Microbial Activity in Paddy Soil and Water-Use Efficiency of Rice as Affected by Irrigation Method and Nitrogen Level

The thin-shallow-wet-dry irrigation (TIR) method is one of water-saving irrigation methods of rice cultivation. The effects of TIR method on water-use efficiency (WUE) of rice and soil microbial activities were investigated under three rates of nitrogen (N) compared to conventional flood irrigation. The TIR method decreased total water consumption (21.7–23.5%) and increased rice WUE (17.8–27.2%). At high N level, the TIR method significantly increased the number of nitrifying bacteria; the activities of catalase, invertase, and urease in soil at the jointing, booting, and milky stages; and the number of denitrifying bacteria at the milky stage. Increased N rate increased grain yield and water consumption simultaneously, and middle N level increased microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and N, the number of nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria, and the activities of catalase, urease, and invertase. Thus the TIR method at the middle N level can effectively improve rice WUE and soil MBC and enzyme activity.