Effect of cropping systems on phosphatases in soils

Phosphatases are widely distributed in nature and play a major role in phosphorus nutrition of plants. The effects of crop rotations and nitrogen fertilization on the activities of phosphatases (acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase, and phosphodiesterase) were studied in soils from two long‐term cropping systems at the Northeast Research Center (NERC) in Nashua and the Clarion Webster Research Center (CWRC) in Kanawha, Iowa, USA. Surface soils (0—15 cm) were taken in 1996 and 1997 from replicated field plots in corn, soybeans, oats, or meadow (alfalfa) that received 0 or 180 kg N ha^—1 before corn. Because of differences in organic C contents among soils of the two sites, the soils from the CWRC sites contained greater enzyme activity values than those from the NERC site. Plots under oats or meadow showed the greatest activity values, whereas those under continuous corn at the CWRC site and soybean at the NERC site showed the least activities. Analysis of variance indicated that the activities of the phosphatases were significantly affected by crop rotation (P < 0.001) in both years at the NERC site but not at the CWRC site. Nitrogen fertilization affected the activity of acid phosphatase in soils from the CWRC site in both years and alkaline phosphatase only in 1997; but it did not affect the activities of the phosphatases in the soils from the NERC site. With the exception of alkaline phosphatase (CWRC) and phosphodiesterase (NERC) in soils sampled in 1997, activities of alkaline phosphatase and phosphodiesterase were significantly correlated with microbial biomass C (C _mic) in soils from both sites and years, with r values ranging from 0.366* to 0.599***. Cropping systems and N fertilization affected the specific activities of phosphomonoesterases, especially acid phosphatase, but not of phosphodiesterase. Regression analysis showed that activities of phosphatases were significantly correlated with organic C contents of soils from the NERC site but not from the CWRC site.     

Effect of cropping systems on nitrogen mineralization in soils

 Understanding the effect of cropping systems on N mineralization in soils is crucial for a better assessment of N fertilizer requirements of crops in order to minimize nitrate contamination of surface and groundwater resources. The effects of crop rotations and N fertilization on N mineralization were studied in soils from two long-term field experiments at the Northeast Research Center and the Clarion-Webster Research Center in Iowa that were initiated in 1979 and 1954, respectively. Surface soil samples were taken in 1996 from plots of corn (Zea mays L.), soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.), oats (Avena sativa L.), or meadow (alfalfa) (Medicago sativa L.) that had received 0 or 180 kg N ha^–1 before corn and an annual application of 20 kg P and 56 kg K ha^–1. N mineralization was studied in leaching columns under aerobic conditions at 30  °C for 24 weeks. The results showed that N mineralization was affected by cover crop at the time of sampling. Continuous soybean decreased, whereas inclusion of meadow increased, the amount of cumulative N mineralized. The mineralizable N pool (N _o) varied considerably among the soil samples studied, ranging from 137 mg N kg^–1 soil under continuous soybean to >500 mg N kg^–1 soil under meadow-based rotations, sampled in meadow. The results suggest that the N _o and/or organic N in soils under meadow-based cropping systems contained a higher proportion of active N fractions. Received: 10 February 1999     

Effect of temperature on nitrification in soils

Nitrification plays an important role in nitrogen transformation in soils. As a practical problem the fact is noteworthy that by nitrification, the loss of nitrogen from soils is caused at higher temperatures in the summer. On the contrary, it is quite slow at the lower temperatures of early spring. Recently much Work has been done on the effect of temperature on nitrification in soils. It was noticed that its effect is not the same according to the difference of soils. Soils which have high nitrifying activities at ordinary temperatures (around 25°C) show fairly good nitrification even at lower temperatures (1, 2, 5). However, in nitrification by usual experimental methods, the amount of nitrate produced can be only estimated while nitrifying organisms are increasing or decreasing in soil. As the growing Process of microbes is extremely influenced by both the properties of the soil and the cultural conditions, it is necessary to examine the effect of temperature on the growing process of microbes rather than biochemical nitrification by a unit cell. In usual methods nitrification can hardly be treated in these separate aspects. The author has succeeded in obtaining soils in which nitrifying organisms increase to the maximum limit, and no increase can be expected in number of these organisms. By using such samples, experiments were made concerning the effect of temperature on nitrification by a unit cell and its direct effect on the growth of organisms. Furthermore, the author prepared favorable cultural conditions for various kinds of soils by the “washing cultivation method” (6), and examined the effect of temperature on the increasing process of nitrifying ability.     

Glycosidases in soils as affected by cropping systems

Glycosidases are a group of soil enzymes that play a major role in degradation of carbohydrates. This study was conducted to assess the impact of crop rotation and N fertilization on the activities of α‐ and β‐glucosidases and α‐ and β‐galactosidases in plots of two long‐term field experiments at the Clarion‐Webster Research Center (CWRC) and Northeast Research Center (NERC) in Iowa. Surface‐soil (0–15 cm) samples were taken in 1996 and 1997 in corn (Zea mays L.), soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.), oats (Avena sativa L.), or meadow (alfalfa) (Medicago sativa L.) plots that received 0 or 180 kg N ha^–1, applied as urea before corn, and an annual application of 20 kg P ha^–1 and 56 kg K ha^–1. Activities of the four glycosidases were significantly affected by crop rotations in both years at the two sites but not by nitrogen application. In general, higher activities were observed in plots under meadow or oat and the lowest in continuous corn (CWRC) and soybean (NERC). Four‐year rotation showed the highest activity, followed by 2‐year rotation and monocropping systems. Linear‐regression analyses indicated that, in general, the activities of the glycosidases were significantly correlated with microbial‐biomass C (r > 0.302, p ≤ 0.05) and microbial‐biomass N (r > 0.321, p ≤ 0.05), organic‐C (r > 0.332, p ≤ 0.05) and organic‐N (r > 0.399, p ≤ 0.01) contents of the soils. Results of this work suggest that multicropping stimulated the activities of the glycosidases. The specific activities of the glycosidases in soils of the two sites studied, expressed as g p‐nitrophenol released per kg of organic C, differed among the four enzymes. The lowest values were obtained for β‐galactosidase and α‐glucosidase, followed by α‐galactosidase and β‐glucosidase.     

以水稻为主的种植系统对土壤有机质状况的影响

A long-term simulation experiment was carried out to study the effect of rice-based cropping system, green manure and ground-water level on soil organic matter. Soil organic matter content increased when upland soil was puddled and cropped under submerged conditions. Among all treatments, soil organic matter contents in the treatments of rice-rice-flooded fallow in winter (WF) were the highest, those in the treatments of rice-rice-astragalus (WG) came the second, and those in the treatments of rice-rice-rape (WR) were the lowest. At the same rate of green manure application, the degrees of organo-mineral complexing in soils of treatments WG and WR were higher than those of treatment WF. After 9-year rice cultivation, the state of combination of humus in heavy fraction varied with treatments. The relative content of loosely bonded humus decreased in the order of WR > WG > WF, and it correlated significantly with Se availability.     

Characterization of active nitrogen pools in soils under different cropping systems

 Studies were conducted to evaluate the relationships among different active N pools of organic matter in soils at two long-term cropping systems in Iowa. Results indicated that multi-cropping systems, particularly meadow-based systems, enhanced bioactivities of soils. Mono-cropping systems, particularly soybean, reduced soil microbial biomass and enzyme activities. The mineralizable N pool (potential N mineralization;N _o) was more sensitive to changes in the size of the microbial biomass N (N_mic) than to changes in organic N. One unit change in organic N did not lead to substantial changes in N _o, but 1 unit change in N_mic resulted in three or more units change in N _o. The active N pools and turnover rate were more sensitive to changes in organic C than to changes in microbial biomass C (C_mic). A unit change in organic C resulted in 10.6 units change in N _o, but a unit change in C_mic resulted in only 0.8 unit change in N _o. C_mic or N_mic are better indexes than organic C or N for the estimation of N _o or N availability, because biomass values are more highly correlated with cumulative N mineralized during 24 weeks of incubation, with r values ranging from 0.57 (P<0.001) to 0.88 (P<0.001). Received: 18 October 1999     

耕作改制对砂姜黑土中锰的影响

研究砂姜黑土旱改水对土壤中Mn含量、赋存形态和有效性的影响结果表明,砂姜黑土中Mn存在于粘土矿物、晶形氧化铁、无定性氧化铁、氧化锰态、有机物和碳酸盐中比例分别为27.19%~46.26%、10.48%~21.65%、2.76%~12.28%、17.39%~26.53%、10.61%~24.57%和0.16%~8.35%。旱改水实施水旱轮作后砂姜黑土中全Mn含量极显著降低,平均降幅为8.77%,但伴随土壤pH值的趋中性,土壤中Mn由植物有效性较低的晶形铁结合态逐渐向植物有效性较高的氧化锰态、无定形铁态和有机态转化,活化了土壤中的Mn,提高了Mn的有效性和可移动性。     

Arylsulfatase activity of microbial biomass in soils as affected by cropping systems

 The impacts of crop rotations and N fertilization on different pools of arylsulfatase activity (total, intracellular, and extracellular) were studied in soils of two long-term field experiments in Iowa to assess the contibution of the microbial biomass to the activity of this enzyme. Surface-soil samples were taken in 1996 and 1997 in corn, soybeans, oats, or meadow (alfalfa) plots that received 0 or 180 kg N ha^–1 before corn, and an annual application of 20 kg P ha^–1 and 56 kg K ha^–1. The arylsulfatase activity in the soils was assayed at optimal pH (acetate buffer, pH 5.8) before and after chloroform fumigation; microbial biomass C (C_mic) and N (N_mic) were determined by chloroform-fumigation methods. All pools of arylsulfatase activity in soils were significantly affected by crop rotation and plant cover at sampling time, but not by N fertilization. Generally, the highest total, intracellular, and extracellular arylsulfatase activities were obtained in soils under cereal-meadow rotations, taken under oats or meadow, and the lowest under continuous cropping systems.Total, intracellular, and extracellular arylsulfatase activities were significantly correlated with C_mic (r>0.41, P<0.01) and N_mic (r>0.38, P<0.01) in soils. The averages of specific activity values, i.e., of arylsulfatase activity of the microbial biomass, expressed per milligram C_mic, ranged from 315 to 407 μg p-nitrophenol h^–1. The total arylsulfatase activity was significantly correlated with the intracellular activity, with r values >0.79 (P<0.001). In general, about 45% of the total arylsulfatase activity was extracellular, and 55% was associated with the microbial biomass in soils, indicating the importance of the microflora as an enzyme source in soils. Received: 23 April 1998     

Urease activity of microbial biomass in soils as affected by cropping systems

 The impacts of crop rotations and N fertilization on different pools of urease activity were studied in soils of two long-term field experiments in Iowa; at the Northeast Research Center (NERC) and the Clarion-Webster Research Center (CWRC). Surface soil samples (0–15 cm) were taken in 1996 and 1997 in corn, soybeans, oats, or meadow (alfalfa) plots that received 0 or 180 kg N ha^–1, applied as urea before corn and an annual application of 20 kg P and 56 kg K ha^–1. The urease activity in the soils was assayed at optimal pH (THAM buffer, pH 9.0), with and without toluene treatment, in a chloroform-fumigated sample and its nonfumigated counterpart. The microbial biomass C (C_mic) and N (N_mic) were determined by chloroform fumigation methods. The total, intracellular, extracellular and specific urease activities in the soils of the NERC site were significantly affected by crop rotation, but not by N fertilization. Generally, the highest total urease activities were obtained in soils under 4-year oats–meadow rotations and the lowest under continuous corn. The higher total activities under multicropping systems were caused by a higher activity of both the intracellular and extracellular urease fractions. In contrast, the highest values for the specific urease activity, i.e. of urease activity of the microbial biomass, were found in soils under continuous soybean and the least under the 4-year rotations. Total and extracellular urease activities were significantly correlated with C_mic (r>0.30* and >0.40**) and N_mic (r>0.39** and >0.44**) in soils of the NERC and CWRC sites, respectively. Total urease activity was significantly correlated with the intracellular activity (r>0.73***). About 46% of the total urease activity of the soils was associated with the microbial biomass, and 54% was extracellular in nature. Received: 25 May 1999     

Effect of simulated acid precipitation on nitrogen mineralization and nitrification in forest soils

After exposure of samples of three forest soils (pH 3.4 to 3.9) from the Adirondacks region of New York to 60, 230, or 400 cm of simulated rain of pH 3.5 or 5.6 in 4, 14, or 24 weeks, respectively, the soil samples were separated into the 0 to 2 and 2 to 5 cm organic layers and further incubated. The rates of N mineralization in Woods soil exposed to the simulated precipitation were less for rain at pH 3.5 than at pH 5.6, but the inhibition decreased with increasing exposure of the 0 to 2 cm layer. In Panther soil, the rates of mineralization were usually not affected by the acidity of the simulated rain. In the upper layer of Sagamore soil, mineralization was not influenced by pH of the simulated rain, but the transformation was faster in the bottom layer of soil after prolonged exposure to simulated rain at pH 3.5 than at pH 5.6. The rate of nitrate formation in Panther and Woods soil amended with ammonium was inhibited by the more acid rain. Studies with ¹⁵NH₄ indicated that ammonium was oxidized to nitrate even though ammonium levels did not decline or declined only slightly after prolonged exposure of Panther or Woods soil to rain at pH 3.5. The growth of orchardgrass in Panther and Woods soil was inhibited by the more acid simulated rain.     

Effects of urease inhibitors on nitrification in soils

The effects of 10 urease inhibitors on nitrification in soils were studied by determining the effects of 10 and 50 parts/10⁶ (soil basis) of each inhibitor on the amounts of nitrate and nitrite produced when soils treated with ammonium sulfate (200 μg of ammonium N/g of soil) were incubated (30°C) under aerobic conditions for 14 days. The urease inhibitors used (catechol. hydroquinone, p-benzoquinone, 2,3-dimethyl-p-benzoquinone, 2,5-dimethyl-p-benzoquinone. 2,6-dimethyl-p-benzoquinone. 2,5-dichloro-p-benzoquinone, 2,6-dichloro-p-benzoquinone. sodium p-chloromercuribenzoate, and phenylmercuric acetate) were those found most effective in previous work to evaluate more than 130 compounds as soil urease inhibitors. Their effects on nitrification were compared with those of three compounds patented as soil nitrification inhibitors (N-Serve. AM. and ST).Most of the urease inhibitors studied had little effect on nitrification when applied at the rate of 10 μg/g of soil. but had marked inhibitory effects when applied at the rate of 50 μg/g of soil. None inhibited nitrification as effectively as N-Serve. but phenylmercuric acetate inhibited nitrification more effectively than did AM or ST when applied at the rate of 10 μg/g of soil. Phenylmercuric acetate, 2,5-dimethyl-p-benzoquinone, and 2,6-dimethyl-p-benzoquinone had very marked effects on nitrification when applied at the rate of 50 μg/g of soil.     

紫色土坡地不同种植模式生态经济效益综合评价

在小区试验基础上对紫色土丘陵区不同农业种植模式生长季植被覆盖度、土壤养分、水土流失及作物产量等进行了观测,并采用灰色关联度分析法对各模式生态经济效益进行了综合评价.评价结果表明,在评价指标不同权重比例下,紫苏 连翘间作模式、山药 辣椒间作模式生态经济综合效益均较高,玉米/红苕的传统种植模式综合效益最低.结果说明:该区域传统种植模式不利于生态环境保护,应调整种植结构,寻找符合当地生态经济持续发展的优化种植模式.因此,我国紫色土丘陵区坡地适宜发展和推广以牧草和中草药为间作植物的复合种植模式,此举可推动区域农村经济与环境协调发展.     

Effects of different long-term cropping systems on phosphorus adsorption and desorption characteristics in red soils

Journal of Soils and Sediments - Phosphorus (P) fertilizer has been applied in regions with red soils to ensure high crop yield. However, the supply of bioavailable P for crop plants is...     

Effects of organic manure on nitrification in arable soils

Summary The production of nitrate by the process of nitrification is highly dependent on other N-transforming processes in the soil. Hence, changes in the type of N compound applied to enrich agricultural soils may affect the production of nitrate. The size and activity of the chemolithotrophic bacterial community were studied in an integrated farming system, with increased inputs of organic manure and reduced inputs of mineral nitrogenous fertilizer, versus conventional farming. The integrated farming had a positive effect on potential nitrifying activity, but not on the numbers of chemolithotrophic nitrifying bacteria as determined by a most probable number technique or by fluorescence antibody microscopy. Cells of the recently described nitrite-oxidizing species Nitrobacter hamburgensis and Nitrobacter vulgaris were just as common as the cells of the well known species Nitrobacter winogradskyi. It was concluded that nitrification is stimulated by integrated farming, presumably by an increased mineralization of ammonium which is not immediately consumed by the crop or immobilized in the heterotrophic microflora of the soil. Since nitrifying bacteria are involved in the production of NO and N₂O, integrated farming with the application of manure may favour the production of noxious N-oxides.Communication no. 40 of the Dutch Programme on Soil Ecology of Arable Farming Systems     

不同种植模式背景下栽植生姜对紫色土细菌多样性的影响

为了解栽植生姜对岷江下游紫色丘陵区不同种植模式背景下典型紫色土微生物多样性的影响,采用PCR-DGGE与DNA序列分析方法,研究了紫色丘陵区玉米+红薯间作、大豆单作、生姜连作、水稻-紫云英轮作等4种典型种植模式背景下栽植生姜前后土壤细菌多样性变化特征。PCR-DGGE分子指纹图谱结果表明,同一种植模式下栽种生姜前后DGGE条带数目、位置和亮度差异明显。栽种生姜均降低了各模式下土壤细菌群落丰富度和Shannon-Wiener指数,明显改变了土壤细菌群落结构,其中生姜连作模式背景下土壤细菌丰富度和Shannon-Wiener指数下降幅度最大,玉米+红薯间作模式下降幅度最小,但栽植生姜后4种种植模式之间土壤细菌群落结构相似度明显增加。DGGE特征条带的序列分析表明,栽植生姜后,土壤细菌中的部分绿弯菌门类群消失,部分硝化螺旋菌门类群仅在水稻-紫云英轮作模式中发现、玉米+红薯间作模式中出现了短波单胞菌门的细菌。这些结果为了解栽植生姜对土壤环境的影响以及生姜种植模式的优化提供了一定的科学依据。     

长期连作对烤烟产量和土壤养分的影响

选择贵州省适宜烤烟连作的灰岩黄壤和不宜连作的第四纪黄壤,连续进行了6年的盆栽试验。结果表明,连作总体上降低烤烟产量,但降低幅度因土壤不同而异。在适宜连作的土壤上,短期连作(3季)烟叶产量无显著变化,连作至第4年烟叶产量开始下降;在不宜连作的土壤上,烟叶产量持续降低。连作过程中,烟叶氮、磷、钾含量在一定范围内波动,烟株养分吸收量持续降低;而土壤有效养分含量却不同程度地增加。其中,有效磷增幅最大,有效钾次之,有效氮最低。烤烟连作土壤有机质未发生显著变化,pH呈缓慢降低趋势,原因可能与单施生理酸性的复合肥有关。     

Microbial immobilization of ammonium and nitrate in relation to ammonification and nitrification rates in organic and conventional cropping systems

Agricultural systems that receive high or low organic matter (OM) inputs would be expected to differ in soil nitrogen (N) transformation rates and fates of ammonium (NH₄⁺) and nitrate (NO₃⁻). To compare NH₄⁺ availability, competition between nitrifiers and heterotrophic microorganisms for NH₄⁺, and microbial NO₃⁻ assimilation in an organic vs. a conventional irrigated cropping system in the California Central Valley, chemical and biological soil assays, ¹⁵N isotope pool dilution and ¹⁵N tracer techniques were used. Potentially mineralizable N (PMN) and hot minus cold KCl-extracted NH₄⁺ as indicators of soil N supplying capacity were measured five times during the tomato growing season. At mid-season, rates of gross ammonification and gross nitrification after rewetting dry soil were measured in microcosms. Microbial immobilization of NO₃⁻ and NH₄⁺ was estimated based on the uptake of ¹⁵N and gross consumption rates. Gross ammonification, PMN, and hot minus cold KCl-extracted NH₄⁺ were approximately twice as high in the organically than the conventionally managed soil. Net estimated microbial NO₃⁻ assimilation rates were between 32 and 35% of gross nitrification rates in the conventional and between 37 and 46% in the organic system. In both soils, microbes assimilated more NO₃⁻ than NH₄⁺. Heterotrophic microbes assimilated less NH₄⁺ than NO₃⁻ probably because NH₄⁺ concentrations were low and competition by nitrifiers was apparently strong. The high OM input organic system released NH₄⁺ in a gradual manner and, compared to the low OM input conventional system, supported a more active microbial biomass with greater N demand that was met mainly by NO₃⁻ immobilization.     

Phytoremediation of selenium‐contaminated soils: the efficiency of different cropping systems

Field experiments were conducted at two locations in the seleniferous region of northwestern India from 2001 to 2006 to evaluate the efficiency of four cropping systems in removing Se from contaminated soil containing 2843–4345 μg Se per kg in the surface layer (0–15 cm). Rapeseed (Brassica napus) followed by arhar (Cajanus cajan), sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea) or cotton (Gossypium arboretum) and wheat (Triticum aestivum) followed by rice (Oryza sativa) were the four cropping systems. The total biomass generated by Brassica‐based systems ranged from 16 to 21 t/ha when harvested at maturity. Corresponding values for a wheat–rice sequence were 22–26 t/ha. Among the different crops at both the experimental sites, the highest Se content was recorded in leaves (157–209 mg/kg), grains (64–201 mg/kg) and stems (42–93 mg/kg) of Brassica and the lowest in the shoots (10–27 mg/kg), grains (5–13 mg/kg) and straw (13–20 mg/kg) of the rice crop. Except for S and P, concentrations of other nutrients (Zn, Cu, Mn and Fe) were not significantly affected by variations in the Se content of plants. Significant correlation coefficients were observed between Se and S (r = 0.838, P ≤ 0.001), Se and P (r = 0.817, P ≤ 0.001) at the peak flowering stage (n = 16), and r = 0.743, P ≤ 0.001 and r = 0.498, P ≤ 0.05, respectively, at the maturity stage (n = 16). Total Se removal through harvested biomass of rapeseed‐based cropping sequences varied from 716 to 1374 g/ha/yr at peak flowering and 736–949 g/ha/yr at the maturity stage. Corresponding values for a wheat–rice system were 435–492 and 370–517 g/ha/yr, respectively. The amount of Se recycled through leaf senescence ranged from 255 to 500 g/ha/yr for Brassica‐based cropping systems. In the wheat–rice system, Se addition through irrigation varied from 170 to 243 g/ha/yr and was three to four times more than that added in Brassica‐based systems. On completion of the phytoremediation experiments at site I, Se removal through harvested biomass at maturity was 1.7–5.1% of total Se in the soil down to a depth of 120 cm and 4.8–13.2% at site II. Analysis showed that Se losses under different crop rotations were 18.5–24.5% at site I and 21–33% at site II of total soil Se. Thus, at both sites 16–20% of total Se lost from the soil was unexplained. Results show that Brassica‐based cropping systems lead to significant reductions in Se capital of contaminated soil over 2–3 years. Although a long‐term commitment is required, adoption of Brassica‐based systems as a regular agricultural practice must lead to sustainable management of seleniferous soils.