Reuse of Stabilized Fowl Manure as Soil Amendment and Its Implication on Organic Agriculture Nutrition Management

A major input in intensive organic agriculture is nutrient-rich liquid fertilizers. Guano and other fowl manure are frequently digested in water extracts, and the supernatant is supplied as fertilizer. The resultant manure biowaste (MBW) is commonly disposed of to the environment, posing potential pollution and health risks. The study aims were to determine two types of fowl MBWs for their chemical properties before and after lime treatment and to test their reuse potential as soil amendment. Guano and layer manure were digested, and the residues?? chemical properties were analyzed before and after lime treatment. MBWs were then air-dried and used as a soil amendment in a parsley-growing experiment. The lime-treated MBW composition met the European standards for high-quality biowaste compost. Both digested and lime-treated MBWs had residual nitrogen, 3% and 1% in guano and layer manure, respectively. Parsley grown in soil amended with layer MBW had 100% survival, high yield, and good crop quality compared with controls. Plants grown with soil amended with guano biowaste exhibited lower yield and only 50% survival. These findings indicate that the current practice of disposing guano biowaste to the environment may pollute soil and water bodies, while the land spread of lime-treated layer MBW is safe and may improve soil fertility.     

Soil biological quality of grassland fertilized with adjusted cattle manure slurries in comparison with organic and inorganic fertilizers

We studied the effect of five fertilizers (including two adjusted manure slurries) and an untreated control on soil biota and explored the effect on the ecosystem services they provided. Our results suggest that the available N (NO₃⁻ and NH₄⁺) in the soil plays a central role in the effect of fertilizers on nematodes and microorganisms. Microorganisms are affected directly through nutrient availability and indirectly through grass root mass. Nematodes are affected indirectly through microbial biomass and grass root mass. A lower amount of available N in the treatment with inorganic fertilizer was linked to a higher root mass and a higher abundance and proportion of herbivorous nematodes. A higher amount of available N in the organic fertilizer treatments resulted in a twofold higher bacterial activity (measured as bacterial growth rate, viz. thymidine incorporation), a higher proportion of bacterivorous nematodes, a 30% higher potential N mineralization (aerobic incubation), and 25–50% more potentially mineralizable N (anaerobic incubation). Compared to inorganic fertilizer, organic fertilization increased the C total, the N total, the activity of decomposers, and the supply of nutrients via the soil food web. Within the group of organic fertilizers, there was no significant difference in C total, abundances of soil biota, and the potential N mineralization rate. There were no indications that farmyard manure or the adjusted manure slurries provided the ecosystem service “supply of nutrients” better than normal manure slurry. Normal manure slurry provided the highest bacterial activity and the highest amount of mineralizable N and it was the only fertilizer resulting in a positive trend in grass yield over the years 2000–2005. The number of earthworm burrows was higher in the treatments with organic fertilizers compared to the one with the inorganic fertilizer, which suggests that organic fertilizers stimulate the ecosystem service of water regulation more than inorganic fertilizer. The trend towards higher epigeic earthworm numbers with application of farmyard manure and one of the adjusted manure slurries, combined with the negative relation between epigeic earthworms and bulk density and a significantly lower penetration resistance in the same fertilizer types, is preliminary evidence that these two organic fertilizer types contribute more to the service of soil structure maintenance than inorganic fertilizer.     

Long-term applications of chemical and organic fertilizers on plant-available nitrogen pools and nitrogen management index

The objective of this study was to evaluate plant-available N pools and the role of N management index (NMI) in the surface (0–20 cm) of a fluvo-aquic soil after 18 years of fertilization treatments under a wheat–maize cropping system in the North China Plain. The experiment included seven treatments: (1) NPK, balanced application of chemical fertilizer NPK; (2) OM, application of organic manure; (3) 1/2OMN, application of half organic manure plus chemical fertilizer NPK; (4) NP, application of chemical fertilizer NP; (5) PK, application of chemical fertilizer PK; (6) NK, application of chemical fertilizer NK; and (7) CK, unfertilized control. Total organic N (TON), microbial biomass N (MBN), labile N (LN), inorganic N (ION, including ammonium (NH₄⁺)–N and nitrate (NO₃⁻)–N) contents, net ammonification rate (NAR), net nitrification rate (NNR), net N mineralization rate (NNMR), and NMI in the fertilized treatments were higher than in the unfertilized treatment. Application of chemical fertilizer N (NPK, NP, and NK) increased ION in soils, compared with application of organic N or control. Nitrate N prevailed over exchangeable NH₄⁺–N in all treatments. Nitrogen storage of the OM- and 1/2OMN-treated soils increased by 50.0% and 24.3%, respectively, over the NPK-treated soil, which had 5.4–22.5% more N than NP-, PK-, and NK-treated soils. The MBN, LN, and ION accounted for 1.7–2.4%, 25.7–34.2%, and 1.4–2.9% of TON, respectively, in different fertilization treatments. The surface soils (0–20-cm layer) in all treatments mineralized 43.6–152.9 kg N ha^–1 year^–1 for crop growth. Microbial biomass N was probably the better predictor of N mineralization, as it was correlated significantly (P < 0.01) with NNMR. The OM and 1/2OMN treatments were not an optimal option for farmers when the crop yield and labor cost were taken into consideration but an optimal option for increasing soil N supply capacity and N sequestration in soil. The NPK treatment showed the highest crop yields and increased soil N fractions through crop residues and exudates input, and thus, it may be considered as a sustainable system in the North China Plain.     

Strategies for high nitrogen production and fertilizer value of plant-based fertilizers

Background

Organic vegetable production has a demand for alternative fertilizers to replace fertilizers from sources that are not organic, that is, typically animal-based ones from conventional farming.

Aims

The aim of this study was to develop production strategies of plant-based fertilizers to maximize cumulative nitrogen (N) production (equal to N yield by green manure crops), while maintaining a low carbon-to-nitrogen (C:N) ratio, and to test the fertilizer value in organic vegetable production.

Methods

The plant-based fertilizers consisted of the perennial green manure crops—alfalfa, white clover, red clover, and a mixture of red clover and ryegrass—and the annual green-manure crops—broad bean, lupine, and pea. The crops were cut several times at different developmental stages. The harvested crops were used fresh or pelleted as fertilizers for field-grown white cabbage and leek. The fertilizer value was tested with respect to biomass, N offtake, N recovery, and soil mineral N (N_min). Poultry manure and an unfertilized treatment were used as controls.

Results

The cumulative N production of the perennial green manure crops ranged from 300 to 640 kg N ha^–1 year^–1 when cut two to five times. The highest productions occurred at early and intermediate developmental stages, when cut three to four times. Annual green manure crops produced 110–320 kg N ha^–1 year^–1, since repeated cutting was restricted. The C:N ratio of the green manure crops was 8.5–20.5, and increased with developmental stage. The fertilizer value of green manure, as measured in white cabbage and leek, was comparable to animal-based manure on the condition that the C:N ratio was low (<18). N recovery was 20%–49% for green manure and 29%–42% for poultry manure. A positive correlation was detected between soil N_min and vegetable N offtake shortly after incorporating the green manure crops, indicating synchrony between N release and crop demand.

Conclusions

Plant-based fertilizers represent highly productive and efficient fertilizers that can substitute conventional animal-based fertilizers in organic vegetable production.     

Soil organic C,nutrients, microbial biomass,and grain yield of rice (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Oryza sativa</Emphasis> L.) after 18 years of fertilizer application to an infertile paddy soil

We have studied the influence of long-term fertilization on organic C, nutrients, microbial biomass of soil, and grain yield of rice (Oryza sativa L.) after 18 years of inorganic and organic fertilizer application to an infertile paddy field under subtropical conditions. After 18 years of fertilization, soil organic C and total N contents were 9.56~12.17 and 1.01~1.25 g kg⁻¹, which were 190~269% and 135~191% higher than those of the initial soil, respectively. Organic manure application increased soil organic C, total N, available N, and available P contents by 19.2%, 14.4%, 13.2%, and 78.3% on average compared with organic manure-omitted treatments. Phosphorus fertilizer application increased soil available P content more significantly than organic manure application, and it was an average 385% higher than P-omitted treatments. Soil microbial biomass C, N, and rice yield were 48.9%, 33.2%, and 133% higher in organic manure application treatments and 36.8%, 38.8%, and 239% higher in P fertilizer application treatments than organic manure-omitted or P-omitted treatments, respectively. Incorporation of organic manure-enhanced and P fertilizer-enhanced rice yields by 382% compared with the unfertilized treatment and yield increment index was 123% compared with that observed during 1991–1994, implying that organic manure application combined with P fertilizer was needed to ensure high and sustainable productivity. Rice yield was significantly correlated with all soil chemical properties except available K content, and stepwise regression analysis showed that soil available P content was the limiting factor to rice yield.     

Effects of 17-year fertilization on soil microbial biomass C and N and soluble organic C and N in loessial soil during maize growth

As labile organic pools, soluble organic matter and soil microbial biomass are sensitive to changes in soil management and therefore good indicators of soil quality. Effects of a 17-year long-term fertilization on soil microbial biomass C (SMBC) and N (SMBN), soluble organic C, and soluble organic N during the maize growing season were evaluated in a loess soil (Eum-Orthic Anthrosol) in northwest China. The fertilization treatments included no fertilizer (CK), inorganic N, P, and K fertilizer (NPK), cattle manure plus NPK fertilizer (MNPK), and straw plus NPK fertilizer (SNPK). Our results showed that C storage in the 0–20 cm soil layer was 28% to 81% higher in the fertilized treatments compared to the unfertilized treatment. In the 0–10 cm soil layer, SMBC and SMBN in the three fertilized treatments were higher than in the unfertilized treatment on all sampling dates, while microbial biomass C and N in the 0−10 cm soil layers were the highest at grain filling. In the same soil layer, soil-soluble organic C generally decreased in the order MNPK > SNPK > NPK > CK, while soluble organic N was the highest in the MNPK followed by the SNPK treatment. There was no significant difference in soluble organic N in the NPK and CK treatments throughout most of the maize growing season. Changes in soluble organic N occurred along the growing season and were more significant than those for soluble organic C. Soluble organic N was the highest at grain filling and the lowest at harvest. Overall, our results indicated that microbial biomass and soluble organic N in the surface soil were generally the highest at grain filling when maize growth was most vigorous. Significant positive relationships were found between soluble organic C and SMBC and between soluble organic N and SMBN.     

Influence of application of rice straw, farmyard manure, and municipal biowastes on nitrogen fixation, soil microbial biomass N, and mineral N in a model paddy microcosm

Effects of application of rice straw (RS), farmyard manure (FYM), municipal biowaste compost (MBCom), and municipal biowaste charcoal (MBCha) on soil microbial biomass N, mineral N, and nitrogen-fixing activity (NFA) of a model paddy microcosm were examined in comparison with urea fertilizer. When microcosms were added with urea, NFA decreased with increasing rates of fertilization, and it was negligible (less than 4% of the control, no urea fertilization) in the soils treated with more than 60 mg kg⁻¹ urea–N. The addition of RS, with the highest C/N ratio among the organic wastes used, stimulated N₂ fixation most effectively (40% increase compared to the control). MBCom, with the lowest C/N ratio and a comparable mineral N content to 60 mg kg⁻¹ urea–N, decreased N₂ fixation (50% decrease), but it was not markedly suppressed unlike urea. In spite of the fact that FYM contained a relatively large N, expressed as low C/N ratio, its effect on N₂ fixation was small (14% decrease). FYM and MBCom did not stimulate NFA as RS did. This may be explained by the fact that N concentrations of microbial biomass N and available N were higher in the soils than in soil treated with RS. The effect of MBCha addition on N₂ fixation was small (14% decrease). The present study demonstrated that organic wastes might affect N₂ fixation depending upon the amount of available N in the waste-treated soils, but that organic-waste-treated soils generally support higher N₂ fixation than chemical-fertilizer-treated soils.     

长期施肥对华北平原一种潮土有机氮组成的影响

In order to illustrate the change of nitrogen （N） supply capacity after long-term application of manure and chemical fertilizer, as well as to properly manage soil fertility through fertilizer application under the soil-climatic conditions of the North China Plain, organic N forms were quantified in the topsoil with different manure and chemical fertilizer treatments in a 15-year fertilizer experiment in a Chinese calcareous alluvial soil. Soil total N （TN） and various organic N forms were significantly influenced by long-term application of chemical fertilizer and manure. TN, total hydrolysable N, acid-lnsoluble N, amino acid N and ammonium N in the soil increased significantly （P 〈 0.05） with increasing manure and fertilizer N rates, but were not influenced by increasing P rates. Also, application of manure or N fertilizer or P fertilizer did not significantly influence either the quantity of amino sugar N or its proportion of TN. Application of manure significantly increased （P 〈 0.05） hydrolysable unknown N, but adding N or P did not. In addition, application of manure or N fertilizer or P fertilizer did not significantly influence the proportions of different soil organic N forms.     

氮肥运筹、配施有机肥和坐水种对春玉米产量与养分吸收转运的影响

采用田间试验方法,研究了氮肥运筹、配施有机肥和坐水种对春玉米产量与养分吸收转运的影响。结果表明,适宜氮肥运筹方式、配施有机肥和坐水种均能显著增加春玉米产量,氮肥两次追肥处理的产量较一次追肥处理的产量增加10.6%～17.0%,配施有机肥增产10.3%～18.0%,坐水种增产9.1%,配施有机肥并坐水种增产20.4%。氮肥两次追施、配施有机肥及配施有机肥并坐水种均能显著提高春玉米干物质最大积累速率和积累总量,分别提高干物质最大积累速率11.1%～29.5%、28.0%～28.8%和32.1%,依次提高干物质积累总量11.9%～15.5%、21.2%～24.4%和26.9%。氮肥两次追施、配施有机肥和坐水种均可提高N、P、K养分最大吸收速率和吸收总量,养分最大吸收速率以K最高,N居中,P最低;养分吸收总量以N最高,K居中,P最低;养分最大吸收速率出现的时间以K最早（57.2～60.4 d）,N居中（65.3～68.5 d）,P最晚（71.4～74.8 d）,三者均早于干物质积累最大速率出现的时间（82.5～89.3 d）。氮肥两次追施、配施有机肥和坐水种均有利于N、P、K养分由营养体向籽粒的转运量、转运效率、籽粒中养分含量以及氮肥利用率的提高,养分转运效率以P最高（59.3%～66.1%）,其次是N（41.5%～55.1%）,K最低（35.9%～38.0%）。在本实验条件下,施氮量为225 kg/hm2,基肥:拔节肥比1:3,配施有机肥结合坐水种,为最佳施肥处理。     

Nitrogen recovery by orchardgrass from dairy manure applied with or without fertilizer nitrogen

Abstract

With increasing manure production per unit cropland available for its disposal, greater recovery and recycling of manure nitrogen (N) through crop uptake is needed on dairy farms to minimize environmental problems. This study was conducted in 1990 and 1991 on a sandy loam soil with the objective of quantifyin forage yield and N recovery by orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) in response to dairy manure applied in spring with or without fertilizer N. Manure N, either as liquid or as solid with bedding, was surface applied annually to supply 150 kg total N/ha/yr with four rates of fertilizer N (0, 75, 150, and 300 kg N/ha in 1990 and 0, 150, 300, and 600 kg N/ha in 1991) factorially superimposed over the manure treatments. Averaged over years, orchardgrass recovered 40% of the liquid manure N and 26% of the solid manure N applied each year. On an annual basis, the crop recovered 430 kg soil N/ha/yr from plots receiving liquid manure in combination with 600 kg fertilizer N/ha. This study demonstrates that intensively managed orchardgrass has the potential to absorb large quantities of manure N.     

Nitrogen and phosphorus release from poultry manure composts: the role of carbonaceous bulking agents and compost particle sizes

Rice hulls and sawdust are commonly used to compost poultry manure in several countries. We studied the effects of these two bulking agents and different sizes of compost particles on the release of N and P from poultry manure composts. Five composts, produced with a 2:1 and 1:1 ratio of sawdust or rice hulls to poultry manure and 1:1:1 of all three materials, were separated into fractions >10, 5–10, 1–5, and <1 mm. The >10-mm fraction was less than 1.5% and was not further analyzed. In all other fractions, pH, electrical conductivity, organic C, lignin, cellulose, and total N, P, Ca, K, and Si were determined and related to N and P release in 16-week incubations of a sandy soil amended with 40 g kg⁻¹ of each fraction. Nitrogen release with composts containing sawdust was higher than with rice hull composts (114–189 vs. 78–127 mg kg⁻¹ at week 16), and this was highly correlated with TN (1.9–3.7% vs. 1.4–2.7%) and negatively with pH (5.5–6.2 vs. 6.7–6.9). Extractable P was very high (85–340 mg kg⁻¹ at week 16), and the highest values were associated with the composts with more proportion of poultry manure. An increase in stability with decreasing particle size was apparent from the gradient of N and P dynamics: from net P release and an exponential pattern of net N mineralization with the coarsest fraction to net P retention and a linear pattern of N mineralization with the smallest one. Despite its higher fertilizer value, the 5- to 10-mm fraction posed the highest environmental risk due to elevated P release over time.     

Integrated Soil Fertility Management: Aggregate carbon and nitrogen stabilization in differently textured tropical soils

Soil organic matter is important to improve and sustain soil fertility in tropical agroecosystems. The combined use of organic residue and fertilizer inputs is advocated for its positive effects on short-term nutrient supply, but the effect of the integrated use on long-term stabilization of soil organic C and N is still unclear. We conducted a 1.5-y soil incubation experiment with maize (Zea mays) residue and urea fertilizer to examine the stabilization of C and N in four Sub-Saharan African soils differing in texture (sand, sandy loam, clay loam, and clay). The inputs were enriched with ¹³C and ¹⁵N in a mirror-labelling design to trace the fate of residue-C and N, and fertilizer-N in combination. We hypothesized that combining inputs would enhance the stabilization of C and N relative to either input alone across a range of soil textures. The treatments were destructively sampled after 0.25, 0.5, and 1.5 y to assess input-derived C and N stabilization in soil macro- and microaggregate fractions. The combination treatment had a significant but small (2% of residue-applied C) increase in residue-C stabilized in the total soil after 0.25 y, but this increase did not persist after 0.5 and 1.5 y. While combining residue and fertilizer decreased the amount of residue-N stabilized within 53- to 2000-μm sized soil aggregates (e.g., 7% less at 1.5 y), it increased the stabilization of fertilizer-N at all sampling times (e.g., 20% more at 1.5 y). The increased amount of fertilizer-N stabilized was significantly greater than the amount of residue-N lost in the combined input treatments in the three finer textured soils at 1.5 y, indicating an interactive increase in the stabilization of new N. Our results indicate that combining residue with fertilizer inputs can increase the short-term stabilization of N, which has the potential to improve soil fertility. However, benefits to N stabilization from combining organic residues and fertilizer seem to be less in coarser-textured soils.     

Organic manure input and straw cover improved the community structure of nitrogen cycle function microorganism driven by water erosion

Water erosion process induces differences to the nitrogen (N) functional microbial community structure, which is the driving force to key N processes at soil-water interface. However, how the soil N transformations associated with water erosion is affected by microorganisms, and how the microbial respond, are still unclear. The objective of this study is to investigate the changes of microbial diversity and community structure of the N-cycle function microorganisms as affected by water erosion under application of organic manure and straw cover. On the basis of iso-nitrogen substitution, four treatments were set up: 1) only chemical fertilizer with N 150 kg ha^?1, P₂O₅ 60 kg ha^?1 and K₂O 90 kg ha^?1 (CK); the N was substituted 20% by 2) organic manure (OM); 3) straw (SW); and 4) organic manure + straw (1:1) (OMSW). The results showed that applying organic manure and straw to sloping farmland can increase soil N contents, but reduce runoff depth, K_w, sediment yield and N loss, especially in the OMSW. Straw cover and straw + organic manure increased the diversity (Chao1) of nitrifier (AOB), and both diversity and uniformity (Shannon) of denitrifier (nirK/S) were increased in the OMSW. All erosion control measures reduced N-fixing bacteria diversity and increased their uniformity, and the combined application of organic manure and straw cover was a better erosion control measure than the single application of them. Improved soil chemistry and erodibility were the main drives for the changes of N-functional microbial community structure and the appearance of dominant bacteria with different organic materials.     

Manure management practices applied to a seven‐course rotation on a sandy soil: effects on nitrate leaching

This experiment tested whether it was possible to incorporate broiler litter (BL) or cattle farmyard manure (FYM) into a 7‐yr arable rotation on a sandy soil without causing an increase in nitrate‐nitrogen (NO₃‐N) leaching. Four manure treatments (with adjusted fertilizer inputs), varying in frequency and timing of application, were imposed on the rotation and compared with a control that received inorganic fertilizer according to recommended rates. Over seven winters, the annual average NO₃‐N leached from the inorganic fertilizer treatment (control) was 39 kg/ha in 183 mm drainage. Total manure N loadings over the period of the experiment ranged between 557 and 1719 kg/ha (80–246 kg/ha/yr) for the four treatments. Three of the four manure treatments significantly increased NO₃‐N leaching over the rotation (P < 0.001). Annual applications of FYM (1719 kg/ha manure N or 246 kg/ha/yr) increased NO₃‐N leaching by 39%. We hypothesize that this was due to increased mineralization of the organic N accumulating from repeated FYM applications. BL applied each year (1526 kg/ha manure N or 218 kg N/ha/yr) increased NO₃‐N leaching by 52% above the control; BL applied 5 of 7 yr (972 kg/ha manure N or 139 kg N/ha/yr on average) and including inadvisable autumn applications increased leaching by 50%. BL applied in late winter or early spring every 2–3 yr (557 kg/ha manure N or 80 kg N/ha/yr on average) resulted in NO₃‐N leaching similar to the control. This suggests that to avoid additional NO₃‐N leaching from manure use in an arable rotation, manure should not be applied every year and autumn applications should be avoided; there are real challenges where manure is used on an annual basis.     

不同有机肥与化肥配施对氮素利用率和土壤肥力的影响

【目的】不同类型畜禽粪便有机肥在成分和性质上存在明显差异，本文研究了华北地区主要有机肥与化肥以不同比例配施后，对作物氮素吸收利用及土壤养分的影响，以期为本地区有机肥的科学利用提供理论依据和数据支撑。【方法】在华北平原冬小麦–夏玉米种植区进行田间试验。以推荐养分施用量 (每季作物N 225 kg/hm2) 为基础，设置了1个常规单施化肥处理 (CF)，12个鸡粪、猪粪和牛粪氮分别与化肥氮配比处理 (有机肥氮素占比25%、50%、75%、100%)，化肥及3种有机肥的加倍单施处理，同时设1个不施肥处理为对照，共18个处理。分析了作物的氮素吸收量、氮素利用效率，测定了0—20、20—40 cm土层土壤氮、磷、钾含量。【结果】常规施肥量下，单施鸡粪、猪粪、牛粪处理的氮素收获指数 (NHI) 均与化肥处理相当，平均为79.06%；单施牛粪处理的氮素生理利用率 (NPE) 为64.42 kg/kg，显著高于化肥处理；而单施鸡粪、猪粪处理的NPE与化肥处理相当，平均为55.14 kg/kg。与常规施肥量相比，加倍施用鸡粪、猪粪和化肥处理的显著降低NHI值和NPE值，而加倍牛粪处理的NHI与NPE值没有降低。牛粪、鸡粪、猪粪与化肥配施的处理间NHI与NPE值均未表现出显著性差异，且与单施化肥的处理相当。常规施氮量下，单施猪粪、鸡粪处理的氮素偏生产力 (PFP) 和回收率 (NRE) 接近，均值为分别39.67 kg/kg和41.85%，达到了单施化肥处理的水平，而牛粪处理的氮素PFP以及NRE仅为29.08 kg/kg和15.6%，显著低于化肥、鸡粪和猪粪处理。与常规施氮量相比，加倍施用牛粪、鸡粪、猪粪和化肥处理的氮素的PFP值平均降低了49.1%，氮肥NRE值平均降低了23.2%。牛粪、鸡粪、猪粪与化肥各配施比例处理的氮素PFP和NRE值均达到了单施化肥的水平。与单施化肥相比，单施有机肥以及有机无机配施没有明显提高土壤全氮含量，但显著提高有效磷和速效钾含量，单施鸡粪、猪粪处理土壤表层有效磷含量分别是单施化肥处理的5.82和7.06倍。【结论】推荐施肥量下，鸡粪或猪粪单独施用或配施少量化肥氮，牛粪配施75%左右的化肥氮可实现与化肥相当的氮素利用效率，同时提升土壤肥力。在实际生产中应根据有机肥特性调节有机肥与化肥配施比例，实现有机肥的科学利用。     

Modelling the turnover of 15N-labelled fertilizer and cover crop in soil and its recovery by maize

The rate at which available nitrogen (N) is released from organic materials in soil is often measured by applying ¹⁵N and following its recovery by the growing crop. However, the turnover of labelled N in soil modifies the ratio of labelled to unlabelled available N and thereby affects the uptake of ¹⁵N by plants. The recovery of labelled N by maize was measured in a field experiment under three management systems, with one ¹⁵N‐labelled input in each: (1) conventional, with fertilizer side dressing, (2) low input, with vetch as a cover crop and fertilizer side dressing, and (3) organic, with vetch and composted manure. The NCSOIL model, which simulates C and N turnover in soil, was modified to include relevant processes related to the maize crop, and used to estimate the decomposition rate constant of vetch in the field by optimizing the simulated dynamics of labelled N uptake by maize against the measured results. A large input of C from mineralizable soil organic matter and root deposition was necessary to account for the recovery of fertilizer N by maize. Optimization of labelled N recovery in the low input system resulted in two optional rate constants for the decomposition of vetch: rapid decomposition (0.4 day^?1) of a labile vetch pool (49% of total vetch N), or slow decomposition (0.008 day^?1) of a single vetch pool. In the simulated organic system, where manure and vetch were incorporated at the same time, only a rapid decomposition of the labile component of vetch accounted well for the recovery of vetch N by maize. The prolonged recycling of N mineralized from the vetch, and its mixing with fertilizer side dressing in the low input system, reduced the recovery of vetch N even though it was mineralized rapidly. This demonstrates the difficulty in assessing the availability of N from organic materials.     

长期有机无机肥配施下红壤性稻田水稻产量及土壤有机碳变化特征

利用中国农业科学院红壤实验站红壤稻田长期定位试验,研究了长期有机无机肥配施下双季稻增产潜力和土壤有机碳变化特征。31年的试验结果表明,1）施肥能促进水稻早晚稻稻谷和地上部产量增加,其中,有机肥配施均衡的NPK处理促进作用最大,NPKM处理下稻谷年均产量比NPM、 NKM、 PKM、 M和NPK分别高 5.8%、 10.9%、 16.2%、 15.9%和20.4%。2）施肥能促进水稻土有机碳含量增加,其中,有机肥配施均衡的NPK处理提升效果最为明显, NPKM处理下所测年度土壤有机碳平均含量比NPM、 NKM、 PKM、 M和NPK分别高出2.5%、 3.5%、 2.0%、 0.6%和 32.8%。3）随着试验的进行,单施有机肥对早、 晚稻稻谷和地上部产量的促进效果逐步优于单施化肥氮、 磷、 钾处理（NPK）,对土壤有机碳的提升效果也明显优于单施化肥氮、 磷、 钾。红壤性稻田双季稻生产实践中,有机无机肥配施模式值得推荐,但需均衡配施化肥氮、 磷、 钾。     

不同耕作与施肥方式下白土水稻产量及养分吸收量

通过定位试验,研究白土上不同耕作措施及有机肥施用对水稻产量、 养分吸收量及土壤理化性状的影响。试验设置2个翻耕深度（10 cm和20 cm）与4种施肥模式（单施化肥、 化肥+畜禽粪、 化肥+秸秆、 化肥+绿肥）。结果表明,单施化肥时,翻耕20 cm处理两年的平均产量较翻耕10 cm处理减产7.6%; 而在翻耕20 cm的基础上,秸秆还田或施用畜禽粪、 绿肥则可以显著提高水稻产量,较单施化肥分别增产14.8%、 16.1% 和14.6%。水稻养分吸收量也表现出相同规律,在翻耕20 cm后补充有机肥能显著增加植株对氮、 磷、 钾的吸收。同时,翻耕 20 cm结合秸秆还田或施用畜禽粪、 绿肥处理的土壤有机质、 全氮、 碱解氮、 速效磷和速效钾含量均高于单施化肥处理。在白土稻田上,翻耕20 cm后增施有机肥有利于提高水稻产量,促进养分吸收,改善白土耕层土壤理化性状,是适合白土区大力推广的施肥模式。     

长期施肥对农田土壤氮素关键转化过程的影响

当前,如何合理施肥、提高作物产量、维持土壤肥力、并兼顾生态环境效应是农业研究的主要挑战之一。本文综述了长期施肥对农田土壤氮素关键转化过程的影响,主要从土壤氮转化过程的初级转化速率角度综述肥料(有机肥和化学氮肥)对土壤氮素关键转化过程的影响。土壤氮素矿化-同化循环是自然界氮循环过程中两个至关重要的环节,是决定土壤供氮能力的重要因素。总体而言,长期施用氮肥,尤其是有机肥能显著提高初级矿化-同化周转速率;长期施肥可以刺激自养硝化作用,且有机肥的刺激作用更明显;施用化学氮肥和有机肥均能提高反硝化速率,且有机肥的刺激作用高于化学氮肥。有机肥一直被提倡和实践用来改善土壤肥力和提高土壤固碳能力,无论是单施有机肥还是有机-无机配施,均能有效地减轻硝酸盐污染,改善土壤肥力并提高作物产量。但是有机肥的施用并不是多多益善,有机肥过多施用也会增加氮损失的风险。因此,本文综述了长期施肥对农田土壤氮素关键转化过程初级转化速率的影响,讨论了各个氮转化过程之间的联系,以期增强人们对长期施肥措施影响农田土壤氮素循环的理解,并为合理施用氮肥、提高氮肥利用率、减少与氮相关的环境污染提供理论依据。     

The use of 15N labelling to study the turnover and utilization of ruminant manure N

 An improved understanding of the cycling of animal manure N is a prerequisite for making better use of this N source. A sheep was fed ¹⁵N-labelled grass in order to study the fate of ¹⁵N-labelled ruminant manure N in the plant-soil system. The uniformity of labelling was found to be satisfactory when an appropriate feeding strategy was used. The mineralization of labelled faecal N was compared to the mineralization of labelled feed N and indigestible feed N by measuring residual labelled organic N in unplanted topsoil in the field. After 18 months, 61% of both faecal N and feed N was recovered in organic form in the topsoil, while 94% of the indigestible feed N was still present in the soil. The influence of slurry distribution in soil on the crop uptake of labelled faecal N in slurry was studied in a sandy and a sandy loam soil. The crop uptake of labelled faecal N was compared with the uptake of ¹⁵N-labelled mineral fertilizer in a reference treatment. The uptake was 28–32% of that of the reference treatment with simulated slurry injection, 13–25% with incorporated slurry and 18–19% with slurry on the soil surface. The mineralization of faecal N in the autumn after application in spring was low irrespective of the slurry distribution in soil. The results demonstrate that the contact between animal manure and the soil matrix significantly influences the short-term turnover and availability of faecal and ammonium N in slurry, especially in fine-textured soils. Received: 31 October 1997