黄土旱塬长期秸秆还田对土壤养分、酶活性及玉米产量的影响

研究黄土旱塬区玉米生产中长期秸秆还田对土壤性质及玉米产量的影响,可为农田土壤可持续利用及质量提升提供科学依据。本研究基于连续24年(1992—2016年)秸秆还田长期定位试验,设置秸秆过腹还田、秸秆直接还田、秸秆覆盖还田以及不还田处理,研究长期不同秸秆还田方式对土壤化学性质、酶活性以及玉米产量的影响。研究表明,秸秆不还田处理累积玉米产量为1.695×105 kg·hm?2,覆盖还田、直接还田和过腹还田处理累积玉米产量分别为1.885×105 kg·hm?2、1.854×105 kg·hm?2、2.001×105 kg·hm?2,其增产率分别为10.1%、8.6%、15.3%。3种秸秆还田均可以显著提高0～20 cm土层土壤有机碳含量6%～14%,对20～40 cm土层土壤有机碳含量无显著影响。与秸秆不还田相比,长期过腹还田可显著增加土壤全氮、全磷、全钾、有效氮、有效磷和有效钾含量,秸秆直接还田可显著增加土壤全氮、全钾、有效氮和有效钾含量,长期覆盖还田仅提高土壤有效氮和有效钾含量。土壤蔗糖酶活性表现为过腹还田最高,直接还田和覆盖还田次之,不还田处理最低。秸秆直接还田0～20 cm纤维素酶活性最高,是不还田处理的2.2倍。过腹还田使土壤脲酶活性和碱性磷酸酶活性分别显著提高13.0%和20.5%,直接还田和秸秆覆盖对脲酶和碱性磷酸酶活性无显著影响。玉米生产中长期连续秸秆过腹还田和直接还田对土壤养分含量及酶活性产生了深远的影响,尤其是土壤蔗糖酶活性的提高与玉米产量稳定和提升有非常紧密联系。

Effects of long-term straw return on corn yield, soil nutrient contents and en-zyme activities in dryland of the Loess Plateau, China

Incorporation of straw in soil plays an important role in nutrient management, maintenance of crop productivity, and improvement of soil quality, which is considered to be an effective measure as a substitute for chemical fertilization. Understanding the effects of long-term straw incorporation on soil properties and corn yield in the dryland of the Loess Plateau are essential to provide scientific evidence for sustainable utilization and soil quality improvement of cropland. Here, based on a long-term (24 years) straw return field experiment, effects of different straw return regimes, i.e., straw mulching (SM), direct straw return (DS), animal-digested straw return (AS), and non-straw return (CK) on soil chemical properties, enzyme activities, and corn yield were studied. Results showed that the cumulative corn yield under SM, DS, and AS treatments were 1.885×10⁵ kg·hm^-2, 1.854×10⁵ kg·hm^-2 and 2.001×10⁵ kg·hm^-2, respectively; the yields increased by 10.1%, 8.6% and 15.3%, respectively, compared to CK treatment (1.695×10⁵ kg·hm^-2). Besides, the three long-term straw incorporation treatments enhanced soil organic carbon by 6%-14% in 0-20 cm soil layer, whereas they had no significant effect on soil organic carbon in 20-40 cm soil layer. Compared to CK, soil total nitrogen, total phosphorus, total potassium, available nitrogen, available phosphorus and available potassium contents were significantly increased under AS treatment; whereas DS treatment enhanced soil total nitrogen, total potassium, available nitrogen and available potassium contents; and SM treatment increased soil available nitrogen and potassium content. In addition, soil invertase activity was the highest under AS treatment, followed by SM and DS, and the lowest under CK treatment. Soil cellulase activity under DS treatment was 2.2 and 1.3 times higher in 0-20 cm and 20-40 cm soil layers, respectively, than that under CK treatment. Furthermore, AS treatment enhanced soil urease activity by 13.0% and soil alkaline phosphatase by 20.5% compared to CK, while SM and DS treatments had no significant effect on soil urease and alkaline phosphatase activities. Soil activities of invertase, urease and alkaline phosphatase showed a greater response to animal-digested straw return treatment, whereas soil cellulose activity had a greater response to direct straw return treatment. Furthermore, there was a significant positive correlation between corn yield and soil invertase activity. In conclusion, long-term continuous animal-digested straw return and direct straw return had a profound impact on soil nutrients and enzyme activities. Particularly, the increase in soil invertase activity by straw return is closely related to the promotion of corn yield.