Effect of biochar and phosphorus fertilizer application on soil fertility: soil physical and chemical properties

This study evaluated the effect of biochar and phosphorus fertilizer application on selected soil physical and chemical properties in two contrasting soil types: Rhodic Ferralsols (clay) in Thohoyandou and Leptic Cambisols (loamy sand) in Nelspruit, South Africa. Field experiments were conducted in summer and winter. Treatments consisted of a factorial combination of four biochar levels (0, 5, 10 and 20 t ha^?1) and two phosphorus fertilizer levels (0 and 90 kg ha^?1) arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replicates. Chickpea was the test crop. Soil bulk density, aggregate stability, porosity, total C, total N, C:N ratio, K and Mg were determined. Biochar (10 t ha^?1) and phosphorus increased bulk density and decreased porosity at 0–5 and 15–20 cm soil depth on a loamy sand soil in both seasons. The interaction between biochar and phosphorus increased total C and total N on a clay soil in the summer sowing. However, in the loamy sand soil, biochar (10 t ha^?1) increased total C, C:N ratio, K and Mg in the summer sowing. The effect of biochar was more evident in the loamy sand soil than the clay soil suggesting that the influence of biochar may be soil-specific.     

Crop yield and SOC responses to biochar application were dependent on soil texture and crop type in southern Quebec,Canada

Changes to soil nutrient availability and increases for crop yield and soil organic C (SOC) concentration on biochar‐amended soil under temperate climate conditions have only been reported in a few publications. The objective of this work was to determine if biochar application rates up to 20 Mg ha^?1 affect nutrient availability in soil, SOC stocks and yield of corn (Zea mays L.), soybean (Glycine max L.), and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) on two coarse‐textured soils (loamy sand, sandy clay loam) in S Quebec, Canada. Data were collected from field experiments for a 3‐y period following application of pine wood biochar at rates of 0, 10, and 20 Mg ha^?1. For corn plots, at harvest 3 y after biochar application, 20 Mg biochar ha^?1 resulted in 41.2% lower soil NH on the loamy sand; the same effect was not present on the sandy clay loam soil. On the loamy sand, 20 Mg biochar ha^?1 increased corn yields by 14.2% compared to the control 3 y after application; the same effect was not present on the sandy clay loam soil. Biochar did not alter yield or nutrient availability in soil on soybean or switchgrass plots on either soil type. After 3 y, SOC concentration was 83 and 258% greater after 10 and 20 Mg ha^?1 biochar applications, respectively, than the control in sandy clay loam soil under switchgrass production. The same effect was not present on the sandy clay loam soil. A 67% higher SOC concentration was noted with biochar application at 20 Mg ha^?1 to sandy clay loam soil under corn.     

Effect of biochar application rate on soil physical and hydraulic properties of a sandy loam

Biochar is used as a soil amendment for improving soil quality and enhancing carbon sequestration. In this study, a loamy sand soil was amended at different rates (0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% v/v) of biochar, and its physical and hydraulic properties were analyzed, including particle density, bulk density, porosity, infiltration, saturated hydraulic conductivity, and volumetric water content. The wilting rate of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) grown in soil amended with various levels of biochar was evaluated on a scale of 0–10. Statistical analyses were conducted using linear regression. The results showed that bulk density decreased linearly (R² = 0.997) from 1.325 to 0.363 g cm^?3 while the particle density decreased (R² = 0.915) from 2.65 to 1.60 g cm^?3 with increased biochar amendment, with porosity increasing (R² = 0.994) from 0.500 to 0.773 cm³ cm^?3. The mean volumetric water content ranged from 3.90 to 14.00 cm³ cm^?3, while the wilting rate of tomato ranged from 4.67 to 9.50, respectively, for the non-amended soil and 100% biochar-amended soil. These results strongly suggest positive improvement of soil physical and hydraulic properties following addition of biochar amendment.     

Temperature sensitivity of soil organic matter decomposition varies with biochar application and soil type

Biochar application has the potential to improve soil fertility and increase soil carbon stock, especially in tropical regions. Information on the temperature sensitivity of carbon dioxide(CO_2) evolution from biochar-amended soils at very high temperatures, as observed for tropical surface soils, is limited but urgently needed for the development of region-specific biochar management targeted to optimize biochar effects on soil functions. Here, we investigated the temperature sensitivity of soil respiration to the addition of different rates of Miscanthus biochar(0, 6.25, 12.5, and 25 Mg ha~(-1)) in two types of soils with contrasting textures. Biochar-amended soil treatments and their controls were incubated at constant temperatures of 20, 30, and 40℃. Overall, our results show that: i) considering data from all treatments and temperatures, the addition of biochar decreased soil CO_2 emissions when compared to untreated soils;ii) CO_2 emissions from biochar-amended soils had a higher temperature sensitivity than those from biochar-free soils; iii) the temperature sensitivity of soil respiration in sandy soils was higher than that in clay soils; and iv) for clay soils, relative increases in soil CO_2 emissions from biochar-amended soils were higher when the temperature increased from 30 to 40℃, while for sandy soils, the highest temperature responses of soil respiration were observed when increasing the temperature from 20 to 30℃. Together, these findings suggest a significantly reduced potential to increase soil organic carbon stocks when Miscanthus biochar is applied to tropical soils at high surface temperatures, which could be counteracted by the soil-and weather-specific timing of biochar application.     

Does biochar interfere with standard methods for determining soil microbial biomass and phenotypic community structure?

Due to its high sorption affinity for organic compounds, biochar may interfere with extraction procedures involving such compounds used for microbially-related assays commonly applied to soils. Here we assessed the impact of two biochars (derived from pine bark and produced at 300 and 600 °C) at three concentrations (0, 12.5, and 50 g kg⁻¹) in three distinct arable soils with contrasting textural classes (loamy sand, sandy loam, and clay) on the determination of soil microbial biomass C by fumigation–extraction, fungal biomass by ergosterol analysis, and microbial community structure as defined by phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) profiling. Biochar did not affect the apparent concentration of soil microbial biomass C and had no significant impact on apparent PLFA profiles. By contrast, the apparent extraction efficiency of ergosterol was affected dependent on soil type, biochar production temperature, and biochar concentration. Nonetheless, ergosterol contents of biochar-amended soils can be accurately estimated by correcting for reduced recovery using an ergosterol spike.     

褐土区氮磷在土壤发生层中淋溶的差异性

农业氮磷淋溶已经成为地下水污染最普遍和突出的问题。为揭示氮磷在包气带不同土层的淋溶特征,以典型褐土的5个土壤发生层（耕层、淋溶层、钙积层、黏化层和母质层）为研究对象,采用室内土柱模拟淋溶试验,在施肥量相同的条件下分析不同形态氮磷淋溶量,研究氮磷在不同土壤发生层中的迁移特征及其影响因素。结果表明：1）进行5次淋溶,耕层、淋溶层、钙积层、黏化层和母质层淋溶液中可溶性总氮总量分别为2412.63 mg·L^-1、3028.94 mg·L^-1、244.16 mg·L^-1、3648.99 mg·L^-1和3356.51 mg·L^-1,淋溶层、黏化层和母质层可溶性总氮淋溶量显著高于耕层,而钙积层可溶性总氮淋溶量较耕层显著减少;耕层淋溶液中可溶性总磷总量为0.52 mg·L^-1,且显著高于其他4层。2）在试验初期,耕层、淋溶层的硝态氮、可溶性总氮和正磷酸盐淋溶量显著高于黏化层和母质层,进行到第4、5次淋溶,黏化层、母质层的硝态氮和可溶性总氮淋溶量显著高于其他3层,而各发生层间正磷酸盐淋溶量无显著差异;单次淋溶黏化层和母质层铵态氮淋溶量均显著高于其他3层,而耕层可溶性总磷淋溶量始终显著高于其他各层。3）耕层和钙积层的淋溶液中硝态氮是氮素淋溶的主要形态,占可溶性总氮比例分别为69.0%和85.4%,而在淋溶层、黏化层和母质层中分别为41.3%、5.1%和4.6%;在可溶性磷中,以无机态正磷酸盐为主,最高占可溶性总磷的75.9%。4）土壤有机质含量、阳离子交换量、黏粒含量对土壤氮磷的迁移转化有明显主导作用。有机质与氮磷淋溶量呈显著正相关关系,有机质含量高,会增加淋溶初期氮磷的淋溶风险;而阳离子交换量和黏粒含量则与氮磷淋溶呈显著负相关关系,阳离子交换量大和黏粒多能减少氮磷素的淋溶风险。该试验结果说明,由于5种发生层土壤理化性质不同,各发生层氮磷淋溶特征及其淋溶形态也有差异,并且氮磷的淋溶受土壤本身阳离子交换量、黏粒和有机质含量的影响。     

Growth,yield and water use efficiency of chickpea (Cicer arietinum): response to biochar and phosphorus fertilizer application

Field experiments were conducted during summer (2013/2014) and winter (2014) in two different soil types to evaluate the effect of biochar and P fertilizer application on growth, yield, and water use efficiency of chickpea. Soil types include Rhodic Ferralsols (clay) in Thohoyandou and Leptic Cambisols (loamy sand) in Nelspruit, South Africa. Treatments consisted of a factorial combination of four biochar levels (0, 5, 10 and 20 t ha^?1) and two phosphorus fertilizer levels (0 and 90 kg ha^?1) arranged in a randomized complete block design and replicated three times. Biochar application at 5 t ha^?1 significantly increased biomass, grain yield and water use efficiency of biomass production (WUE_b) in the clay soil compared to 10 and 20 t ha^?1. However, the increase was attributed to the addition of P fertilizer. Biochar application had no effect on yield components in the loamy sand soil, but P fertilizer addition increased number of seeds/pod in the loamy sand soil and number of pods/plant in the clay soil. Biochar and P fertilizer application on growth and yield of chickpea varied in soil types and seasons, as the effect was more prominent in the clay soil than the loamy sand soil during the summer sowing.     

Sugarcane Bagasse Biochar: Preparation,Characterization, and Its Effects on Soil Properties and Zinc Sorption-desorption

ABSTRACT

Application of alkaline biochar has been proposed as an alternative to lime for remediation of acidic soils. However, questions remain as to how the reactions and fate of metals in acidic soils can be affected by biochar amendment. To find out how biochar addition might affect sorption-desorption behavior of zinc (Zn) in acidic soils, a soil with an initial pH value of 4.67 was treated with different levels [0 (control), 1%, 3%, and 6%] of biochar produced from pyrolysis of sugarcane bagasse at 600°C and incubated for 30 days under 80% of water holding capacity. At the end of the incubation period, important soil chemical properties were measured and batch isotherm experiments were performed to determine soil Zn sorption-desorption parameters. The results showed that the biochar-amended soils had higher pH values (up to 2.5 pH units), electrical conductivity (up to 2.66 times), and cation exchange capacities (up to 42%) relative to the un-amended acidic soil. Biochar addition also led to significant enhancements in soil exchangeable calcium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium cations. Both sorption and desorption isotherm experiments revealed the significantly higher capacity of the biochar-amended soils to retain Zn than that of the control. Moreover, the biochar-amended soils exhibited a higher affinity for Zn sorption than did the un-amended acidic one. It can be concluded that biochar derived from sugarcane bagasse could serve as a good amendment material to reclaim acidic soils and to reduce Zn mobility and toxicity in acidic metal-contaminated soils.     

土壤特性对保水剂持水性能的影响

为研究土壤特性对保水剂持水性能的影响,测试了4种保水剂分别与砂壤土、壤砂土、砂粘壤土1和砂粘壤土2共4种土壤混合后的保水率,混合时土壤为风干土,保水剂与土壤混合的质量百分比为0.5%。结果表明:与单纯保水剂或者保水剂与砂子混合相比,保水剂与土壤混合后可明显降低保水剂的释水速度,提高保水剂的持水能力。土壤特性对保水剂释水速度有明显影响,土壤粘粒含量高,保水剂的释水速度慢,反之,则快。土壤粘粒含量高,土壤含水量高,保水剂表面水势梯度变低,使释水速度变慢;粘粒含量低,水势梯度变大,保水剂释水速率加快。经过7 h的恒温蒸发后,4种保水剂在粘粒含量较高的砂粘壤土(粘粒含量25%)中的保水率比在粘粒含量低的壤砂土(12.5%)中的保水率高43.7%~71.3%,且具有明显的差异。     

生物炭引起的土体回弹变化：土壤质地和生物炭用量的影响

Biochars are,amongst other available amendment materials,considered as an attractive tool in agriculture for carbon sequestration and improvement of soil functions.The latter is widely discussed as a consequence of improved physical quality of the amended soil.However,the mechanisms for this improvement are still poorly understood.This study investigated the effect of woodchip biochar amendment on micro-structural development,micro-and macro-structural stability,and resilience of two differently textured soils,fine sand (FS) and sandy loam (SL).Test substrates were prepared by adding 50 or 100 g kg-1 biochar to FS or SL.Total porosity and plant available water were significantly increased in both soils.Moreover,compressive strength of the aggregates was significantly decreased when biochar amount was doubled.Mechanical resilience of the aggregates at both micro-and macro-scale was improved in the biochar-amended soils,impacting the cohesion and compressive behavior.A combination of these effects will result in an improved pore structure and aeration.Consequently,the physicochemical environment for plants and microbes is improved.Furthermore,the improved stability properties will result in better capacity of the biochar-amended soil to recover from the myriad of mechanical stresses imposed under arable systems,including vehicle traffic,to the weight of overburden soil.However,it was noted that doubling the amendment rate did not in any case offer any remarkable additional improvement in these properties,suggesting a further need to investigate the optimal amendment rate.     

生物炭与氮肥配施改善土壤团聚体结构提高红枣产量

探讨花生壳生物炭配施氮肥对华北平原枣区土壤机械稳定性和水稳性团聚体的分布、稳定性及红枣产量的影响,阐明土壤和枣树对生物炭与氮肥培肥效果的响应,为枣区土壤结构改良和合理培肥制度建立科学依据。通过3 a(2013—2015)田间定位试验,设置生物炭用量4个水平(0,2.5,5和10 t/hm2)、氮肥用量3个水平(300,450和600 kg/hm2),利用干、湿筛法得到不同粒级的土壤团聚体含量。结果表明:与对照相比,生物炭与氮肥配施对机械稳定性团聚体的平均质量直径(MWD,mean weight diameter)、几何平均直径(geometric mean diameter,GMD)和0.25 mm大团聚体质量分数无显著影响,但0.25 mm水稳性大团聚体含量则显著提高20.7%,水稳性团聚体的MWD和GMD较对照分别显著增加29.2%和27.2%。同时,各配施处理降低了土壤团聚体破坏率,最大降幅为27.1%。与对照相比,中、高用量的生物炭与氮肥配施显著提高土壤有机碳含量,且有机碳含量与MWD和GMD均达到了显著水平(P0.05)。生物炭施入土壤1 a后,随试验时间的推移,与氮肥的培肥效果越来越明显,红枣产量呈上升趋势。综合分析认为,生物炭与氮肥配施对枣区土壤水稳性大团聚体的形成、土壤结构及稳定性提升效果显著,有利于缓解枣区土壤质量退化问题和提高红枣产量。     

Shifts in microbial community and water-extractable organic matter composition with biochar amendment in a temperate forest soil

Biochar amendment in soil has been proposed as a carbon sequestration strategy which may also enhance soil physical and chemical properties such as nutrient and water holding capacity as well as soil fertility and plant productivity. However, biochar may also stimulate microbial activity which may lead to increased soil CO₂ respiration and accelerated soil organic matter (OM) degradation which could partially negate these intended benefits. To investigate short-term soil microbial responses to biochar addition, we conducted a 24 week laboratory incubation study. Biochar produced from the pyrolysis of sugar maple wood at 500 °C was amended at concentrations of 5, 10 and 20 t/ha in a phosphorus-limited forest soil which is under investigation as a site for biochar amendment. The cumulative soil CO₂ respired was higher for biochar-amended samples relative to controls. At 10 and 20 t/ha biochar application rates, the concentration of phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) specific to Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria as well as actinomycetes were lower than controls for the first 16 weeks, then increased between weeks 16–24, suggesting a gradual microbial adaptation to altered soil conditions. Increases in the ratio of bacteria/fungi and lower ratios of Gram-negative/Gram-positive bacteria suggest a microbial community shift in favour of Gram-positive bacteria. In addition, decreasing ratios of cy17:0/16:1ω7 PLFAs, a proxy used to examine bacterial substrate limitation, suggest that bacteria adapted to the new conditions in biochar-amended soil over time. Concentrations of water-extractable organic matter (WEOM) increased in all samples after 24 weeks and were higher than controls for two of the biochar application rates. Solution-state ¹H NMR analysis of WEOM revealed an increase in microbial-derived short-chain carboxylic acids, lower concentrations of labile carbohydrate and peptide components of soil OM and potential accumulation of more recalcitrant polymethylene carbon during the incubation. Our results collectively suggest that biochar amendment increases the activity of specific microorganisms in soil, leading to increased CO₂ fluxes and degradation of labile soil OM constituents.     

生物质炭与有机物料配施的土壤培肥效果及对玉米生长的影响

生物质炭作为一种多功能的土壤培肥材料被广泛应用,但其与传统有机物料的对比及配施研究还比较少。通过盆栽试验,研究了生物质炭与秸秆、发酵鸡粪单施及配施对壤质潮土和砂土养分含量、酶活性及玉米生长的影响,并采用主成分分析方法对3种有机物料的培肥效果进行综合评价。试验设6个处理,分别为不添加有机物料(CK)、添加生物质炭(BC)、小麦秸秆(WS)、发酵鸡粪(CM)、秸秆和生物质炭(WS+BC)、鸡粪和生物质炭(CM+BC)。研究结果表明,各处理均增加了砂土玉米生物量和株高,3种有机物料的提升幅度排序为:鸡粪生物质炭秸秆,鸡粪还可增加壤质潮土玉米生物量和株高。添加生物质炭和有机物料还可提高土壤有机质含量,其中生物质炭的提升幅度最大。此外,3种有机物料对土壤养分和酶活性的影响各异,单施鸡粪分别增加壤质潮土和砂土的碱解氮22.08%和26.67%,速效磷91.92%和53.65%,脲酶活性40.54%和36.94%;单施生物质炭分别增加壤质潮土和砂土速效磷83.52%和89.91%,速效钾79.38%和127.02%,过氧化氢酶活性3.41%和11.22%,却降低了土壤碱解氮含量,且与鸡粪配施后会抑制鸡粪中氮的有效性;单施秸秆分别增加壤质潮土和砂土速效钾49.48%和63.02%,β-葡糖苷酶活性51.86%和59.09%;生物质炭与鸡粪或秸秆配施可以更均衡地提升土壤肥力。通过主成分分析和相关分析发现,玉米生物量和株高与土壤氮、磷供应正变化的第2主成分(PC2)得分呈极显著正相关关系。因此,3种有机物料中,鸡粪对土壤氮、磷含量及相关酶活性影响最大;秸秆对土壤钾以及纤维素分解相关酶影响较大,而生物质炭对土壤肥力的提升作用更均衡,且土壤肥力综合得分最高。秸秆或鸡粪配施生物质炭可以更全面地提高土壤肥力。     

The effect of biochar loading rates on soil fertility,soil biomass,potential nitrification,and soil community metabolic profiles in three different soils

Purpose

Biochar is increasingly being used as a soil amendment to both increase soil carbon storage and improve soil chemical and biological properties. To better understand the shorter-term (10 months) impacts of biochar on selected soil parameters and biological process in three different textured soils, a wide range of loading rates was applied.

Materials and methods

Biochar derived from eucalypt green waste was mixed at 0, 2.5, 5, 10 % (wt/wt) with a reactive black clay loam (BCL), a non-reactive red loam (RL) and a brown sandy loam (BSL) and placed in pots exposed to the natural elements. After 10 months of incubation, analysis was performed to determine the impacts of the biochar rates on the different soil types. Also, microbial biomass was estimated by the total viable counts (TVC) and DNA extraction. Moreover, potential nitrification rate and community metabolic profiles were assayed to evaluate microbial function and biological process in biochar-amended soils.

Results and discussion

The results showed that biochar additions had a significant impact on NH₄ and NO₃, total C and N, pH, EC, and soil moisture content in both a soil type and loading-dependent manner. In the heavier and reactive BCL, no significant impact was observed on the available P and K levels, or the total exchangeable base cations (TEB) and CEC. However, in the other lighter soils, biochar addition had a significant effect on the exchangeable Al, Ca, Mg, and Na levels and CEC. There was a relatively limited effect on microbial biomass in amended soils; however, biochar additions and its interactions with different soils reduced the potential nitrification at the higher biochar rate in the two lighter soils. Community metabolic profile results showed that the effect of biochar on carbon substrate utilization was both soil type and loading dependent. The BCL and BSL showed reduced rates of substrate utilization as biochar loading levels increased while the opposite occurred for the RL.

Conclusions

This research shows that biochar can improve soil carbon levels and raise pH but varies with soil type. High biochar loading rates may also influence nitrification and the function and activity of microbial community in lighter soils.

     

Use of rice straw biochar simultaneously as the sustained release carrier of herbicides and soil amendment for their reduced leaching

The sustained release and reduced leaching of herbicides is expected for enhancing their efficacy and minimizing their pollution. For this purpose, the rice straw biochar made at a relatively low temperature (350 °C) (RS350) was used simultaneously as the carrier for incorporating herbicides besides as the soil amendment. In this way, the sustained release of herbicides acetochlor and 2,4-D was obtained in the release experiments, due to the high and reversible sorption by RS350 biochar. Besides, the RS350 biochar significantly reduced the leached amount of herbicides by 25.4%-40.7% for acetochlor, and by 30.2%-45.5% for 2,4-D, depending on the depth (50 or 100 mm) of biochar-amended soil horizon. The high retention of both herbicides in the biochar-amended topsoil makes it possible to extend their efficacy. The results suggest a potential way of using low temperature biochars to reduce the leaching of herbicides without impacting their efficacy.     

Soil texture affects soil microbial and structural recovery during grassland restoration

Many biotic and abiotic factors influence recovery of soil communities following prolonged disturbance. We investigated the role of soil texture in the recovery of soil microbial community structure and changes in microbial stress, as indexed by phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) profiles, using two chronosequences of grasslands restored from 0 to 19 years on silty clay loam and loamy fine sand soils in Nebraska, USA. All restorations were formerly cultivated fields seeded to native warm-season grasses through the USDA’s Conservation Reserve Program. Increases in many PLFA concentrations occurred across the silty clay loam chronosequence including total PLFA biomass, richness, fungi, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, Gram-positive bacteria, Gram-negative bacteria, and actinomycetes. Ratios of saturated:monounsaturated and iso:anteiso PLFAs decreased across the silty clay loam chronosequence indicating reduction in nutrient stress of the microbial community as grassland established. Multivariate analysis of entire PLFA profiles across the silty clay loam chronosequence showed recovery of microbial community structure on the trajectory toward native prairie. Conversely, no microbial groups exhibited a directional change across the loamy fine sand chronosequence. Changes in soil structure were also only observed across the silty clay loam chronosequence. Aggregate mean weighted diameter (MWD) exhibited an exponential rise to maximum resulting from an exponential rise to maximum in the proportion of large macroaggregates (>2000 μm) and exponential decay in microaggregates (<250 μm and >53 μm) and the silt and clay fraction (<53 μm). Across both chronosequences, MWD was highly correlated with total PLFA biomass and the biomass of many microbial groups. Strong correlations between many PLFA groups and the MWD of aggregates underscore the interdependence between the recovery of soil microbial communities and soil structure that may explain more variation than time for some soils (i.e., loamy fine sand). This study demonstrates that soil microbial responses to grassland restoration are modulated by soil texture with implications for estimating the true capacity of restoration efforts to rehabilitate ecosystem functions.     

碱化盐土掺砂对土壤理化性状和玉米产量影响的研究

为解决内蒙古河套平原黏性碱化盐土土壤黏重,作物难以正常生长、产量低下等问题,对河套平原黏性碱化盐土进行了土壤耕层(0~20 cm)掺砂的土壤改良试验,研究掺砂对土壤理化性状和玉米产量的影响。结果表明:试验区土壤掺砂可以降低土壤容重,改变土壤机械组成和土壤质地,提高了黏性碱化盐土的通气孔隙度,改善土壤的通气透水性,降低土壤全盐量和碱化度,有效改善玉米生长环境,提高了玉米的产量。掺砂20%处理的土壤容重从1.64 g/cm3(CK)降低到1.49 g/cm3,土壤通气孔隙度从8.57%提高到18.17%,达到正常范围,使土壤砂粒、粉粒、粘粒含量比例趋向适中,土壤质地由壤质黏土转变为黏壤土,土壤全盐量下降了13%,碱化度降低了21%,玉米产量提高了301%。综合分析,掺砂20%处理对当地碱化盐土改良效果较为适宜。     

Nitrogen availability to grain sorghum from organic and inorganic sources on sandy and clayey soil surfaces in a greenhouse pot study

In a greenhouse pot study, we examined the availability of N to grain sorghum from organic and inorganic N sources. The treatments were¹⁵N-labeled clover residues, wheat residues, and fertilizer placed on a sandy clay loam and loamy sand soil surface for an 8-week period. Soil aggregates formed under each soil texture were measured after 8 weeks for each treatment. Significantly greater ¹⁵N was taken up and recovered by grain sorghum in sandy clay loam pots compared with loamy sand pots. Greater ¹⁵N recovery was consistently observed with the inorganic source than the organic sources regardless of soil texture or time. Microbial biomass C and N were significantly greater for sandy clay loam soil compared with the loamy sand. Microbial biomass ¹⁵N was also significantly greater in the sandy clay loam treatment compared to the loamy sand. The fertilizer treatment initially had the greatest pool of microbial biomass ¹⁵N but decreased with time. The crop residue treatments generally had less microbial biomass ¹⁵N with time. The crop residues and soil texture had a significant effect on the water-stable aggregates formed after 8 weeks of treatments. Significantly greater water-stable aggregates were formed in the sandy clay loam than the loamy sand. Approximately 20% greater water-stable aggregates were formed under the crop residue treatments compared to the fertilizer only treatment. Soil texture seemed to be one of the most important factors affecting the availability of N from organic or inorganic N sources in these soils.Contribution from the MissouriAgricultural Experiment Station, Journal Series No.12131     

An empirical model for estimating nitrate leaching as affected by crop type and the long-term N fertilizer rate

Abstract. An empirical model was developed for prediction of annual average nitrate leaching as affected by the long-term rate of N fertilization and crop type. The effect of N fertilization was estimated from annual values of nitrate leaching obtained from two Danish investigations of drainage from pipe drains with four rates of N fertilization on a loamy sand and sandy clay loam from 1973-89. The effect of crop at normal N fertilization was estimated from 147 observations of annual nitrate leaching obtained from field measurements. The nitrate leaching model consists of a relative N fertilization submodel and an absolute submodel for specific combinations of crop, soil and drainage at the normal rate of N fertilization. The relative submodel is Y/Y _lN= exp[0.7l(N/ N₁– I)], where Y is the nitrate leaching (kg N/ha per year) at fertilization rate N , and Y _IN and N₁ are the corresponding values at the normal rate of N fertilization. The relative submodel is valid for cereals, root crops and grass leys fertilized with mineral fertilizer at N/N ₁ < 1.5, and on the prerequisite that the fertilization rate N has been constant for some years. To illustrate the use of the relative leaching submodel, estimated values of Y _IN corrected to mean annual drainage for 1970 to 1990 in Denmark for spring cereals and grass on sandy and loamy soils are given as input to the relative leaching submodel. The model can be used for sandy to loamy soils to estimate the mean nitrate leaching over a number of years.     

Soil texture effect on nitrate leaching in soil percolates

Abstract

Nitrate nitrogen (NO₃‐N), which is an essential source of nitrogen (N) for plant growth, is now also considered a potential pollutant by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This is because excess applied amounts of NO₃‐N can move into streams by run‐off and into ground water by leaching, thereby becoming an environmental hazard. Soils have varied retentive properties depending on their texture, organic matter content, and cation exchange capacity (CEC). The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of soil texture on NO₃‐N retention to reduce NO₃‐N contamination in the environment. A sand, 85:15 sand:peat Greensmix, a loamy sand, and sandy clay loam soils were placed in 2×3 inch metal cylinders and soaked in a 240 ppm solution of NO₃‐N for seven days to saturate the soil with NO₃ ions. The columns were leached with water to collect 10 soil percolate samples of 50 mL each until a total volume of 500 mL was collected. Nitrate‐N was measured in each 50‐mL aliquot by automated colorimetry. The results showed that soil texture affected the retention of N03‐N in the sand, which adsorbed the least amount of NO₃‐N at 119 ppm, followed by the Greensmix at 125 ppm, loamy sand at 149 ppm, and sandy clay loam at 173 ppm. More NO₃‐N was released in the first 50 mL of the sand percolate at 63% followed by the Greensmix, loamy sand, and sandy clay loam at 58,46, and 37% NO₃‐N released, respectively. Soils with more silt, clay, and organic matter retained more NO₃‐N than the straight sand. Therefore, a straight sand would be the poorest of soil types since NO₃‐N retention was low.