Excessive use of agro-chemicals (such as mineral fertilizers) poses potential risks to soil quality. Application of organic amendments and reduction of inorganic fertilizer are economically feasible and environmenta...Excessive use of agro-chemicals (such as mineral fertilizers) poses potential risks to soil quality. Application of organic amendments and reduction of inorganic fertilizer are economically feasible and environmentally sound approaches to de- velop sustainable agriculture. This study investigated and evaluated the effects of mineral fertilizer reduction and partial substitution of organic amendment on soil fertility and heavy metal content in a 10-season continually planted vegetable field during 2009-2012. The experiment included four treatments: 100% chemical fertilizer (CF100), 80% chemical fertilizer (CF80), 60% chemical fertilizer and 20% organic fertilizer (CF60+OM20), and 40% chemical fertilizer and 40% organic fertilizer (CF40+OM40). Soil nutrients, enzyme activity and heavy metal content were determined. The results showed that single chemical fertilizer reduction (CF80) had no significant effect on soil organic matter content, soil catalase activity and soil heavy metal content, but slightly reduced soil available N, P, K, and soil urease activity, and significantly reduced soil acid phosphatase activity. Compared with CF100, 40 or 60% reduction of chemical fertilizer supplemented with organic fertilizer (CF60+OM20, CF40+OM40) significantly increased soil organic matter, soil catalase activity and urease activity especially in last several seasons, but reduced soil available P, K, and soil acid phosphatase activity. In addition, continu- ous application of organic fertilizer resulted in higher accumulation of Zn, Cd, and Cr in soil in the late stage of experiment, which may induce adverse effects on soil health and food safety.展开更多
Greenhouse vegetable production has been characterized by high agricultural inputs, high temperatures, and high cropping indexes. As an intensive form of agriculture, nutrient cycling induced by microbial activities i...Greenhouse vegetable production has been characterized by high agricultural inputs, high temperatures, and high cropping indexes. As an intensive form of agriculture, nutrient cycling induced by microbial activities in the greenhouses is relatively different from open fields in the same region. However, the responses of soil microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and nitrogen (MBN), enzyme activities, microbial community composition, and yield to organic amendment are not well understood. Therefore, a 5-year greenhouse tomato (Solanum lycopersicum Mill.)-cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) rotation experiment was conducted. The field experiment comprised 5 treatments: 4/4CN (CN, nitrogen in chemical fertilizer), 3/4CN+1/4MN (MN, nitrogen in pig manure), 2/4CN+2/4MN, 2/4CN+1/4 MN+1/4 SN (SN, nitrogen in corn straw) and 2/4CN+2/4SN. The amounts of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P2O5), and potassium (K2O) were equal in the five treatments. Starting with the fourth growing season, the optimal yield was obtained from soil treated with straw. MBC, MBN, phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) profiles, and enzyme activities were significantly changed by 5 years of substitution with organic amendments. Redundancy analysis showed that MBC accounts for 89.5 and 52.3% of the total enzyme activity and total community variability, respectively. The activities of phosphomonoesterase, N-acetyl-glucosaminidase, and urease, and the relative abundances of fungi, actinomycetes, and Gram-negative bacteria were significantly and positively related to vegetable yields. Considering the effects of organic amendments on soil microbial characteristics and vegetable yield, 2/4CN+1/4MN+1/4SN can improve soil quality and maintain sustainable high yield in greenhouse vegetable production.展开更多
Tailing ponds pose environmental hazards, such as toxic metals which can contaminate the surroundings through wind and water erosions and leaching. Various chemical and biochemical properties, together with extractabl...Tailing ponds pose environmental hazards, such as toxic metals which can contaminate the surroundings through wind and water erosions and leaching. Various chemical and biochemical properties, together with extractable and soluble metals were measured five years after reclamation of a polluted soil affected by former mining activities. This abandoned mine site contains large amounts of Fe-oxyhydroxides, sulphates, and heavy metals. As a consequence, soils remain bare and the soil organic matter content is low (〈 3 g kg-1). Marble waste, pig manure and sewage sludge were applied in 2004. Plant cover and richness, and soil chemical, biochemical and biological parameters were analysed five years later. Results showed that all soil biochemical properties as well as vegetation cover and richness were higher in treated soils than in the untreated contaminated plots (control), although organic matter, pH values and extractable metals concentrations were similar among treatments. Soluble cadmium and zinc were lower in the amended plots than in control.展开更多
Soil organic carbon (SOC) is one of the main carbon reservoirs in the terrestrial ecosystem. It is important to study SOC dynamics and effects of organic carbon amendments in paddy fields because of their vest expan...Soil organic carbon (SOC) is one of the main carbon reservoirs in the terrestrial ecosystem. It is important to study SOC dynamics and effects of organic carbon amendments in paddy fields because of their vest expansion in south China. A study was carried out to evaluate the relationship between the SOC content and organic carbon input under various organic amendments at a long-term fertilization experiment that was established on a red soil under a double rice cropping system in 1981. The treatments included non-fertilization (CK), nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium fertilization in early rice only (NPK), green manure (Astragalus sinicus L.) in early rice only (OM1), high rate of green manure in early rice only (OM2), combined green manure in early rice and farmyard manure in late rice (OM3), combined green manure in early rice, farmyard manure in late rice and rice straw mulching in winter (OM4), combined green manure in early rice and rice straw mulching in winter (OMS). Our data showed that the SOC content was the highest under OM3 and OM4, followed by OM1, OM2 and OM5, then NPK fertilization, and the lowest under non-fertilization. However, our analyses in SOC stock indicated a significant difference between OM3 (33.9 t ha^-1) and OM4 (31.8 t ha^-1), but no difference between NPK fertilization (27 t ha^-1) and nonfertilization (28.1 t ha^-1). There was a significant linear increase in SOC over time for all treatments, and the slop of linear equation was greater in organic manure treatments (0.276-0.344 g kg-1 yr^-1) than in chemical fertilizer (0.216 g kg^-1 yr^-1) and no fertilizer (0.127 g kg^-1 yr^-1).展开更多
Methiopyrisulfuron is a novel sulfonylurea herbicide with good activity for annual broadleaf and gramineal weeds control. Present study was to investigate the effects of organic amendments (including peat (PE), sew...Methiopyrisulfuron is a novel sulfonylurea herbicide with good activity for annual broadleaf and gramineal weeds control. Present study was to investigate the effects of organic amendments (including peat (PE), sewage sludge (SS), and humic acid (HA)) on adsorption, desorption and leaching of methiopyrisulfuron in soils. The batch equilibration technique was applied for adsorption-desorption experiments and the leaching was tested through soil column simulated experiments under laboratory conditions. The Freundlich model may well describe adsorption-desorption of methiopyrisulfuron on organic amendments, the natural soil, and amended soils. Organic amendments could not only greatly increase the adsorption capacity of methiopyrisulfuron, but also significantly enhance the hysteresis of desorption of methiopyrisulfuron. The correlations between Kf_ads and organic matter content of amended soils were significant, and the correlations between H and soil organic matter in amended soils with PE, SS, and HA were significant too. The results of soil column experiments indicated that organic amendments greatly decreased leaching of methiopyrisulfuron. This study suggested that PE, SS, and HA could greatly influence environmental behavior of methiopyrisulfuron in soils. Use of organic amendments might be an effective management practice for controlling potential pollution of methiopyrisulfuron to environment.展开更多
Soil suppressiveness to Fusarium root rot of soybean had been observed in a black soil field after a long-term fertilization with nitrogen(N)and phosphorus(P)fertilizer combined with pig manure as organic amendment(NP...Soil suppressiveness to Fusarium root rot of soybean had been observed in a black soil field after a long-term fertilization with nitrogen(N)and phosphorus(P)fertilizer combined with pig manure as organic amendment(NPM),rather than that with only nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer(NP)or no fertilizer(NF).To determine the microbial role on this suppressiveness,fungal and bacterial community characteristics in NPM,NP and NF treatments were investigated by q PCR and DGGE.Compared with the similar bacterial community characteristics among 3 treatments,fungal community,especially Fusarium population size and community composition in NPM treatment were different with those of NP and NF groups.Based on the isolation and pathogenicity test,pathogenic F.oxysporum,F.graminearum,F.verticillioide and F.lateritium absolutely dominated Fusarium community in NF and NP groups.Nonpathogenic F.avenaceum,F.equiseti,F.culmorum,F.redolens,F.solani and F.tricinctum dominated Fusarium community in NPM group.Isolation rate of pathogenic Fusarium in NPM reduced from 100%to 38%in NF.These results suggested that the dominance of soil non-pathogenic Fusarium population induced by organic amendment might play an important role on suppressing Fusarium root rot in the tested field.展开更多
Soil microbial biomass carbon (MBC), β-glucosidase, acid phosphatase and fluorescein diacetate (FDA) activities and bacterial community structure were assessed in a long-term (26 years) experiment, at physiological s...Soil microbial biomass carbon (MBC), β-glucosidase, acid phosphatase and fluorescein diacetate (FDA) activities and bacterial community structure were assessed in a long-term (26 years) experiment, at physiological stages of sorghum growth, comparing different management methods for organic (manure, straw residues) and inorganic (urea) amendments at the INERA field station in Saria (Burkina Faso). Annual application of manure led to the highest soil microbial biomass and enzyme activities. Investigations indicated that only microbial biomass and β-glucosidase activities were affected during the cropping season. Phosphatase and FDA enzyme activities did not depend on the crop development stages. The application of N fertilizer modified phosphatase and FDA enzyme activities, the activities being higher in soils amended with N fertilizer. The bacterial community structure was analyzed by PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) targeting the eubacterial 16S rRNA gene. Cluster analysis of PCR-DGGE patterns showed two major clusters, the first containing the mineral fertilization and straw treatments and the second, the straw + urea, manure and manure + urea treatments. Sorghum grain yields were the highest for manure treatments. In this long-term experiment, applying straw did not produce a better grain yield than that obtained in the un-amended plot.展开更多
Organic material combined with inorganic fertilizer has been shown to greatly improve crop yield and maintain soil fertility globally. However, it remains unclear if crop yield and soil fertility can be sustained in t...Organic material combined with inorganic fertilizer has been shown to greatly improve crop yield and maintain soil fertility globally. However, it remains unclear if crop yield and soil fertility can be sustained in the long term under the combined application of organic and inorganic fertilizers. Three long-term field trials were conducted to investigate the effects of organic amendments on the grain sustainable yield index(SYI), soil fertility index(SFI)and nutrient balance in maize–wheat cropping systems of central and southern China during 1991–2019. Five treatments were included in the trials: 1) no fertilization(control);2) balanced mineral fertilization(NPK);3) NPK plus manure(NPKM);4) high dose of NPK plus manure(1.5NPKM);and 5) NPK plus crop straw(NPKS). Over time, the grain yields of wheat and maize showed an increasing trend in all four fertilization treatments at the Yangling(YL) and Zhengzhou(ZZ) locations, while they declined at Qiyang(QY). The grain yield in the NPKM and 1.5NPKM treatments gradually exceeded that of the NPK and NPKS treatments at the QY site. The largest SYI was recorded in the NPKM treatment across the three sites, suggesting that inorganic fertilizer combined with manure can effectively improve crop yield sustainability. Higher SYI values were recorded at the YL and ZZ sites than at the QY site, possibly because the soil was more acid at QY. The key factors affecting grain yield were soil available phosphorus(AP) and available potassium(AK) at the YL and ZZ sites, and pH and AP at the QY site.All fertilization treatments resulted in soil N and P surpluses at the three sites, but soil K surpluses were recorded only at the QY site. The SFI was greater in the 1.5NPKM, NPKM and NPKS treatments than in the NPK treatment by 13.3–40.0 and 16.4–63.6% at the YL and ZZ sites, respectively, and was significantly higher in the NPKM and 1.5NPKM treatments than in the NPK and NPKS treatments at the QY site. A significant, positive linear relationship was found between SFI and crop yield, and SYI and nutrient balance, indicating that grain yield and its sustainability significantly increased with increasing soil fertility. The apparent N, P and K balances positively affected SFI.This study suggests that the appropriate amount of manure mixed with mineral NPK fertilizer is beneficial to the development of sustainable agriculture, which effectively increases the crop yield and yield sustainability by improving soil fertility.展开更多
Soil contamination by hydrocarbons poses numerous environmental, health and agricultural problems. The degradation of these pollutants can occur naturally but very slowly. It is therefore generally necessary to stimul...Soil contamination by hydrocarbons poses numerous environmental, health and agricultural problems. The degradation of these pollutants can occur naturally but very slowly. It is therefore generally necessary to stimulate this degradation by different means. Thus, this study aimed to improve the bio-degradation of diesel and crude oil in a Ghanaian soil by biostimulation. For this, the sampled soil was characterized by standard methods and contaminated with diesel and crude oil at a proportion of 1% (w/w). Then, contaminated soil samples were supplemented with biochar-compost, poultry manure or cow dung at the proportion of 10% (w/w). Periodically, fractions of these samples were taken to evaluate the density of hydrocarbon utilizing bacteria (HUB) and the residual quantities of diesel or crude oil. The characteristics of the soil used show the need for supplementation for better degradation of hydrocarbons. The results of the study show that supplementing the soil with organic substrates increases HUB loads in soils contaminated by diesel and crude oil. They also show that the residual quantities of diesel and crude oil are generally significantly lower in supplemented soils (p = 0.048 and p < 0.0001 respectively). In addition, the study shows that degradation was generally greater in soils contaminated by diesel compared to those contaminated by crude oil, especially at the end of the study.展开更多
Organic amendments(OM)can profoundly affect soil nitrous oxide(N_(2)O)emissions via changing nitrogen(N)cycles.However,mechanistic insights into how nitrification inhibitors modulate the responses of soil N_(2)O emiss...Organic amendments(OM)can profoundly affect soil nitrous oxide(N_(2)O)emissions via changing nitrogen(N)cycles.However,mechanistic insights into how nitrification inhibitors modulate the responses of soil N_(2)O emissions to successive applications of OM are currently insufficient.In this study,we performed a laboratory experiment to examine N_(2)O emissions from a tropical vegetable soil subjected to six years of chemical fertilization(CF)and chemical fertilization combined with manure application(CFM)and evaluate the mitigation effectiveness of nitrification inhibitor dicyandiamide(DCD)under each management regime.Isotopocule mapping showed that bacterial nitrification and/or fungal denitrification accounted for 77.4%–88.5%of total N_(2)O production across treatments during the emission peak.The cumulative N_(2)O emissions from the CFM-treated soil were nearly 8-fold of those from the CF-treated soil.The CFM treatment stimulated N_(2)O production from bacterial nitrification and denitrification by increasing the abundance of genes linked to nitrifiers(ammonia-oxidizing bacterial(AOB)amoA and total comammox amoA)and denitrifiers(nirK,nirS,and qnorB),respectively.Importantly,DCD decreased cumulative N_(2)O emissions by an average of 73.3%,with better mitigation performance observed in the CFM-treated soil than in the CF-treated soil due to stronger inhibited nitrification and increased abundance of the nosZ gene,and altered bacterial community composition.The 16S rRNA sequencing further revealed that adding DCD to the CFM-treated soil resulted in declines in the abundances of bacterial phylum Actinobacteria and Chloroflexi that positively affected N_(2)O emissions;the opposite pattern prevailed for Gemmatimonadetes that negatively affected N_(2)O emissions.This study highlights the potential of manure application,when coupled with nitrification inhibitors,to achieve the dual goals of enhancing soil fertility and reducing environmental risk associated with N_(2)O emissions in tropical agricultural soils.展开更多
To evaluate the effect of organic amendments on soil nematode community composition and diversity within aggregate fractions,a study was initiated in agricultural soils with four-year organic amendments.Soil samples w...To evaluate the effect of organic amendments on soil nematode community composition and diversity within aggregate fractions,a study was initiated in agricultural soils with four-year organic amendments.Soil samples were collected from the plow layer(0-20 cm)under three cornfield management scenarios:1)conventional cropping(CK,corn straw removal and no organic manure application);2)straw retention(SR,incorporation of chopped corn stalk);and 3)manure application(MA,chicken manure input).The soil samples were fractionated into four aggregate sizes,i.e.,>2 mm(large macroaggregates),1-2 mm(macroaggregates),0.25-1 mm(small macroaggregates),and<0.25 mm(microaggregates,silt and clay fractions).The composition and diversity of soil nematode communities were determined within each aggregate fraction.The results showed that both SR and MA treatments significantly increased the percentage of macroaggregates(>1 mm)and only MA treatment strongly increased the mean weight diameter compared to the CK(P<0.05).The abundance of total nematodes and four trophic groups were affected significantly by the aggregate fractions and their higher abundance occurred in the larger aggregates.The effects of aggregate size on most nematode genera were significant.Bacterivores in the small macroaggregates and microaggregates,and fungivores in the large macroaggregates were significantly different among treatments.The percentage of bacterivores increased after the application of organic materials,while that of fungivores decreased.It can be concluded that organic management significantly affects soil aggregation and soil characteristics within aggregates,and the aggregate size subsequently influences the distribution of nematode communities.展开更多
Soil structure plays an important role in edaphic conditions and the environment. In this study, we investigated the effects of organic amendment on soil structure and hydraulic properties. A corn field in a semiarid ...Soil structure plays an important role in edaphic conditions and the environment. In this study, we investigated the effects of organic amendment on soil structure and hydraulic properties. A corn field in a semiarid land was separately amended with sheep manure compost at five different rates (2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 t/ha) and corn stover (6 t/ha) in combination with two decomposing agents. The soil structure of different amended soils was analyzed from the aggregate and pore domain perspectives. The internal pore structure of the soil was visualized through X-ray computed tomography and quantified using a pore-network model. Soil aggregate-size distribution and stability, saturated hydraulic conductivity, and water-retention curves were measured by sampling or in situ. The gas permeability and diffusivity of different amended soils were simulated based on the extracted pore networks. The aggregate stability of the amended soils was improved compared with the control, that is, the mean weight diameter increased and the percentage of aggregate destruction decreased. The stability of soil aggregates varied non-monotonically with the application rate of compost and decreased after treatment with corn stover and decomposing agents. The pore-network parameters including air-filled porosity, pore radius, throat length, and coordinate number increased for the amended soils compared with the control. The mean pore size increased with increasing compost incorporation rate. The saturated hydraulic conductivity of the compost-amended soils was higher than that of the control but varied quadratically with the application rate. The saturated hydraulic conductivity of soil treated with corn stover and decomposing agents was clearly higher than that without the agent and the control. The greater gas diffusivity and air permeability indicate that soil aeration improved following the incorporation of organic amendments. The air permeability versus air-filled porosity relationship followed a power law, and the gas diffusivity versus air-filled porosity relationship was characterized by a generalized density-corrected model regardless of amendment. The findings of this study can help improve the understanding of soil structure and hydrological function to organic fertilizer incorporation and further monitor the quality of soil structure through the pore space perspective.展开更多
Establishing strategies of organic amendments application to mitigate the adverse effects of saline irrigation are essential for the sustainable agriculture.A two-year pot experiment was conducted using combinations o...Establishing strategies of organic amendments application to mitigate the adverse effects of saline irrigation are essential for the sustainable agriculture.A two-year pot experiment was conducted using combinations of organic amendments including effective microorganisms(EM),biochar(BC)and digestate(Di)to investigate their effects on soil and melon(Cucumis melo L.)compared with the recommended NPK fertilizer and Control(CK)under two levels of irrigation water salinity(SL0:0.25 dS/m,SL1:2.0 dS/m).Results showed combined applications of organic amendments could significantly(p<0.05)increase soil pH and organic matter(OM)compared to NPK and CK.Application of organic amendments containing BC evidently increased the sodium adsorptive capacity(SAC)under saline water solution.The combined application of EM,BC and Di(EM+BC+Di)could significantly(p<0.05)improve soil available water retention under SL0 and SL1 compared with other treatments.Results also showed organic amendments application can significantly(p<0.05)enhance the photosynthetic rate(Pr)and reduce sodium ion(Na+)content in melon leaves.EM+BC+Di could significantly(p<0.05)increase water use efficiency(WUE)and fruit yield of melon under SL0 and SL1 in comparison to other treatments.It proved that EM+BC+Di had a positive effect on soil improvement,melon growth,WUE and fruit yield.Moreover,EM+BC+Di could be used as an alternative strategy for mineral NPK fertilization of melon at reasonable dosages and frequencies under saline irrigation.展开更多
Ploughing and fertilization practices in rice-wheat system have deteriorated the soil carbon (C) pools. Conservation agriculture (CA) based management approaches have proven to enhance C sequestration and reverse the ...Ploughing and fertilization practices in rice-wheat system have deteriorated the soil carbon (C) pools. Conservation agriculture (CA) based management approaches have proven to enhance C sequestration and reverse the loss of soil-organic-carbon (SOC), which further enhances soil fertility. Different fractions of SOC pools react to the alterations in management practices and indicate changes in SOC dynamics as compared to total C in the soil. Higher SOC levels in soil have been observed in case of reduced/no-till (NT) practices than conventional tillage (CT). However, between CT and zero tillage/NT, total SOC stocks diminished with an increase in soil depth, which demonstrated that the benefits of SOC are more pronounced in the topsoil under NT. Soil aggregation provides physical protection to C associated with different-sized particles, thus, the improvement in soil aggregation through CA is an effective way to mitigate soil C loss. Along with less soil disturbance, residual management, suitable crop rotation, rational application of manures and fertilizers, and integrated nutrient management have been found to be effective in not only improving soil C stock but also enhancing the soil health and productivity. Thus, CA can be considered as a potential method in the build-up of SOC of soil in rice-wheat system.展开更多
In arid and semiarid regions such as Niger, irrigated agriculture leads to soil salinization, particularly through irrigation water salts, and has adverse effects on crop production such as vegetable crops including o...In arid and semiarid regions such as Niger, irrigated agriculture leads to soil salinization, particularly through irrigation water salts, and has adverse effects on crop production such as vegetable crops including onion. The main objective of this study, conducted in the experimental site of Djibo Hamani University of Tahoua in Niger, was to evaluate the effects of organic fertilizer on the growth and yield of onion crops irrigated with saline water. The experiment was performed in split-plot design to test tree type of fertilizer (chemical fertilizer, compost and millet glumes) and four (04) levels of irrigation water salinity in electrical conductivity values (ECw) (S0 = 0.28 dS/m as control, S1 = 2 dS/m, S2 = 4 dS/m and S3 = 6 dS/m). The growth parameters and bulb yield were evaluated during 4 months of onion cropping season. The results showed that the use of irrigation saline water significantly decreased the growth and bulb yield of onion crops. The yield in onion bulbs is 1.55 to 3.94 times higher with control (0.28 dS/m) than that with high saline water (ECw = 6 dS/m). Compared to control in irrigation water, the reduction in fresh onion bulb yield was 38.8, 52.6 and 63.5% respectively for ECw of 2, 4 and 6 dS/m. Furthermore, the application of organic fertilizers, particularly compost, improves salt-tolerance of onion crops in order to promote growth and bulb yield. Indeed, when irrigating onion crops with saline water (ECw of 2, 4 and 6 dS/m), the onion bulb yield is significantly higher under compost than under chemical fertilizer and glumes. At high irrigation saline water (ECw = 6 dS/m), the yield in onion bulbs is 1.9 and 2.1 times higher under compost than that under chemical fertilizer and glumes respectively. Thus, the compost is the promising organic amendment in a semiarid region of Tahoua in Niger to reduce the adverse effects of irrigation saline water on onion crop production.展开更多
Countries in the Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) region are among the most water-scarce regions in the world, and their dryland soils are usually poor in organic carbon content (<0.5%). In this study, we su...Countries in the Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) region are among the most water-scarce regions in the world, and their dryland soils are usually poor in organic carbon content (<0.5%). In this study, we summarize examples of how people in the few oases of the MENA region overcome environmental challenges by sustainably managing economically important date production. On the basis of the limited studies found in the existing literature, this mini-review focuses on the role of traditional soil organic matter amendments beneath the soil surface as a key tool in land restoration. We conclude that soil organic matter amendments can be very successful in restoring soil water and preventing the soil from salinization.展开更多
Labile soil organic carbon (SOC) pools, estimated through chemical fractionation techniques, are considered sensitive indicators of management-induced changes in quality and composition of soil organic matter. Altho...Labile soil organic carbon (SOC) pools, estimated through chemical fractionation techniques, are considered sensitive indicators of management-induced changes in quality and composition of soil organic matter. Although the impacts of organic manure and crop residue applications on C sequestration in rice-wheat system are fairly well documented, their influence on labile SOC pools is relatively less known. Impacts of organic manure, rice straw, and inorganic fertilizer nitrogen (N) applications on soil total organic carbon (TOC) and SOC pools including water-extractable organic C (WEOC), hot water-soluble organic C (HWOC), potassium permanganate- oxidizable organic C (KMnO4-C), microbial biomass C (MBC), mineralizable organic C (Cmin), and the oxidizable fractions of decreasing oxidizability (easily-oxidizable, oxidizable, and weakly-oxidizable) were investigated in an ll-year field experiment under rice-wheat system. The field experiment included treatments of different combinations of farmyard manure, rice straw, and fertilizer N application rates, with C inputs estimated to be in the range from 23 to 127 Mg ha-1. After 11 years of experiment, WEOC, HWOC, and KMnO4-C were 0.32%-0.50%, 2.2%-3.3%, and 15.0%-20.6% of TOC, respectively. The easily-oxidizable, oxidizable, and weakly-oxidizable fractions were 43%-57%0, 22%-27%, and 10%-19% of TOC, respectively. The applications of farmyard manure and rice straw improved WEOC, HWOC, KMnO4-C, easily-oxidizable fraction, Cmin, and MBC, though the rates of change varied considerably from -14% to 145% and -1170 to 83% of TOC, respectively. At the C input levels between 29 and 78 Mg C ha-1 during the ll-year period, the greatest increase was observed in WEOC and the minimum in KMnO4-C. Water-extractable organic C exhibited a relatively greater sensitivity to management than TOC, suggesting that it may be used as a sensitive indicator of management-induced changes in soil organic matter under rice-wheat system. All the other labile SOC pools exhibited almost the same sensitivity to management as TOC. Most of the SOC pools investigated were positively correlated to each other though their amounts differed considerably. Long-term applications of farmyard manure and rice straw resulted in build-up of not only the labile but also the recalcitrant pool of SOC, emphasizing the need for continued application of organic amendments for permanence of the accrued C under the experimental conditions.展开更多
Strongly acidic soils (pH 〈 5.0) are detrimental to tea (Camellia sinensis) production and quality. Little information exists on the ability of surface amendments to ameliorate subsoil acidity in the tea garden s...Strongly acidic soils (pH 〈 5.0) are detrimental to tea (Camellia sinensis) production and quality. Little information exists on the ability of surface amendments to ameliorate subsoil acidity in the tea garden soils. A 120-d glasshouse column leaching experiment was conducted using commonly available soil ameliorants. Alkaline slag (AS) and organic residues, pig manure (PM) and rapeseed cake (RC) differing in ash alkalinity and C/N ratio were incorporated alone and in combination into the surface (0-15 cm) of soil columns (10 cm internal diameter x 50 cm long) packed with soil from the acidic soil layer (15-30 cm) of an Ultisol (initial pH -- 4.4). During the 120-d experiment, the soil columns were watered (about 127 mm over 9 applications) according to the long-term mean annual rainfall (1 143 mm) and the leachates were collected and analyzed. At the end of the experiment, soil columns were partitioned into various depths and the chemical properties of soil were measured. The PM with a higher C/N ratio increased subsoil pH, whereas the RC with a lower C/N ratio decreased subsoil pH. However, combined amendments had a greater ability to reduce subsoil acidity than either of the amendments alone. The increases in pH of the subsoil were mainly ascribed to decreased base cation concentrations and the decomposition of organic anions present in dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and immobilization of nitrate that had been leached down from the amended layer. A significant (P 〈 0.05) correlation between alkalinity production (reduced exchangeable acidity - N-cycle alkalinity) and alkalinity balance (net alkalinity production - N-cycle alkalinity) was observed at the end of the experiment. Additionally, combined amendments significantly increased (P ~ 0.05) subsoil cation concentrations and decreased subsoil A1 saturation (P 〈 0.05). Combined applications of AS with organic amendments to surface soils are effective in reducing subsoil acidity in high-rainfall areas. Further investigations under field conditions and over longer timeframes are needed to fully understand their practical effectiveness in ameliorating acidity of deeper soil layers under naturally occurring leaching regimes.展开更多
Soil organic carbon(SOC)and nitrogen(N)are two of the most important indicators for agricultural productivity.The primary objective of this study was to investigate the changes in SOC and N in the deep soil profile(up...Soil organic carbon(SOC)and nitrogen(N)are two of the most important indicators for agricultural productivity.The primary objective of this study was to investigate the changes in SOC and N in the deep soil profile(up to 100 cm)and their relationships with crop productivity under the influence of long-term(since 1990)fertilization in the wheat-maize cropping system.Treatments included CK(control),NP(inorganic N and phosphorus(P)fertilizers),NPK(inorganic N,P and potassium fertilizers),NPKM(NPK plus manure),and M(manure).Crop yield and the properties of topsoil were measured yearly from 2001 to 2009.C and N contents were measured at five different depths in 2001 and 2009.The results showed that wheat and maize yields decreased between 2001 and 2009 under the inorganic fertilizer(NP and NPK)treatments.The average yield between 2001 and 2009 under the NP,NPK,NPKM,and M treatments(compared with the CK treatment)increased by 38,115,383,and 381%,respectively,for wheat and 348,891,2738,and 1845%,respectively,for maize.Different long-term fertilization treatments significantly changed coarse free particulate(cf POC),fine free particulate(ff POC),intramicroaggregate particulate(i POC),and mineral-associated(m SOC)organic carbon fractions.In the experimental years of 2001 and 2009,soil fractions occurred in the following order for all treatments:m SOC>cf POC>i POC>ff POC.All fractions were higher under the manure application treatments than under the inorganic fertilization treatments.Compared to the inorganic fertilization treatments,manure input enhanced the stocks of SOC and total N in the surface layer(0–20 cm)but decreased SOC and N in the deep soil layer(80–100 cm).This reveals the efficiency of manure in increasing yield productivity and decreasing risk of vertical loss of nutrients,especially N,compared to inorganic fertilization treatments.The findings provide opportunities for understanding deep soil C and N dynamics,which could help mitigate climate change impact on agricultural production and maintain soil health.展开更多
The influences of herbicide alone and in combination with the soil amendments with contrasting resource qualities on dynamics of soil microbial biomass C (MBC), N (MBN), and P (MBP) were studied through two annu...The influences of herbicide alone and in combination with the soil amendments with contrasting resource qualities on dynamics of soil microbial biomass C (MBC), N (MBN), and P (MBP) were studied through two annual cycles in rice-wheat-summer fallow crop sequence in a tropical dryland agroecosystem. The experiment included application of herbicide (butachlor) alone or in combination with various soil amendments having equivalent amount of N in the forms of chemical fertilizer, wheat straw, Sesbania aculeata, and farm yard manure (FYM). Soil microbial biomass showed distinct temporal variations in both crop cycles, decreased from vegetative to grain-forming stage, and then increased to maximum at crop maturity stage. Soil MBC was the highest in herbicide + Sesbania aculeata treatment followed by herbicide + FYM, herbicide + wheat straw, herbicide + chemical fertilizer, and herbicide alone treatments in decreasing order during the rice-growing period. During wheat-growing period and summer fallow, soil MBC attained maximum for herbicide + wheat straw treatment whereas herbicide + FYM, herbicide + Sesbania, and herbicide + chemical fertilizer treatments showed similar levels. The overall trend of soil MBN was similar to those of soil MBC and MBP except that soil MBN was higher in herbicide + chemical fertilizer treatment over the herbicide + wheat straw treatment during rice-growing period. In spite of the addition of equivalent amount of N through exogenous soil amendments in combination with the herbicide, soil microbial biomass responded differentially to the treatments. The resource quality of the amendments had more pronounced impact on the dynamics of soil microbial biomass, which may have implications for long-term sustainability of rainfed agroecosystems in dry tropics.展开更多
基金financially supported by grants of the Key Projects in the Key Technologies R&D Program of China during the 12th Five-Year Plan period(2012BAD14B00)the Guangdong Provincial Science and Technology Plan Key Project,China(2012A020100003,2015A050502043)
文摘Excessive use of agro-chemicals (such as mineral fertilizers) poses potential risks to soil quality. Application of organic amendments and reduction of inorganic fertilizer are economically feasible and environmentally sound approaches to de- velop sustainable agriculture. This study investigated and evaluated the effects of mineral fertilizer reduction and partial substitution of organic amendment on soil fertility and heavy metal content in a 10-season continually planted vegetable field during 2009-2012. The experiment included four treatments: 100% chemical fertilizer (CF100), 80% chemical fertilizer (CF80), 60% chemical fertilizer and 20% organic fertilizer (CF60+OM20), and 40% chemical fertilizer and 40% organic fertilizer (CF40+OM40). Soil nutrients, enzyme activity and heavy metal content were determined. The results showed that single chemical fertilizer reduction (CF80) had no significant effect on soil organic matter content, soil catalase activity and soil heavy metal content, but slightly reduced soil available N, P, K, and soil urease activity, and significantly reduced soil acid phosphatase activity. Compared with CF100, 40 or 60% reduction of chemical fertilizer supplemented with organic fertilizer (CF60+OM20, CF40+OM40) significantly increased soil organic matter, soil catalase activity and urease activity especially in last several seasons, but reduced soil available P, K, and soil acid phosphatase activity. In addition, continu- ous application of organic fertilizer resulted in higher accumulation of Zn, Cd, and Cr in soil in the late stage of experiment, which may induce adverse effects on soil health and food safety.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2016YFD0201001)the earmarked fund for China Agriculture Research System (CARS-23-B02)the Key Research and Development Program of Shandong Province,China (2017CXGC0206)
文摘Greenhouse vegetable production has been characterized by high agricultural inputs, high temperatures, and high cropping indexes. As an intensive form of agriculture, nutrient cycling induced by microbial activities in the greenhouses is relatively different from open fields in the same region. However, the responses of soil microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and nitrogen (MBN), enzyme activities, microbial community composition, and yield to organic amendment are not well understood. Therefore, a 5-year greenhouse tomato (Solanum lycopersicum Mill.)-cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) rotation experiment was conducted. The field experiment comprised 5 treatments: 4/4CN (CN, nitrogen in chemical fertilizer), 3/4CN+1/4MN (MN, nitrogen in pig manure), 2/4CN+2/4MN, 2/4CN+1/4 MN+1/4 SN (SN, nitrogen in corn straw) and 2/4CN+2/4SN. The amounts of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P2O5), and potassium (K2O) were equal in the five treatments. Starting with the fourth growing season, the optimal yield was obtained from soil treated with straw. MBC, MBN, phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) profiles, and enzyme activities were significantly changed by 5 years of substitution with organic amendments. Redundancy analysis showed that MBC accounts for 89.5 and 52.3% of the total enzyme activity and total community variability, respectively. The activities of phosphomonoesterase, N-acetyl-glucosaminidase, and urease, and the relative abundances of fungi, actinomycetes, and Gram-negative bacteria were significantly and positively related to vegetable yields. Considering the effects of organic amendments on soil microbial characteristics and vegetable yield, 2/4CN+1/4MN+1/4SN can improve soil quality and maintain sustainable high yield in greenhouse vegetable production.
基金Supported by the European Union FP7the Ministry of Science and Innovation of the Government of Spain
文摘Tailing ponds pose environmental hazards, such as toxic metals which can contaminate the surroundings through wind and water erosions and leaching. Various chemical and biochemical properties, together with extractable and soluble metals were measured five years after reclamation of a polluted soil affected by former mining activities. This abandoned mine site contains large amounts of Fe-oxyhydroxides, sulphates, and heavy metals. As a consequence, soils remain bare and the soil organic matter content is low (〈 3 g kg-1). Marble waste, pig manure and sewage sludge were applied in 2004. Plant cover and richness, and soil chemical, biochemical and biological parameters were analysed five years later. Results showed that all soil biochemical properties as well as vegetation cover and richness were higher in treated soils than in the untreated contaminated plots (control), although organic matter, pH values and extractable metals concentrations were similar among treatments. Soluble cadmium and zinc were lower in the amended plots than in control.
基金supported by the Special Fund for Agroscientific Research in the Public Interest (201203030 and 201003016)the National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program, 2011CB100501-S06)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41301269)
文摘Soil organic carbon (SOC) is one of the main carbon reservoirs in the terrestrial ecosystem. It is important to study SOC dynamics and effects of organic carbon amendments in paddy fields because of their vest expansion in south China. A study was carried out to evaluate the relationship between the SOC content and organic carbon input under various organic amendments at a long-term fertilization experiment that was established on a red soil under a double rice cropping system in 1981. The treatments included non-fertilization (CK), nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium fertilization in early rice only (NPK), green manure (Astragalus sinicus L.) in early rice only (OM1), high rate of green manure in early rice only (OM2), combined green manure in early rice and farmyard manure in late rice (OM3), combined green manure in early rice, farmyard manure in late rice and rice straw mulching in winter (OM4), combined green manure in early rice and rice straw mulching in winter (OMS). Our data showed that the SOC content was the highest under OM3 and OM4, followed by OM1, OM2 and OM5, then NPK fertilization, and the lowest under non-fertilization. However, our analyses in SOC stock indicated a significant difference between OM3 (33.9 t ha^-1) and OM4 (31.8 t ha^-1), but no difference between NPK fertilization (27 t ha^-1) and nonfertilization (28.1 t ha^-1). There was a significant linear increase in SOC over time for all treatments, and the slop of linear equation was greater in organic manure treatments (0.276-0.344 g kg-1 yr^-1) than in chemical fertilizer (0.216 g kg^-1 yr^-1) and no fertilizer (0.127 g kg^-1 yr^-1).
文摘Methiopyrisulfuron is a novel sulfonylurea herbicide with good activity for annual broadleaf and gramineal weeds control. Present study was to investigate the effects of organic amendments (including peat (PE), sewage sludge (SS), and humic acid (HA)) on adsorption, desorption and leaching of methiopyrisulfuron in soils. The batch equilibration technique was applied for adsorption-desorption experiments and the leaching was tested through soil column simulated experiments under laboratory conditions. The Freundlich model may well describe adsorption-desorption of methiopyrisulfuron on organic amendments, the natural soil, and amended soils. Organic amendments could not only greatly increase the adsorption capacity of methiopyrisulfuron, but also significantly enhance the hysteresis of desorption of methiopyrisulfuron. The correlations between Kf_ads and organic matter content of amended soils were significant, and the correlations between H and soil organic matter in amended soils with PE, SS, and HA were significant too. The results of soil column experiments indicated that organic amendments greatly decreased leaching of methiopyrisulfuron. This study suggested that PE, SS, and HA could greatly influence environmental behavior of methiopyrisulfuron in soils. Use of organic amendments might be an effective management practice for controlling potential pollution of methiopyrisulfuron to environment.
基金financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(41571253,41503068,31770543)Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions(PAPD-2018-87)Initial Scientific Research Fund of Senior Talents in Jiangsu University(15JDG016,15JDG018)。
文摘Soil suppressiveness to Fusarium root rot of soybean had been observed in a black soil field after a long-term fertilization with nitrogen(N)and phosphorus(P)fertilizer combined with pig manure as organic amendment(NPM),rather than that with only nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer(NP)or no fertilizer(NF).To determine the microbial role on this suppressiveness,fungal and bacterial community characteristics in NPM,NP and NF treatments were investigated by q PCR and DGGE.Compared with the similar bacterial community characteristics among 3 treatments,fungal community,especially Fusarium population size and community composition in NPM treatment were different with those of NP and NF groups.Based on the isolation and pathogenicity test,pathogenic F.oxysporum,F.graminearum,F.verticillioide and F.lateritium absolutely dominated Fusarium community in NF and NP groups.Nonpathogenic F.avenaceum,F.equiseti,F.culmorum,F.redolens,F.solani and F.tricinctum dominated Fusarium community in NPM group.Isolation rate of pathogenic Fusarium in NPM reduced from 100%to 38%in NF.These results suggested that the dominance of soil non-pathogenic Fusarium population induced by organic amendment might play an important role on suppressing Fusarium root rot in the tested field.
文摘Soil microbial biomass carbon (MBC), β-glucosidase, acid phosphatase and fluorescein diacetate (FDA) activities and bacterial community structure were assessed in a long-term (26 years) experiment, at physiological stages of sorghum growth, comparing different management methods for organic (manure, straw residues) and inorganic (urea) amendments at the INERA field station in Saria (Burkina Faso). Annual application of manure led to the highest soil microbial biomass and enzyme activities. Investigations indicated that only microbial biomass and β-glucosidase activities were affected during the cropping season. Phosphatase and FDA enzyme activities did not depend on the crop development stages. The application of N fertilizer modified phosphatase and FDA enzyme activities, the activities being higher in soils amended with N fertilizer. The bacterial community structure was analyzed by PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) targeting the eubacterial 16S rRNA gene. Cluster analysis of PCR-DGGE patterns showed two major clusters, the first containing the mineral fertilization and straw treatments and the second, the straw + urea, manure and manure + urea treatments. Sorghum grain yields were the highest for manure treatments. In this long-term experiment, applying straw did not produce a better grain yield than that obtained in the un-amended plot.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(42177341)the Natural Science Basic Research Program of Shanxi,China(202203021222138).
文摘Organic material combined with inorganic fertilizer has been shown to greatly improve crop yield and maintain soil fertility globally. However, it remains unclear if crop yield and soil fertility can be sustained in the long term under the combined application of organic and inorganic fertilizers. Three long-term field trials were conducted to investigate the effects of organic amendments on the grain sustainable yield index(SYI), soil fertility index(SFI)and nutrient balance in maize–wheat cropping systems of central and southern China during 1991–2019. Five treatments were included in the trials: 1) no fertilization(control);2) balanced mineral fertilization(NPK);3) NPK plus manure(NPKM);4) high dose of NPK plus manure(1.5NPKM);and 5) NPK plus crop straw(NPKS). Over time, the grain yields of wheat and maize showed an increasing trend in all four fertilization treatments at the Yangling(YL) and Zhengzhou(ZZ) locations, while they declined at Qiyang(QY). The grain yield in the NPKM and 1.5NPKM treatments gradually exceeded that of the NPK and NPKS treatments at the QY site. The largest SYI was recorded in the NPKM treatment across the three sites, suggesting that inorganic fertilizer combined with manure can effectively improve crop yield sustainability. Higher SYI values were recorded at the YL and ZZ sites than at the QY site, possibly because the soil was more acid at QY. The key factors affecting grain yield were soil available phosphorus(AP) and available potassium(AK) at the YL and ZZ sites, and pH and AP at the QY site.All fertilization treatments resulted in soil N and P surpluses at the three sites, but soil K surpluses were recorded only at the QY site. The SFI was greater in the 1.5NPKM, NPKM and NPKS treatments than in the NPK treatment by 13.3–40.0 and 16.4–63.6% at the YL and ZZ sites, respectively, and was significantly higher in the NPKM and 1.5NPKM treatments than in the NPK and NPKS treatments at the QY site. A significant, positive linear relationship was found between SFI and crop yield, and SYI and nutrient balance, indicating that grain yield and its sustainability significantly increased with increasing soil fertility. The apparent N, P and K balances positively affected SFI.This study suggests that the appropriate amount of manure mixed with mineral NPK fertilizer is beneficial to the development of sustainable agriculture, which effectively increases the crop yield and yield sustainability by improving soil fertility.
文摘Soil contamination by hydrocarbons poses numerous environmental, health and agricultural problems. The degradation of these pollutants can occur naturally but very slowly. It is therefore generally necessary to stimulate this degradation by different means. Thus, this study aimed to improve the bio-degradation of diesel and crude oil in a Ghanaian soil by biostimulation. For this, the sampled soil was characterized by standard methods and contaminated with diesel and crude oil at a proportion of 1% (w/w). Then, contaminated soil samples were supplemented with biochar-compost, poultry manure or cow dung at the proportion of 10% (w/w). Periodically, fractions of these samples were taken to evaluate the density of hydrocarbon utilizing bacteria (HUB) and the residual quantities of diesel or crude oil. The characteristics of the soil used show the need for supplementation for better degradation of hydrocarbons. The results of the study show that supplementing the soil with organic substrates increases HUB loads in soils contaminated by diesel and crude oil. They also show that the residual quantities of diesel and crude oil are generally significantly lower in supplemented soils (p = 0.048 and p < 0.0001 respectively). In addition, the study shows that degradation was generally greater in soils contaminated by diesel compared to those contaminated by crude oil, especially at the end of the study.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.42007098 and 32001209)the Major Science and Technology Plan of Hainan Province,China(No.ZDKJ2021008)+1 种基金the Natural Science Foundation of Hainan Province,China(Nos.320RC687 and 421QN0915)the Central PublicInterest Scientific Institution Basal Research Fund for Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences(Nos.1630042025001,1630042025011,and 1630042025012)。
文摘Organic amendments(OM)can profoundly affect soil nitrous oxide(N_(2)O)emissions via changing nitrogen(N)cycles.However,mechanistic insights into how nitrification inhibitors modulate the responses of soil N_(2)O emissions to successive applications of OM are currently insufficient.In this study,we performed a laboratory experiment to examine N_(2)O emissions from a tropical vegetable soil subjected to six years of chemical fertilization(CF)and chemical fertilization combined with manure application(CFM)and evaluate the mitigation effectiveness of nitrification inhibitor dicyandiamide(DCD)under each management regime.Isotopocule mapping showed that bacterial nitrification and/or fungal denitrification accounted for 77.4%–88.5%of total N_(2)O production across treatments during the emission peak.The cumulative N_(2)O emissions from the CFM-treated soil were nearly 8-fold of those from the CF-treated soil.The CFM treatment stimulated N_(2)O production from bacterial nitrification and denitrification by increasing the abundance of genes linked to nitrifiers(ammonia-oxidizing bacterial(AOB)amoA and total comammox amoA)and denitrifiers(nirK,nirS,and qnorB),respectively.Importantly,DCD decreased cumulative N_(2)O emissions by an average of 73.3%,with better mitigation performance observed in the CFM-treated soil than in the CF-treated soil due to stronger inhibited nitrification and increased abundance of the nosZ gene,and altered bacterial community composition.The 16S rRNA sequencing further revealed that adding DCD to the CFM-treated soil resulted in declines in the abundances of bacterial phylum Actinobacteria and Chloroflexi that positively affected N_(2)O emissions;the opposite pattern prevailed for Gemmatimonadetes that negatively affected N_(2)O emissions.This study highlights the potential of manure application,when coupled with nitrification inhibitors,to achieve the dual goals of enhancing soil fertility and reducing environmental risk associated with N_(2)O emissions in tropical agricultural soils.
基金supported by the National Key Research&Development Plan of China(No.2016YFD0300204).
文摘To evaluate the effect of organic amendments on soil nematode community composition and diversity within aggregate fractions,a study was initiated in agricultural soils with four-year organic amendments.Soil samples were collected from the plow layer(0-20 cm)under three cornfield management scenarios:1)conventional cropping(CK,corn straw removal and no organic manure application);2)straw retention(SR,incorporation of chopped corn stalk);and 3)manure application(MA,chicken manure input).The soil samples were fractionated into four aggregate sizes,i.e.,>2 mm(large macroaggregates),1-2 mm(macroaggregates),0.25-1 mm(small macroaggregates),and<0.25 mm(microaggregates,silt and clay fractions).The composition and diversity of soil nematode communities were determined within each aggregate fraction.The results showed that both SR and MA treatments significantly increased the percentage of macroaggregates(>1 mm)and only MA treatment strongly increased the mean weight diameter compared to the CK(P<0.05).The abundance of total nematodes and four trophic groups were affected significantly by the aggregate fractions and their higher abundance occurred in the larger aggregates.The effects of aggregate size on most nematode genera were significant.Bacterivores in the small macroaggregates and microaggregates,and fungivores in the large macroaggregates were significantly different among treatments.The percentage of bacterivores increased after the application of organic materials,while that of fungivores decreased.It can be concluded that organic management significantly affects soil aggregation and soil characteristics within aggregates,and the aggregate size subsequently influences the distribution of nematode communities.
基金This research is partially supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant no.51879264,51790535).
文摘Soil structure plays an important role in edaphic conditions and the environment. In this study, we investigated the effects of organic amendment on soil structure and hydraulic properties. A corn field in a semiarid land was separately amended with sheep manure compost at five different rates (2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 t/ha) and corn stover (6 t/ha) in combination with two decomposing agents. The soil structure of different amended soils was analyzed from the aggregate and pore domain perspectives. The internal pore structure of the soil was visualized through X-ray computed tomography and quantified using a pore-network model. Soil aggregate-size distribution and stability, saturated hydraulic conductivity, and water-retention curves were measured by sampling or in situ. The gas permeability and diffusivity of different amended soils were simulated based on the extracted pore networks. The aggregate stability of the amended soils was improved compared with the control, that is, the mean weight diameter increased and the percentage of aggregate destruction decreased. The stability of soil aggregates varied non-monotonically with the application rate of compost and decreased after treatment with corn stover and decomposing agents. The pore-network parameters including air-filled porosity, pore radius, throat length, and coordinate number increased for the amended soils compared with the control. The mean pore size increased with increasing compost incorporation rate. The saturated hydraulic conductivity of the compost-amended soils was higher than that of the control but varied quadratically with the application rate. The saturated hydraulic conductivity of soil treated with corn stover and decomposing agents was clearly higher than that without the agent and the control. The greater gas diffusivity and air permeability indicate that soil aeration improved following the incorporation of organic amendments. The air permeability versus air-filled porosity relationship followed a power law, and the gas diffusivity versus air-filled porosity relationship was characterized by a generalized density-corrected model regardless of amendment. The findings of this study can help improve the understanding of soil structure and hydrological function to organic fertilizer incorporation and further monitor the quality of soil structure through the pore space perspective.
基金by the National Nature Science Foundation of China(51779182)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(2017B20414)+1 种基金the National Key Research and Development Program(2020YFD0900705)the Science and Technology Project for Nanjing Water Conservancy Bureau(2019-208-6).
文摘Establishing strategies of organic amendments application to mitigate the adverse effects of saline irrigation are essential for the sustainable agriculture.A two-year pot experiment was conducted using combinations of organic amendments including effective microorganisms(EM),biochar(BC)and digestate(Di)to investigate their effects on soil and melon(Cucumis melo L.)compared with the recommended NPK fertilizer and Control(CK)under two levels of irrigation water salinity(SL0:0.25 dS/m,SL1:2.0 dS/m).Results showed combined applications of organic amendments could significantly(p<0.05)increase soil pH and organic matter(OM)compared to NPK and CK.Application of organic amendments containing BC evidently increased the sodium adsorptive capacity(SAC)under saline water solution.The combined application of EM,BC and Di(EM+BC+Di)could significantly(p<0.05)improve soil available water retention under SL0 and SL1 compared with other treatments.Results also showed organic amendments application can significantly(p<0.05)enhance the photosynthetic rate(Pr)and reduce sodium ion(Na+)content in melon leaves.EM+BC+Di could significantly(p<0.05)increase water use efficiency(WUE)and fruit yield of melon under SL0 and SL1 in comparison to other treatments.It proved that EM+BC+Di had a positive effect on soil improvement,melon growth,WUE and fruit yield.Moreover,EM+BC+Di could be used as an alternative strategy for mineral NPK fertilization of melon at reasonable dosages and frequencies under saline irrigation.
文摘Ploughing and fertilization practices in rice-wheat system have deteriorated the soil carbon (C) pools. Conservation agriculture (CA) based management approaches have proven to enhance C sequestration and reverse the loss of soil-organic-carbon (SOC), which further enhances soil fertility. Different fractions of SOC pools react to the alterations in management practices and indicate changes in SOC dynamics as compared to total C in the soil. Higher SOC levels in soil have been observed in case of reduced/no-till (NT) practices than conventional tillage (CT). However, between CT and zero tillage/NT, total SOC stocks diminished with an increase in soil depth, which demonstrated that the benefits of SOC are more pronounced in the topsoil under NT. Soil aggregation provides physical protection to C associated with different-sized particles, thus, the improvement in soil aggregation through CA is an effective way to mitigate soil C loss. Along with less soil disturbance, residual management, suitable crop rotation, rational application of manures and fertilizers, and integrated nutrient management have been found to be effective in not only improving soil C stock but also enhancing the soil health and productivity. Thus, CA can be considered as a potential method in the build-up of SOC of soil in rice-wheat system.
文摘In arid and semiarid regions such as Niger, irrigated agriculture leads to soil salinization, particularly through irrigation water salts, and has adverse effects on crop production such as vegetable crops including onion. The main objective of this study, conducted in the experimental site of Djibo Hamani University of Tahoua in Niger, was to evaluate the effects of organic fertilizer on the growth and yield of onion crops irrigated with saline water. The experiment was performed in split-plot design to test tree type of fertilizer (chemical fertilizer, compost and millet glumes) and four (04) levels of irrigation water salinity in electrical conductivity values (ECw) (S0 = 0.28 dS/m as control, S1 = 2 dS/m, S2 = 4 dS/m and S3 = 6 dS/m). The growth parameters and bulb yield were evaluated during 4 months of onion cropping season. The results showed that the use of irrigation saline water significantly decreased the growth and bulb yield of onion crops. The yield in onion bulbs is 1.55 to 3.94 times higher with control (0.28 dS/m) than that with high saline water (ECw = 6 dS/m). Compared to control in irrigation water, the reduction in fresh onion bulb yield was 38.8, 52.6 and 63.5% respectively for ECw of 2, 4 and 6 dS/m. Furthermore, the application of organic fertilizers, particularly compost, improves salt-tolerance of onion crops in order to promote growth and bulb yield. Indeed, when irrigating onion crops with saline water (ECw of 2, 4 and 6 dS/m), the onion bulb yield is significantly higher under compost than under chemical fertilizer and glumes. At high irrigation saline water (ECw = 6 dS/m), the yield in onion bulbs is 1.9 and 2.1 times higher under compost than that under chemical fertilizer and glumes respectively. Thus, the compost is the promising organic amendment in a semiarid region of Tahoua in Niger to reduce the adverse effects of irrigation saline water on onion crop production.
基金supported by the Exploratory Grant(STC_TUNGER-006/INTOASES)as part of the Bilateral Scientific and Technological Cooperation between the Republic of Tunisia and the Federal Republic of Germany
文摘Countries in the Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) region are among the most water-scarce regions in the world, and their dryland soils are usually poor in organic carbon content (<0.5%). In this study, we summarize examples of how people in the few oases of the MENA region overcome environmental challenges by sustainably managing economically important date production. On the basis of the limited studies found in the existing literature, this mini-review focuses on the role of traditional soil organic matter amendments beneath the soil surface as a key tool in land restoration. We conclude that soil organic matter amendments can be very successful in restoring soil water and preventing the soil from salinization.
基金supported by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) National Professor Project
文摘Labile soil organic carbon (SOC) pools, estimated through chemical fractionation techniques, are considered sensitive indicators of management-induced changes in quality and composition of soil organic matter. Although the impacts of organic manure and crop residue applications on C sequestration in rice-wheat system are fairly well documented, their influence on labile SOC pools is relatively less known. Impacts of organic manure, rice straw, and inorganic fertilizer nitrogen (N) applications on soil total organic carbon (TOC) and SOC pools including water-extractable organic C (WEOC), hot water-soluble organic C (HWOC), potassium permanganate- oxidizable organic C (KMnO4-C), microbial biomass C (MBC), mineralizable organic C (Cmin), and the oxidizable fractions of decreasing oxidizability (easily-oxidizable, oxidizable, and weakly-oxidizable) were investigated in an ll-year field experiment under rice-wheat system. The field experiment included treatments of different combinations of farmyard manure, rice straw, and fertilizer N application rates, with C inputs estimated to be in the range from 23 to 127 Mg ha-1. After 11 years of experiment, WEOC, HWOC, and KMnO4-C were 0.32%-0.50%, 2.2%-3.3%, and 15.0%-20.6% of TOC, respectively. The easily-oxidizable, oxidizable, and weakly-oxidizable fractions were 43%-57%0, 22%-27%, and 10%-19% of TOC, respectively. The applications of farmyard manure and rice straw improved WEOC, HWOC, KMnO4-C, easily-oxidizable fraction, Cmin, and MBC, though the rates of change varied considerably from -14% to 145% and -1170 to 83% of TOC, respectively. At the C input levels between 29 and 78 Mg C ha-1 during the ll-year period, the greatest increase was observed in WEOC and the minimum in KMnO4-C. Water-extractable organic C exhibited a relatively greater sensitivity to management than TOC, suggesting that it may be used as a sensitive indicator of management-induced changes in soil organic matter under rice-wheat system. All the other labile SOC pools exhibited almost the same sensitivity to management as TOC. Most of the SOC pools investigated were positively correlated to each other though their amounts differed considerably. Long-term applications of farmyard manure and rice straw resulted in build-up of not only the labile but also the recalcitrant pool of SOC, emphasizing the need for continued application of organic amendments for permanence of the accrued C under the experimental conditions.
基金This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 41401336), the Na- tural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province, China (No. BK20130105), the State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sci-ence (No. Y412201452), and the Environmental Pro- tection Public Benefit Research Foundation of China (No. 201309036). We thank the three anonymous refe- rees for their helpful comments.
文摘Strongly acidic soils (pH 〈 5.0) are detrimental to tea (Camellia sinensis) production and quality. Little information exists on the ability of surface amendments to ameliorate subsoil acidity in the tea garden soils. A 120-d glasshouse column leaching experiment was conducted using commonly available soil ameliorants. Alkaline slag (AS) and organic residues, pig manure (PM) and rapeseed cake (RC) differing in ash alkalinity and C/N ratio were incorporated alone and in combination into the surface (0-15 cm) of soil columns (10 cm internal diameter x 50 cm long) packed with soil from the acidic soil layer (15-30 cm) of an Ultisol (initial pH -- 4.4). During the 120-d experiment, the soil columns were watered (about 127 mm over 9 applications) according to the long-term mean annual rainfall (1 143 mm) and the leachates were collected and analyzed. At the end of the experiment, soil columns were partitioned into various depths and the chemical properties of soil were measured. The PM with a higher C/N ratio increased subsoil pH, whereas the RC with a lower C/N ratio decreased subsoil pH. However, combined amendments had a greater ability to reduce subsoil acidity than either of the amendments alone. The increases in pH of the subsoil were mainly ascribed to decreased base cation concentrations and the decomposition of organic anions present in dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and immobilization of nitrate that had been leached down from the amended layer. A significant (P 〈 0.05) correlation between alkalinity production (reduced exchangeable acidity - N-cycle alkalinity) and alkalinity balance (net alkalinity production - N-cycle alkalinity) was observed at the end of the experiment. Additionally, combined amendments significantly increased (P ~ 0.05) subsoil cation concentrations and decreased subsoil A1 saturation (P 〈 0.05). Combined applications of AS with organic amendments to surface soils are effective in reducing subsoil acidity in high-rainfall areas. Further investigations under field conditions and over longer timeframes are needed to fully understand their practical effectiveness in ameliorating acidity of deeper soil layers under naturally occurring leaching regimes.
基金financially supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2016YFD0300901 and 2017YFD0800101)the Fundamental Research Funds for Central Non-profit Scientific Institution,China(161032019035,1610132020022 and 1610132020023)。
文摘Soil organic carbon(SOC)and nitrogen(N)are two of the most important indicators for agricultural productivity.The primary objective of this study was to investigate the changes in SOC and N in the deep soil profile(up to 100 cm)and their relationships with crop productivity under the influence of long-term(since 1990)fertilization in the wheat-maize cropping system.Treatments included CK(control),NP(inorganic N and phosphorus(P)fertilizers),NPK(inorganic N,P and potassium fertilizers),NPKM(NPK plus manure),and M(manure).Crop yield and the properties of topsoil were measured yearly from 2001 to 2009.C and N contents were measured at five different depths in 2001 and 2009.The results showed that wheat and maize yields decreased between 2001 and 2009 under the inorganic fertilizer(NP and NPK)treatments.The average yield between 2001 and 2009 under the NP,NPK,NPKM,and M treatments(compared with the CK treatment)increased by 38,115,383,and 381%,respectively,for wheat and 348,891,2738,and 1845%,respectively,for maize.Different long-term fertilization treatments significantly changed coarse free particulate(cf POC),fine free particulate(ff POC),intramicroaggregate particulate(i POC),and mineral-associated(m SOC)organic carbon fractions.In the experimental years of 2001 and 2009,soil fractions occurred in the following order for all treatments:m SOC>cf POC>i POC>ff POC.All fractions were higher under the manure application treatments than under the inorganic fertilization treatments.Compared to the inorganic fertilization treatments,manure input enhanced the stocks of SOC and total N in the surface layer(0–20 cm)but decreased SOC and N in the deep soil layer(80–100 cm).This reveals the efficiency of manure in increasing yield productivity and decreasing risk of vertical loss of nutrients,especially N,compared to inorganic fertilization treatments.The findings provide opportunities for understanding deep soil C and N dynamics,which could help mitigate climate change impact on agricultural production and maintain soil health.
基金financially supported by University Grants Commission,New Delhi,India in form of a major research project(No.SR36-32 2008) and University Research Fellowships to Ms.Alka Singh and Mr.Mahesh Kumar Singh
文摘The influences of herbicide alone and in combination with the soil amendments with contrasting resource qualities on dynamics of soil microbial biomass C (MBC), N (MBN), and P (MBP) were studied through two annual cycles in rice-wheat-summer fallow crop sequence in a tropical dryland agroecosystem. The experiment included application of herbicide (butachlor) alone or in combination with various soil amendments having equivalent amount of N in the forms of chemical fertilizer, wheat straw, Sesbania aculeata, and farm yard manure (FYM). Soil microbial biomass showed distinct temporal variations in both crop cycles, decreased from vegetative to grain-forming stage, and then increased to maximum at crop maturity stage. Soil MBC was the highest in herbicide + Sesbania aculeata treatment followed by herbicide + FYM, herbicide + wheat straw, herbicide + chemical fertilizer, and herbicide alone treatments in decreasing order during the rice-growing period. During wheat-growing period and summer fallow, soil MBC attained maximum for herbicide + wheat straw treatment whereas herbicide + FYM, herbicide + Sesbania, and herbicide + chemical fertilizer treatments showed similar levels. The overall trend of soil MBN was similar to those of soil MBC and MBP except that soil MBN was higher in herbicide + chemical fertilizer treatment over the herbicide + wheat straw treatment during rice-growing period. In spite of the addition of equivalent amount of N through exogenous soil amendments in combination with the herbicide, soil microbial biomass responded differentially to the treatments. The resource quality of the amendments had more pronounced impact on the dynamics of soil microbial biomass, which may have implications for long-term sustainability of rainfed agroecosystems in dry tropics.