Zhu Zhaoliang (1932- ) is a native of Fenghua, Zhejiang province. Zhu is a chemist in soil agriculture. He graduated from Shandong University in 1953. Zhu has served as a research fellow, post-doctorate student tutor, member of academic committee at Nanjing Soil Research Institute, Chinese Academy Sciences (CAS) since graduation. Zhu was elected academician of CAS in1993. Zhu is the incumbent vice-president of the Chinese Peasants' and Workers' Democratic Party Central Committee. Zhu is also a member of 9th National Standing Committee of CPPCC. He is also a director-general of Soil Science Society of China.

Zhu Zhaoliang is a well-known leading scientist in soil nitrogen research in China and has been well-recognized internationally. His systematic research since 1960s on the transformations of nitrogen in soil in relation to the management of nitrogen fertilizers for crops, and for flooded rice in particular, has contributed substantially to improvement of nitrogen fertilizer efficiency in crop production of China. His research has made great contributions to the optimization on the rate of N application in crop production of China. His study on N supply of rice soils in relation to cropping systems has made an important contribution to the reevaluation on the cultivation of intensified cropping systems in Taihu Lake region. It is strongly recommended that rice-rice-wheat (barley) cropping system should be preferably applied on the soils with good structure. His study on the extent and pathways of losses of fertilizer N applied to crops, flooded rice in particular has provided a sound theoretical basis for the improvement of the efficiency of N fertilizers in crop production of China. In recognition of his achievements, he was awarded a total of 10 awards from state government, CAS and Jiangsu provincial government. He co-authored two monographs and published 96 theses in domestic and foreign publications.