, 142-150. [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2017.07.034](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2017.07.034) 41. Zhou, D., Fu, M., Wei, J., Lou, Y., & Jiang, Y. (2011). Effects of different nitrogen application treatments on nitrate transport and accumulation in facility vegetable fields. *Chinese Journal Of Soil Science* (02), 407-411. [https://doi.org/10.19336/j.cnki.trtb.2011.02.030](https://doi.org/10.19336/j.cnki.trtb.2011.02.030) ### Files and variables | Cn: control n; Tn: treatment n | | :----------------------------------------------------------------- | | Tm: treatment mean; Cm: control mean | | Tsd: treatment standard deviation; Csd: control standard deviation | | NBPT:N-(N-butyl)thiophosphoric triamide | | DCD:Dicyandiamide | | DMPP:3,4-dimethylpyrazole phosphate | ## Code/software The mean effect sizes and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were generated using the R software.To detect effect size differences among factors of the categorical variables, between-group heterogeneity tests (QB) were performed. A significant QB value (*P *&lt; 0.05) suggests that the weighted effect sizes of a given variable significantly differed between groups by Metawin software.