To determine the optimal amount of nitrogen(N) fertilizer for achieving a sustainable rice production at the Taihu Lake region of China,two-year on-farm field experiments were performed at four sites using various N application rates.The results showed that 22%-30% of the applied N was recovered in crop and 7%-31% in soils at the rates of 100-350 kg N ha 1.Nitrogen losses increased with N application rates,from 44% of the applied fertilizer N at the rate of 100 kg N ha 1 to 69% of the N applied at 350 kg N ha 1.Ammonia volatilization and apparent denitrification were the main pathways of N losses.The N application rate of 300 kg N ha 1,which is commonly used by local farmers in the study region,was found to lead to a significant reduction in economic and environmental efficiency.Considering the cost for mitigating environmental pollution and the maximum net economic income,an application rate of 100-150 kg N ha 1 would be recommended.This recommended N application rate could greatly reduce N loss from 199 kg N ha 1 occurring at the N application rate of 300 kg N ha 1 to 80-110 kg N ha 1,with the rice grain yield still reaching 7 300-8 300 kg DW ha 1 in the meantime. To determine the optimal amount of nitrogen (N) fertilizer for achieving a sustainable rice production at the Taihu Lake region of China, two-year on-farm field experiments were performed at four sites using various N application rates. The results showed that 22% -30% of the applied N was recovered in crop and 7% -31% in soils at the rates of 100-350 kg N ha 1. Nitrogen losses increased with N application rates, from 44% of the applied fertilizer N at the rate of 100 kg N ha 1 to 69% of the N applied at 350 kg N ha 1.Ammonia volatilization and apparent denitrification were the main pathways of N losses. N application rate of 300 kg N ha 1, which is commonly used by local farmers in the study region, was found to lead to a significant reduction in economic and environmental efficiency .Considering the cost for mitigating environmental pollution and the maximum net economic income, an application rate of 100-150 kg N ha 1 would be recommended. This recommended N application rate could greatly re duce N loss from 199 kg N ha 1 occurring at the N application rate of 300 kg N ha 1 to 80-110 kg N ha 1 with the rice grain yield still reaching 7 300-8 300 kg DW ha 1 in the meantime.