Tillage, nitrogen and crop residue effects on crop yield, nutrient uptake, soil quality, and greenhouse gas emissions

Management practices that simultaneously improve soil properties and yield are crucial to sustain high crop production and minimize detrimental impact on the environment. The objective of this study was to determine the influence of tillage and crop residue management on crop yield, N uptake and C removal in crop, soil organic C and N, inorganic N and aggregation, and nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions on a Gray Luvisol (Boralf) soil near Star City, Saskatchewan, Canada. The 4-year (1998–2001) field experiment was conducted with two tillage systems: no tillage (NT), and conventional tillage (CT); two levels of straw: straw retained (S), and straw removed (NS); and four rates of fertilizer N: 0, 40, 80, and 120 kg N ha⁻¹, except no N to pea phase of the rotation. The plots were seeded to barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) in 1998, pea (Pisum sativum L.) in 1999, wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in 2000 and canola (Brassica napus L.) in 2001. Tillage and straw treatments generally had no effect on crop yield during the first three years. But in 2001, NT produced 55, 32, and 20% greater canola seed, straw and chaff than CT, respectively, whereas straw retention increased seed and straw yield by 33 and 19% compared to straw removal. Seed, straw and chaff yield of canola increased with N rate up to 40 kg N ha⁻¹, and root mass (0–15 cm depth) with N rate to 80 kg N ha⁻¹. Amount of N uptake and C removed in wheat and canola generally increased with N rate, but tillage and straw management had no consistent effect. After four crop seasons, total organic C (TOC) and N (TN), light fraction organic matter (LFOM), C (LFC), and N (LFN) were generally greater with S than NS treatments. Tillage did not affect TOC and TN in soil, but LFOM, LFC, and LFN were greater or tended to be greater under NT than CT. There was no effect of tillage, straw and N fertilization on NH₄-N in soil, but CT and S tended to have higher NO₃-N concentration in 0–15 cm soil than NT and NS, respectively. Concentration of NO₃-N increased substantially with N rate ≥80 kg ha⁻¹. The NT + S treatment had the lowest proportion (34%) of wind-erodible (<0.83 mm diameter) aggregates and greatest proportion (37%) of larger (>12.7 mm) dry aggregates, compared to highest (50%) and lowest (18%) proportion of corresponding aggregates in CT + NS, indicating less potential for soil erosion when tillage was omitted and crop residues were retained. Amount of N lost as N₂O was higher from N-fertilized than from zero-N plots, and it was substantially higher from N-applied CT plots than from N-applied NT plots. Retaining crop residues along with no-tillage improved soil properties and may also be better for the environment.     

Effect of crop residue incorporation on soil organic carbon and greenhouse gas emissions in European agricultural soils

Soil organic matter (SOM) improves soil physicochemical and biological properties, and the sequestration of carbon in SOM may mitigate climate change. Soil organic carbon (SOC) often decreases in intensive cropping systems. Incorporation of crop residues (CR) may be a sustainable management practice to maintain the SOC levels and to increase soil fertility. This study quantifies the effects of CR incorporation on SOC and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (CO₂ and N₂O) in Europe using data from long‐term experiments. Response ratios (RRs) for SOC and GHG emissions were calculated between CR incorporation and removal. The influence of environmental zones (ENZs), clay content and experiment duration on the RRs was investigated. We also studied how RRs of SOC and crop yields were correlated. A total of 475 RRs were derived from 39 publications. The SOC increased by 7% following CR incorporation. In contrast, in a subsample of cases, CO₂ emissions were six times and N₂O emissions 12 times higher following CR incorporation. The ENZ had no significant influence on RRs. For SOC concentration, soils with a clay content >35% showed 8% higher RRs compared with soils with clay contents between 18 and 35%. As the experiment progressed, RR for SOC concentration increased. For N₂O emissions, RR was significantly greater in experiments with a duration <5 yr compared with 11–20 yr. No significant correlations were found between RR for SOC concentration and yields, but differences between sites and study durations were detected. We suggest that a long duration of crop residue incorporation is a win‐win scenario under a continental climate. We conclude that CR incorporation is important for maintaining SOC, but its influence on GHG emissions should be taken into account as well.     

Tillage and crop residue management significantly affects N-trace gas emissions during the non-rice season of a subtropical rice-wheat rotation

Field operations of tillage and residue incorporation could have potentially important influences on N-trace gas fluxes, though poorly quantified. Here we studied the effects of straw incorporation in the preceding rice season and no-tillage prior to wheat sowing on nitric oxide (NO) and nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions during the non-rice period of a typical rice-wheat rotation in the Yangtze River Delta. Compared to conventional management practice (no straw incorporation along with rotary harrowing tillage to 10 cm before wheat sowing), straw incorporation alone decreased cumulative N₂O emissions over the entire non-rice period by 32% (1.53 vs. 2.24 kg N ha^-1, P < 0.05) but did not affect NO emissions (0.88 vs. 0.87 kg N ha⁻¹). In contrast, no-tillage alone increased N₂O emissions by 75% (P < 0.05) while reducing NO emissions by 48% (P < 0.01). Combination of no-tillage and straw incorporation led to no change in N₂O emissions but a reduction in NO emissions compared to the conventional management regime. The direct N₂O emission factors (EF_ds) of applied nitrogen fertilizers during the non-rice season ranged from 0.29% to 1.35% with a coefficient of variation (CV) as large as 68% among the investigated management regimes. The EF_ds for NO ranged from 0.13% to 0.32% with a CV of 50%. Adoption of these new EF_ds will allow us to account for management effects on N-trace gas emissions when calculating emission inventories. Nevertheless, it is noteworthy that the uncertainty remains high, since the effects of soil properties such as texture or pH on management practices are not yet well defined.     

玉米芯的热解特性及气相产物的释放规律

为了全面掌握不同热解条件下玉米芯的热解特性及热解过程中气相产物随温度变化的释放规律,深刻理解玉米芯的热解行为及反应机理,该文采用热重-质谱联用技术对玉米芯进行了氮气气氛下的热解特性试验研究,对比研究了不同升温速率(5、10、20℃/min)、不同粒度(74、154、280、450μm)、不同气体流速(30、60、90 m L/min)等因素对玉米芯热解行为的影响,发现非等温失重过程可分为4个阶段:失水、预热解过渡、挥发分析出和炭化阶段。通过质谱分析研究了热解过程小分子气相产物(CO、CO2、CH4、O2、H2、H2O)的释放规律,并计算了挥发分释放指数。升温速率升高,热解反应越易进行;在粒度小于450μm范围内,试样热解的总失重率随粒度的增大而增加,而且颗粒越大,挥发分产物开始逸出的温度越低。粒度为154~450μm的试样的热解过程主要受颗粒内部热传递影响,而粒度154μm的试样的热解主要受内在反应动力学速率控制;随着气体流速升高,试样热解的总失重率和初始温度增大,但增幅很小,最大失重速率对应的温度也有向高温段移动的趋势。利用Coats-Redfern方法计算出玉米芯的热解动力学参数,说明玉米芯热解的挥发分析出阶段可用单段一级反应描述。该研究对于优化以玉米芯为原料的热化学转化工艺参数和提高燃料产物的产量与品质等具有重要意义,对于设计和开发高效的生物质能转化设备也可提供参考。     

Tillage and residue management influence on corn growth

The large proportion (nearly 90%) of soil covered by crop residue with no-tillage (NT₀) systems often results in decreased soil warming, reduced germination, and reduced early plant growth in parts of the Midwest section of the USA. We hypothesize that removal of some of the residue from the seeding zone could potentially improve crop production with NT₀. Thus, we evaluated the impact of residue removal from a 30-cm-wide zone directly over the row in a no-tillage system (NT₃₀) compared to NT₀ and conventional moldboard tillage (CN) on soil growing degree days (GDD), soil temperature, and corn (Zea mays L.) growth and yield. This investigation was conducted in 1987 and 1988 on a Plano silt loam soil (fine-loamy, mixed, mesic, Typic Hapludalfs). Maximum growth rate (MGR) and relative growth rate (RGR) were calculated from weekly measured dry matter and leaf area. Soil temperature at 0–50 cm deep was measured hourly. Soil GDD was calculated from average soil temperature measured at the soil surface and 5 cm deep. Maximum growth rate and RGR were not significantly different between NT₃₀ and CN treatments in 1987. However, mean values of MGR and RGR were significantly greater for NT₃₀ than for NT₀ in 1987. This occurred because soil temperature values with NT₃₀ were similar to those for CN and significantly greater than NT₀. Maximum growth rate and RGR values with NT₃₀ were significantly greater than for CN in 1988. This may have resulted from a lower dry matter and leaf area index (LAI) with CN in 1988. During 1987, NT₃₀ compared to NT₀ had significantly greater time to emergence, MGR, RGR, and soil temperature in the seed zone (0–5 cm) and in the plow zone (0–20 cm). In 1988, NT₃₀ had greater MGR, RGR, and LAI compared to CN because of the conserved soil water in the top 0- to 15-cm layer during an excessively dry soil season. Based on this research, NT₃₀ will provide soil thermal and water conditions that are conducive to good plant growth and production while reducing the potential for soil erosion.     

Changes in phosphorus fractions in three tropical soils amended with corn cob and rice husk biochars

ABSTRACT

The formation of phosphorus (P) compounds including iron-P, aluminum-P and calcium-P in highly weathered tropical soils can be altered upon biochar addition. We investigated the effect of corn cob biochar (CC) and rice husk biochar (RH) pyrolyzed at three temperatures (300°C, 450°C and 650°C) on phosphorus (P) fractions of three contrasting soils. A 90d incubation study was conducted by mixing biochar with soil at a rate of 1% w/w and at 70% field capacity. Sequential P fraction was performed on biochar, soil and soil-biochar mixtures. Increase in most labile P (resin-P_i, NaHCO₃-P_i) and organic P fraction (NaHCO₃-P_o + NaOH-P_o) in CC and RH biochars were inversely related to increasing temperature. HCl-P_i and residual P increased with increasing temperature. Interaction of CC and RH with soils resulted in an increase in most labile P as well as moderately labile P (NaOH-P_i) fractions in the soils. CC increased most labile P in the soils more than RH. The increase in most labile P fraction in soils was more significant at relatively lower temperatures (300°C and 450°C) than 650°C. However, the increase in HCl-P_i and residual P of the soils was more predominant at high temperature (650°C). The study suggested that biochar pyrolyzed at 300–450°C could be used to increase P bioavailability in tropical soils.     

施肥对稻田温室气体排放及土壤养分的影响

【目的】农业活动引起的温室气体排放对全球变暖的影响日益得到关注,本试验研究不同施肥处理对稻田温室气体排放、 产量和土壤养分的影响,以期为农田可持续利用和温室气体减排提供依据。【方法】在长江中下游地区稻麦轮作区进行田间试验,设置不施氮肥(CK)、 当地习惯施肥(FP)、 推荐N肥(OPT)、 有机无机配施(OPT+M)、 秸秆还田(OPT+S)5个处理,采用静态箱/气相色谱(GC)法测定了稻季CH4、 N2O和CO2的排放情况,调查了不同施肥措施对稻田温室气体增温潜势以及产量,测定了土壤养分,并综合产量和增温潜势对温室气体排放强度进行分析,提出该区域稻田减排增产的合理施肥措施。【结果】 1) 不同处理CH4季节排放总量为OPT+SOPT+M FP OPT CK,排放量为99.02~143.69 kg/hm2; N2O季节排放量为FPOPT+MOPT OPT+S CK,排放量范围为0.95~3.57 kg/hm2; CO2排放顺序与CH4季节排放趋势一致,排放量为7231.64~13715.24 kg/hm2。2)根据稻季CH4和N2O季节排放量以及在100年尺度上的CO2当量计算,不同处理温室气体全球增温潜势大小顺序为OPT+SOPT+M FP OPT CK。在CK、 FP、 OPT、 OPT+M和OPT+S的全球增温潜势中,N2O占的比重分别为10.31%、 26.39%、 21.51%、 22.91% 和11.58%,CH4所占比重分别为89.69%、 73.61%、 78.49%、 77.09%和88.42%。稻田N2O的排放量很少,排放以甲烷为主,因此不同施肥措施所排放的N2O对综合温室效应的贡献远低于CH4。相对于当地习惯施肥处理,OPT、 OPT+M和OPT+S 3种优化施肥措施均在减少化肥施用量的情况下增加了水稻产量,增产率分别为3.6%、 14.3%和 8.5%,其中以有OPT+M处理增产效果最明显。3)不同施肥处理下,CO2排放强度为FP(0.56)OPT+S(0.52) OPT(0.50)OPT+M(0.49),OPT和OPT+M显著低于当地习惯施肥处理,OPT+M CO2排放强度最低。4)有机碳、 全氮、 速效磷和速效钾含量均在OPT+S处理中最高。【结论】不同施肥措施影响稻季温室气体排放,施用有机肥和氮肥均增加了CO2、 CH4、 N2O的排放,秸秆还田增加了CO2和CH4排放,减少了N2O排放。稻田减排应以减少CH4排放为主,推荐氮肥量配施有机肥为碳强度评价体系下最优处理。秸秆还田对土壤养分的改善趋势明显,虽然增加了CO2排放,但考虑到其可避免因焚烧造成大量CO2的排放,总体上依然减少了CO2的排放,但对秸秆还田的适宜量需要进一步研究。     

控释掺混肥对麦玉轮作体系农田温室气体排放和硝态氮残留的影响

为阐明控释肥对冬小麦-夏玉米轮作体系作物产量、温室气体排放和硝态氮残留的影响,该研究以郑单958（夏玉米）和济麦22（冬小麦）为供试材料,设不施氮对照（CK）、常规施氮（FFP）、优化施氮（OPT）、含30%控释尿素的控释掺混肥（夏玉米）和含50%控释尿素的控释掺混肥（冬小麦）（CRBF1）、含50%控释尿素的控释掺混肥（夏玉米）和含70%控释尿素的控释掺混肥（冬小麦）（CRBF2）共5个处理,对比分析了不同处理的冬小麦、夏玉米及周年产量、温室气体排放和土壤硝态氮残留的差异。结果表明,施氮可显著提高麦玉轮作系统单季和周年作物产量（P<0.05）。与FFP相比,CRBF1和CRBF2处理的夏玉米、冬小麦和周年产量分别提高了1.4%～3.0%、1.9%～3.4%和1.6%～3.1%（P>0.05）。施氮显著增加了麦玉轮作体系的土壤N₂O和CO₂的周年排放（P<0.05）。CRBF1和CRBF2处理的土壤N₂O周年排放总量较FFP处理显著降低了27.7%～34.6%（P <0.05）。施氮显著增加了麦玉轮作体系的周年全球增温潜势（GWP）（P<0.05）。CRBF1和CRBF2处理的周年GWP较FFP处理降低了4.2%和5.7%,其中CRBF2处理差异显著（P<0.05）。施氮降低了麦玉轮作体系的周年温室气体排放强度（GHGI）。CRBF1和CRBF2处理的周年GHGI较FFP处理降低了5.6%～8.6%（P>0.05）。与FFP相比,CRBF1和CRBF2处理的100~200 cm土层硝态氮残留降低30.6%～34.3%（P<0.05）,减少了硝态氮淋失风险。综上所述,控释掺混肥在稳定作物产量、减少温室气体排放和土壤硝态氮残留方面具有积极作用,研究结果可为麦玉轮作体系的轻简高效氮肥管理提供数据支持和理论支撑。     

Poultry litter and tillage influences on corn production and soil nutrients in a Kentucky silt loam soil

Broiler chicken (Gallus gallus) manure, a rich source of plant nutrients, is generated in large quantities in southeastern USA where many row crops, such as corn (Zea mays L.), are also extensively grown. However, the use of broiler manure as an economical alternative source of nutrients for corn production has not been extensively explored in this region. This study was conducted to examine the use of broiler litter as a source of nutrients for corn production, as influenced by tillage and litter rate, and any residual effects following application. In addition, the consequence of litter application to soil test nutrient levels, particularly P, Zn and Cu, was explored. The treatments consisted of two rates of broiler litter application, 11 and 22 Mg ha⁻¹ on a wet weight basis, and one rate of chemical fertilizer applied under no-till and conventional tillage systems. Treatments were replicated three times in a randomized complete block design. Corn was grown with broiler litter and inorganic fertilizer applied to the same plots each year from 1998 to 2001. In 2002 and 2003, corn was planted no-till, but only N fertilizer was applied in order to make use of other residual litter nutrients. Soil samples were taken yearly in the spring prior to litter application and 4 years after the cessation of litter application to evaluate the status of the residual nutrients in soil. Two years out of the 4-year experiment, broiler litter application produced significantly greater corn grain yield than equivalent chemical fertilizer application and produced similar grain yield in the other 2 years. Corn grain yield was significantly greater under no-till in 1999, but significantly greater under conventional-till in 2000, and no difference between the two tillage systems were observed in 1998 and 2001. With 4 years of litter application, Mehlich-3 P increased from an initial 18 mg kg⁻¹ to 156 mg kg⁻¹ with 11 Mg ha⁻¹ litter and to 257 mg kg⁻¹ with 22 Mg ha⁻¹ litter. For every 6 kg ha⁻¹ of P applied in poultry litter Mehlich-3 P was increased by 1 mg kg⁻¹. Modest increases in Mehlich-3 Cu and Zn did not result in phytotoxic levels. This study indicated that an optimum rate of broiler litter as a primary fertilizer at 11 Mg ha⁻¹ applied in 4 consecutive years on a silt loam soil produced corn grain yields similar to chemical fertilizer under both no-till and conventional tillage systems and kept soil test P, Cu and Zn levels below values considered to be harmful to surface water quality or the crop.     

Effect of straw management, tillage timing and timing of fertilizer nitrogen application on the crop utilization of fertilizer and soil nitrogen in an irrigated cereal rotation

In irrigated grain-growing soils on Canada's prairies, straw management can affect nitrogen (N) fertility and long-term soil organic matter reserves. We conducted a 2-year field experiment in southern Alberta, on a Dark Brown Chernozemic Lethbridge loam (Typic Boroll), to determine the effects of straw removal, tillage, and fertilizer timing on crop uptake of soil and fertilizer N. During the study (1991 and 1992), the crop was oat (Avena sativa L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), respectively, in an experiment that had been in a wheat-wheat-oat-wheat rotation since 1986. Five straw-tillage treatments were: straw-fall plow, straw-pring plow, no straw-fall plow, no straw-spring plow and no straw-direct seeding. Fertilizer N was applied in fall or spring. Ammonium nitrate (5 at.% ¹⁵N) was added at 100 kg N ha⁻¹ in fall 1990 or spring 1991. For oat (1991), plant N derived from soil was higher under fall plow than under spring plow, higher with tillage than direct seeding, and unaffected by straw removal. The plant N derived from fertilizer was not affected by straw removal in fall plow treatments, but under spring plow, it was higher with straw removal. The plant N derived from fertilizer showed a significant straw-tillage × fertilizer timing interaction; with fall incorporated straw, plant N derived from fertilizer was 44.0 kg N ha⁻¹ for spring-applied, and 30.6 kg N ha⁻¹ for fall-applied N, but in other straw-tillage treatments there was no effect of fertilizer timing. Cumulative fertilizer N recovery (plant + soil) over the 2 years averaged 64.2%, and was unaffected by straw-tillage treatment. Fertilizer N recovery, however, was less with fall-applied N (61.3%) than spring applied N (66.8%). At mid-season, fall plow treatments had higher soil inorganic N and inorganic N derived from fertilizer than spring plow treatments, apparently because of less immobilization. The fall plow treatments also retained higher inorganic N after harvest. Straw removal and fertilizer timing did not influence soil inorganic N and soil inorganic N derived from fertilizer. N removal in straw (16 kg N ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹) could deplete soil N in the long-term. Long-term effects of tillage timing on soil N will depend on the relative amount of N lost by leaching with fall plowing and that lost by denitrification under spring plowing. With direct seeding, crop yield and uptake of soil N was less, and N losses by denitrification could be greater. Application of N in spring, rather than fall, should enhance crop N uptake, reducing N losses and enhancing long-term soil organic N.     

Tillage, crop residue and N fertilizer effects on crop yield, nutrient uptake, soil quality and nitrous oxide gas emissions in a second 4-yr rotation cycle

An 8-yr (1998–2005) field experiment was conducted on a Gray Luvisol (Boralf) soil near Star City, Saskatchewan, Canada, to determine the effects of tillage (no-tillage – NT and conventional tillage – CT), straw management (straw retained – R and straw not retained – NR) and N fertilizer (0, 40, 80 and 120 kg N ha⁻¹, except no N to pea (Pisum sativum L.) phase of the rotation) on seed and straw yield, mass of N and C in crop, organic C and N, inorganic N and aggregation in soil, and nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions for a second 4-yr rotation cycle (2002–2005). The plots were seeded to barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) in 2002, pea in 2003, wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in 2004 and canola (Brassica napus L.) in 2005. Seed, straw and chaff yield, root mass, and mass of N and C in crop increased with increasing N rate for barley in 2002, wheat in 2004 and canola in 2005. No-till produced greater seed (by 51%), straw (23%) and chaff (13%) yield of barley than CT in 2002, but seed yield for wheat in 2004, and seed and straw yield for canola in 2005 were greater under CT than NT. Straw retention increased seed (by 62%), straw (by 43%) and chaff (by 12%) yield, and root mass (by 11%) compared to straw removal for barley in 2002, wheat in 2004, and seed and straw yield for pea in 2003. No-till resulted in greater mass of N in seed, and mass of C in seed, straw, chaff and root than CT for barley in 2002, but mass of N and C were greater under CT than NT for wheat in 2004 and for canola in 2005 in many cases. Straw retention had greater mass of N and C in seed, straw, chaff and root in most cases compared to straw removal for barley in 2002, pea in 2003 and wheat in 2004. Soil moisture content in spring was higher under NT than CT and with R than NR in the 0–15 cm depth, with the highest moisture content in the NT + R treatment in many cases. After eight crop seasons, tillage and straw management had no effect on total organic C (TOC) and N (TON) in the 0–15 cm soil, but light fraction organic C (LFOC) and N (LFON), respectively, were greater by 1.275 Mg C ha⁻¹ and 0.031 Mg N ha⁻¹ with R than NR, and also greater by 0.563 Mg C ha⁻¹ and 0.044 Mg N ha⁻¹ under NT than CT. There was no effect of tillage, straw and N fertilization on the NH₄-N in soil in most cases, but R treatment had higher NO₃-N concentration in the 0–15 cm soil than NR. The NO₃-N concentration in the 0–15, 15–30 and 30–60 cm soil layers increased (though small) with increasing N rate. The R treatment had 6.7% lower proportion of fine (<0.83 mm diameter) and 8.6% greater proportion of large (>38.0 mm) dry aggregates, and 4.5 mm larger mean weight diameter (MWD) compared to NR treatment. This suggests a lower potential for soil erosion when crop residues are retained. There was no beneficial effect of elimination of tillage on soil aggregation. The amount of N lost as N₂O was higher from N-fertilized (580 g N ha⁻¹) than from zero-N (155 g N ha⁻¹) plots, and also higher in CT (398 g N ha⁻¹) than NT (340 g N ha⁻¹) in some cases. In conclusion, retaining crop residues along with no-tillage improved some soil properties and may also be better for the environment and the sustainability of high crop production. Nitrogen fertilization improved crop production and some soil quality attributes, but also increased the potential for NO₃-N leaching and N₂O-N emissions, especially when applied in excess of crop requirements.     

Effect of straw biochar application on soil carbon,greenhouse gas emissions and nitrogen leaching: A vegetable crop rotation field experiment

Intensive vegetable crop systems are rapidly developing, with consequences for greenhouse gas (GHGs) emissions, nitrogen leaching and soil carbon. We undertook a field trial to explore the effect of biochar application (0, 10, 20 and 40 t ha⁻¹) on these factors in lettuce, water spinach and ice plant rotation. Our results show that the 20 and 40 t ha⁻¹ soil treatments resulted in the SOC content being 26.3% and 29.8% higher than the control (0 t ha⁻¹), respectively, with significant differences among all treatments (p < .05). Biochar application caused N₂O emissions to decrease during the lettuce and water spinach seasons, by 1.5%–33.6% and 12.4%–40.5%, respectively, compared the control, with the 20 t ha⁻¹ application rate resulting in the lowest N₂O emissions. Biochar also decreased the dissolved nitrogen (DN) concentration in leachate by 9.8%–36.2%, following a 7.3%–19.9% reduction in dissolved nitrogen in the soil. Similarly, biochar decreased the nitrate (NO₃⁻) concentrations in leachate by 3.9%–30.2%, following a 3.8%–16.7% reduction in the soil nitrate level. Overall, straw biochar applied at rate of 20 t ha⁻¹ produced the lowest N₂O emissions and N leaching, while, increasing soil carbon.     

Tillage and residue management effects on β-glucosaminidase activity in soils

There is an increasing interest in assessing the effects of tillage systems and residue management on biochemical processes, especially enzyme activities, of soils. This study was carried out to investigate the effects of three tillage systems (no-till, chisel plow and moldboard plow) and four residue placements (bare, normal, mulch and double mulch) on the activity of N-acetyl-β-glucosaminidase (NAGase, EC 3.2.1.30) involved in C and N cycling in soils. The activity values were significantly affected by tillage and residue management practices, being greatest in soils with no-till/double mulch and least with no-till/bare and moldboard/normal. Also, they were the highest under no-till/ double mulch-treated soils. Linear regression analyses showed that the activity of NAGase was significantly correlated with organic C in the surface soils (r=0.89***) and with organic C content at different depths (r=0.97***). The NAGase activity values were significantly correlated with the arylamidase activity values of the soils (r=0.63**), suggesting that tillage and residue management practices have similar impacts on the activities of these enzymes. The activity of this enzyme decreased markedly with increasing depth of the surface soil (0-15 cm) of the no-till/ double mulch-treated plots.     

连年深松和施用有机肥对土壤肥力及玉米产量的影响

通过8年的田间定位试验,研究了不同耕作方法及有机肥用量对春玉米产量和土壤理化性状的影响。结果表明,连年深松能显著降低10~20 cm和20~30 cm土壤体积质量,施用有机肥30 000 kg/hm~2以上能显著降低10~20 cm土壤体积质量;深松导致耕层土壤有机质、全氮和全磷含量呈下降趋势,碱解氮和速效磷略有增加;耕层土壤有机质、全氮、碱解氮和速效磷含量随有机肥用量的增加而显著增加,全磷、全钾和速效钾含量增加幅度与有机肥用量无关;深松和施用有机肥均能显著增加玉米产量,施用有机肥的增产效果好于深松,但其增产速率随有机肥用量增加而降低。连年深松对改善土壤理化性质和提高玉米产量的效果好于隔年深松,且在施用有机肥的条件下效果更好。     

Recovery of fertilizer nitrogen from continuous corn soils under contrasting tillage management

Tillage systems influence soil properties and may influence the availability of applied and mineralized soil N. This laboratory study (20°C) compared N cycling in two soils, a Wooster (fine, loamy Typic Fragiudalf) and a Hoytville (fine, illitic Mollic Epiaqualf) under continuous corn (Zea mays) production since at least 1963 with no-tillage (NT), minimum (CT) and plow tillage (PT) management. Fertilizer was added at the rate of 100 mg ¹⁵N kg^–1–1 soil as 99.9% ¹⁵N as NH₄Cl or Ca(NO₃)₂ and the soils were incubated in leaching columns for 1 week at 34 kPa before being leached periodically with 0.05 M CaCl₂ for 26 weeks. As expected, the majority of the ¹⁵NO₃^– additions were removed from both soils with the first leaching. The majority of applied ¹⁵NH₄⁺ additions were recovered as ¹⁵NO₃^– by week 5, with the NT soils demonstrating faster nitrification rates compared with soils under other tillage practices. For the remaining 22 weeks, only low levels of ¹⁵NO₃^– were leached from the soils regardless of tillage management. In the coarser textured Wooster soils (150 g clay kg^–1), mineralization of native soil N in the fertilized soils was related to the total N content (r² 0.99) and amino acid N (r² 0.99), but N mineralization in the finer textured Hoytville (400 g clay kg^–1) was constant across tillage treatments and not significantly related to soil total N or amino acid N content. The release of native soil N was enhanced by NH₄⁺ or NO₃^– addition compared to the values released by the unfertilized control and exceeded possible pool substitution. The results question the use of incubation N mineralization tests conducted with unfertilized soils as a means for predicting soil N availability for crop N needs.     

Effect of crop residue returns on N2O emissions from red soil in China

For a long time, farmers in the red soil region of southern China have returned crop residues to the soil, but how various crop residues influence nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions is not well understood. We compared the influence of returning different crop residues [rapeseed cake (RC), maize straw, rice straw and wheat straw (WS)] in combination with different levels of nitrogen (N) fertilizer (nil, low and high) on red soil N₂O emissions. Results confirmed the inverse relationship between cumulative N₂O emissions and residue C:N ratio in red soil under different levels of N fertilizer. However, N‐fertilizer application did not significantly influence N₂O emissions in the WS (which had the highest C:N ratio) and corresponding control treatments, while it enhanced N₂O emissions in the RC (which had the lowest C:N ratio) treatment and displayed significantly higher cumulative N₂O emissions with low N fertilizer application. This phenomenon may be attributed to the poor nutrient content in red soil, which leads to ‘Liebig's Law of the Minimum’ on available C. N fertilizer application provided sufficient available N, while the readily available C, which was mainly dependent on the degradability of the residue, became the crucial factor influencing N₂O emissions. Additional experiments, which showed that the addition of glucose and sucrose could increase N₂O emissions when N () was sufficient, confirmed this hypothesis. Thus, to reduce N₂O emissions when returning residues to red soil, we suggest that both the residue C:N ratio and the quality should be considered when deciding whether to apply N fertilizer.     

Effect of crop residue C:N ratio on N2O emissions from Gray Lowland soil in Mikasa,Hokkaido, Japan

Abstract

We studied the effect of crop residues with various C:N ratios on N₂O emissions from soil. We set up five experimental plots with four types of crop residues, onion leaf (OL), soybean stem and leaf (SSL), rice straw (RS) and wheat straw (WS), and no residue (NR) on Gray Lowland soil in Mikasa, Hokkaido, Japan. The C:N ratios of these crop residues were 11.6, 14.5, 62.3, and 110, respectively. Based on the results of a questionnaire survey of farmer practices, we determined appropriate application rates: 108, 168, 110, 141 and 0 g C m^?2 and 9.3, 11.6, 1.76, 1.28 and 0 g N m^?2, respectively. We measured N₂O, CO₂ and NO fluxes using a closed chamber method. At the same time, we measured soil temperature at a depth of 5 cm, water-filled pore space (WFPS), and the concentrations of soil NH⁺ ₄-N, NO^? ₃-N and water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC). Significant peaks of N₂O and CO₂ emissions came from OL and SSL just after application, but there were no emissions from RS, WS or NR. There was a significant relationship between N₂O and CO₂ emissions in each treatment except WS, and correlations between CO₂ flux and temperature in RS, soil NH⁺ ₄-N and N₂O flux in SSL and NR, soil NH⁺ ₄-N and CO₂ flux in SSL, and WSOC and CO₂ flux in WS. The ratio of N₂O-N/NO-N increased to approximately 100 in OL and SSL as N₂O emissions increased. Cumulative N₂O and CO₂ emissions increased as the C:N ratio decreased, but not significantly. The ratio of N₂O emission to applied N ranged from ?0.43% to 0.86%, and was significantly correlated with C:N ratio (y = ?0.59 ln [x] + 2.30, r ² = 0.99, P < 0.01). The ratio of CO₂ emissions to applied C ranged from ?5.8% to 45% and was also correlated with C:N ratio, but not significantly (r ² = 0.78, P = 0.11).     

本质素对土壤N、P转化及玉米产量的影响

研究造纸黑液中提取的木质素对土壤N、P转化及其对玉米生长和产量的影响结果表明,木质素可减缓NH4+向NO3氧化,且随其施用量的增加效果更显著.木质素与磷酸二铵混合施用效果最佳,其次为硫酸铵＞尿素.在30℃温度下培养27d,施用量为2%和5%的木质素可分别减少施尿素土壤N2O释放83%和96%;而施磷酸二铵的土壤则分别减少83%和93%.施用木质素可促进难溶性P的溶解,对作物生长极为有利.玉米盆栽试验中施用木质素的根系较发达、粗壮,平均株高、地上部和地下部的鲜物质量和干物质量均高于不施木质素的处理.木质素用量为50μg/g和200μg/g时玉米籽粒产量分别提高4.2%和18.8%.     

生物炭和秸秆还田对干旱区玉米农田土壤温室气体通量的影响

为了研究生物炭及秸秆还田对干旱区玉米农田温室气体通量的影响,以内蒙古科尔沁地区玉米农田为试验对象,采用静态箱-气相色谱法对分别施入生物炭0 t·hm^-2（CK）、15 t·hm^-2（C15）、30 t·hm^-2（C30）、45 t·hm^-2（C45）及秸秆还田（SNPK）的土壤进行温室气体（CO₂、CH₄和N₂O）通量的原位观测,并估算生长季CH₄和N₂O的综合增温潜势（GWP）与排放强度（GHGI）。结果表明：添加生物炭能够显著减少土壤CO₂和N₂O的排放量,并促进土壤对CH₄的吸收作用。其中处理C15对CO₂的减排效果最好,与对照相比CO₂排放量降低21.16%。随着施入生物炭量的增加,生物炭对N₂O排放的抑制作用不断增强,处理C45对减排效果最好,与对照相比N₂O排放量降低86.25%。处理C15对土壤吸收CH₄的促进效果最好,CH₄吸收量增加56.62%;处理C45对CH₄的排放有促进作用,使生长季土壤吸收CH₄减少81.36%。SNPK对温室气体的减排作用接近处理C15。添加生物炭和秸秆还田对提高玉米产量和降低农田GWP与GHGI均有显著效果,施用生物炭及秸秆还田均有效提高了科尔沁地区的玉米产量,且玉米产量随着施入生物炭含量的增大而提升。从GWP上来看,施用15 t·hm^-2生物炭对温室气体减排的整体效果最好。从GHGI上来看,施用生物炭及秸秆还田均具有一定的经济效益和减排意义,其中施用15 t·hm^-2生物炭的综合效益最高。因此综合经济效益与环境因素,建议科尔沁地区农田在种植玉米时添加15 t·hm^-2生物炭,如不具备购买生物炭条件,可以考虑秸秆还田来实现玉米增产与温室气体减排。