Growth,Yield and Nutrition of Potato in Fumigated or Nonfumigated Soil Amended with Spent Mushroom Compost and Straw Mulch

Four cultural amendments; spent mushroom compost, straw mulch, both compost and straw mulch, or neither, were applied to soils that were either fumigated or not fumigated in a field of potatoes subject to early dying and Colorado potato beetle defoliation. Two plant samples were harvested at two week intervals to measure shoot and tuber growth and mineral nutrition, and two rows were harvested for yield at maturity. Amending the soil with compost increased vegetative growth and shoot weight more than final yield of tubers. Compost amendment delayed tuber filling by several days. Fumigation partly controlled the loss of leaf area due to early dying, but it did not increase tuber yields, and in 1994 fumigation reduced tuber yield in compost amended soils. The effects of compost and straw mulch on tuber yield were related to the concentrations of N and P in leaves. The potato crop did not benefit from compost amendment combined with fumigation, because in fumigated soil there was no improvement in plant nutrition due to compost.     

Mulch effect on successive crop yields and soil carbon in Tonga

Intensification of crop production in Tonga has resulted in a move to mechanical soil preparation, often with a rotary hoe, and a consequent loss in both chemical physical fertility. An experiment was conducted on a clay loam soil (Typic Argiudoll) on the Forestry Vaini Research Station, Tongatapu Island, Tonga, to investigate the effect of a once‐off application of mulch on yield and quality of watermelon, maize and capsicum grown in rotation over a 1‐yr period. The treatments applied were a nonmulched control, transparent plastic and 200‐mm‐thick applications of locally available coconut sawdust, guinea grass and mature coconut fronds. The fresh fruit yield of watermelon in all the mulch treatments was 7.3–18.1% higher than in the nonmulched control. There was no significant effect of thick vegetative mulch on maize grain dry matter yield; however, the maize yield was significantly lower in the transparent plastic mulch than in the other treatments. The capsicum marketable fruit yield in the following crop was increased by 49–73% in all the vegetative mulch treatments compared to the non‐mulched control. The higher crop yields with the vegetative mulch were attributed to the measured lower soil temperatures and higher soil moisture in these treatments. There was no effect of mulch on soil total N (TN), but soil total C (TC), soil labile C (LC) and the carbon management index (CMI) were increased.     

Yield and Quality of Leek in Response to Compost Applied as a Mulch or Incorporated Into the Soil

Compost is widely used to increase soil fertility, usually practiced by incorporating the compost into the upper soil layer. This study questions the rationale behind this practice. Compost was applied as a mulch and compared with compost worked into the soil in a growth experiment with leek (Allium porrum L. Var. ‘Siegfried Frost’). The compost used was made of source separated organic waste from either gardens and parks, or households. Garden-park compost was applied in 2.5 times greater volumes than household compost to compensate for its lower content of nutrients. The soil was either sandy loam or clay loam. Each of the eight combinations of variables (application method, compost type, and soil type) was repeated three times with 20 leeks in each replicate. Significantly higher yields were obtained with compost applied as a mulch. Here, the yield averaged 78 g fresh weight per leek, compared to 59 g per leek from plots with compost incorporated. Compost mulching also resulted in a significantly higher quality leeks, including more first class leeks, longer and thicker shafts, and a generally better appearance. The advantage of placing the compost on the soil surface rather than thoroughly mixing it with the soil can be attributed to a higher availability of plant nutrients. No significant effect of compost type on leek yield was observed, indicating that the 2.5 times higher volumetric dose of garden-park compost provided the same amount of available nutrients as a single dose of household compost. The soil type did not significantly influence the yields either, which is attributable to both soils being well structured prior to compost amendment.     

Film fully-mulched ridge-furrow cropping affects soil biochemical properties and maize nutrient uptake in a rainfed semi-arid environment

Abstract

This study evaluated the effects of plastic mulched ridge-furrow cropping on soil biochemical properties and maize (Zea mays L.) nutrient uptake in a semi-arid environment. Three treatments were evaluated from 2008 to 2010: no mulch (narrow ridges with crop seeded next to ridges), half mulch (as per no mulch, except narrow ridges were mulched), and full mulch (alternate narrow and wide ridges, all mulched with maize seeded in furrows). Compared to the no mulch treatment, full mulch increased maize grain yield by 50% in 2008 and 25% in 2010, but reduced yield by 21% in 2009 after low precipitation in early growth. Half mulch had a similar grain yield to no mulch in the three cropping years, suggesting half mulch is not an effective pattern for maize cropping in the area. Mulch treatments increased aboveground nitrogen (N) uptake by 21?34% and phosphorus (P) uptake by 21?42% in 2008, and by 16?32% and 14?29%, respectively, in 2010; but in 2009 mulching did not affect N uptake and decreased P uptake. Soil microbial biomass and activities of urease, β-glucosidase and phosphatase at the 0?15 cm depth were generally higher during vegetative growth but lower during reproductive growth under mulch treatments than no mulch. Mulching treatments increased carbon (C) loss of buried maize residues (marginally by 5?9%), and decreased light soil organic C (15?27%) and carbohydrate C (12?23%) concentrations and mineralizable C and N (8?36%) at harvest in the 0?20 cm depth compared with no mulch, indicating that mulching promotes mineralization and nutrient release in soil during cropping seasons. As a result of these biological changes, mineral N concentration under mulch was markedly increased after sowing in upper soil layers compared with no mulch. Therefore, our results suggest that mulched cropping stimulated soil microbial activity and N availability, and thus contributed to increasing maize grain yield and nutrient uptake compared with no mulch.     

Nutrient availability and cocoyam yield under different tillage practices

Research information on the effect of tillage systems on cocoyam (Xanthosoma sagittifolium (L.) Schott) growth, nutrient status and yield is lacking in Africa. The effects of zero tillage with mulch, zero tillage without mulch, manual mounding, manual ridging and conventional tillage on cocoyam yield, growth and nutrient availability were compared during 2 years on an Alfisol (Oxic Tropuldaf) at Owo in the rainforest zone of Nigeria. The surface soil (0–20 cm) was chemically analyzed before and after crop harvest and selected soil physical properties were determined. Concentration of soil organic C, N, P, K and Mg and the leaf N, P and K were significantly influenced (p = 0.05) by tillage, with zero tillage with mulch being the most effective treatment in conserving the fertility of the surface soil (0–20 cm). Soil fertility, as indicated by organic C, N, P, K, Ca and Mg, declined significantly (p = 0.05) over time in all tillage systems, but this decline was more pronounced in the conventional tillage. Zero tillage with mulch, zero tillage without mulch, manual mounding, manual ridging and conventional tillage reduced the soil organic C concentration by 20, 23, 23, 24 and 33%, respectively over the 2-year period. The decreases in soil N concentration were 25, 31, 31, 38 and 56%, soil P concentration were 13, 15, 17, 16 and 26%, and soil K concentration were 16, 26, 31, 37 and 53%, respectively. Tillage did not affect corm and cormel yields in the first year. In the second year, due to the elimination of ploughing, significant differences were obtained in the cormel yield but not of corm yield. In 2005, zero tillage with mulch produced the highest cormel yield (13.5 mg ha⁻¹) of cocoyam followed by zero tillage without mulch (13.2 mg ha⁻¹), manual mounding (12.7 mg ha⁻¹) and manual ridging (12.5 mg ha⁻¹). The lowest cormel yield (9.5 mg ha⁻¹) of cocoyam was produced by conventional tillage. Soil water contents in zero tillage with mulch and zero tillage without mulch were significantly higher (p = 0.05) than in the other tillage systems. Soil bulk density ranging from 1.21 to 1.40 mg m⁻³ correlated positively with leaf nutrient concentration and yield. Cocoyam can be grown successfully on zero tillage, with mulch and without mulch or minimum tillage systems on an Alfisol of the humid tropics.     

Effects of cover crops,compost, and manure amendments on soil microbial community structure in tomato production systems

Soil microbial community structure and crop yield was investigated in field tomato production systems that compared black polyethylene mulch to hairy vetch mulch and inorganic N to organic N. The following hypotheses were tested: (1) hairy vetch cover cropping increases crop yield and significantly affects soil microbial community structure when compared to the standard plastic mulch and synthetic fertilizer-based system; (2) within plastic mulch systems, organic amendments will increase crop yield and significantly affect soil microbial community structure when compared to synthetic fertilizer; (3) crop yields and microbial community structure will be similar in the hairy vetch cover cropping and the organic amended plasticulture systems. Treatments consisted of ammonium nitrate (control), hairy vetch cover crop, hairy vetch cover crop and poultry manure compost (10 Mg/ha), three levels of poultry manure compost (5, 10, and 20 Mg/ha), and two levels of poultry manure (2.5 and 5 Mg/ha). Black polyethylene mulch was used in all treatments without hairy vetch. Fatty acid analysis was used to characterize the total soil microbial community structure, while two substrate utilization assays were used to investigate the community structure of culturable bacteria and fungi. Crop yield was not significantly increased by hairy vetch cover cropping when compared to black polyethylene mulch, although microbial community structure was significantly affected by cover cropping. Under black polyethylene mulch, crop yields were significantly increased by the highest levels of compost and manure when compared to inorganic fertilizer, but there was no detectable effect on soil microbial community structure. When cover cropping was compared to organic amended plasticulture systems, crop yields were similar one year but dissimilar the next. However, hairy vetch cover cropping and organic amendments under black plastic mulch produced significantly different soil microbial community structure.     

Response of soyabean (Glycine max Mer.) to wheat straw mulching in different cropping seasons

Abstract. The favoured temperature range for soyabean seed germination is 25–30 °C and the crop is sensitive to water stress. In northern India, the crop is sown in the hot-dry months of May–June. Straw mulching can alter the soil's hydrothermal regime by lowering the temperature and reducing evaporation losses. A field experiment was conducted from 1999 to 2002 at the Research Farm of Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana on a loamy sand soil to evaluate the effect of wheat straw mulch on soil temperature, soyabean seed yield and crop growth. Maximum soil temperatures at sowing depth, recorded during the 1-month period after sowing (seed germination to seedling establishment stage), were high under no-mulch, ranging from 30.6 to 48.6 °C, while mulching substantially reduced these temperatures by 1.4 to 12.7 °C. Mulching increased soyabean seed yield by 4.4 to 68.3% in different cropping seasons; it also increased plant biomass by 17 to 122% and nodule mass by 8 to 220%. Leaf area index, chlorophyll content of leaves and number of pods per plant were all increased. Seed yield improvement under mulch was negatively correlated with rainfall distribution (number of rainy days) and amount during the whole cropping season. The percentage increase in seed yield with mulching was regressed against the total number of rainy days and total rainfall in millimetres in the cropping season. Thereby 93% of the variation in response to mulching in different cropping seasons was explained by the distribution and amount of rainfall.     

长期稻草还田对紫色水稻土肥力和生产力的影响

通过8年淹水条件下一季中稻的田间定位试验,研究了长期稻草还田以及稻草与不同化肥配合施用对紫色水稻土生产力和土壤肥力的影响。结果表明,稻草与N、P、K化肥配合施用能维持或提高紫色水稻土的生产力和土壤肥力;水稻获得了持续高产,土壤有机质和全氮含量提高,土壤磷的有效性增加,速效钾与试验前基本平衡。纯化肥处理尤其是N、NP、NK处理水稻产量、土壤氮和钾含量逐年降低,不能维持系统生产力和土壤肥力。稻草还田对翌年水稻具有显著的增产作用,8年平均稻草还田处理比对照增产39.5%,稻草的增产作用还随着稻草还田时间的延长而逐年升高。稻草还田携入的钾与化学钾肥具有相同的营养功效,稻草可替代部分化学钾肥。     

Effects of compost, coal ash, and straw amendments on restoring the quality of eroded Palouse soil

Ridgetops in the dryland farming region of eastern Washington suffer from low productivity and poor soil quality from years of erosion. Two studies investigated the effectiveness of soil amendments in restoring soil quality. Study 1 treatments were two rates of compost and a control. Study 2 treatments were compost, coal ash, wheat straw, three rates of inorganic N, and a control. A wide array of soil biological, chemical and physical parameters were measured from 1995 to 1997 and yield of spring barley, spring pea, and winter wheat were measured in different years from 1995 though 1998. In study 1, compost plus N increased barley yield and soil pH. Compost without N in study 2 increased total soil C and continued to immobilize soil N 2 years after incorporation because of the high C:N ratio of the compost. Total soil N, available P and K, some micronutrients, and cation exchange capacity were increased by the compost. Compost reduced soil bulk density and soil impedance, while increasing water-stable aggregates and improving infiltration. Coal ash slightly suppressed phosphatase activity, while tending to increase pH and soil B, and improving infiltration. Straw decreased soil bulk density and microbial activity in 1996 only. Barley grain trace element uptake, barley yield, and pea yield were uninfluenced by amendments. In 1998, 3 years after application of the amendments, winter wheat yield was significantly higher from the compost application than from any other treatments. Compost had the greatest benefit to improving soil quality and crop yield.     

秸秆还田对东北黑土碳氮磷钾化学计量特征及玉米产量的影响

【目的】秸秆还田是提升农田土壤肥力,改善土壤养分含量及有效性的重要措施。我们分析了东北黑土区不同秸秆还田方式下土壤碳氮磷钾含量和玉米产量的年际变化,并从土壤化学计量特征角度研究了土壤养分的有效性。【方法】依托2012年在东北黑土区建立的秸秆还田长期定位试验,选取秸秆移除(CK)、秸秆混合还入0—20 cm耕层(RI)和秸秆覆盖还田(RC) 3个处理,测定了处理实施1年(2013)、3年(2015)、5年(2017)和8年(2020)后,不同土层土壤有机碳(SOC)、全氮(TN)、全磷(TP)、全钾(TK)含量及玉米产量,计算了土壤化学计量特征(C∶N、C∶P、N∶P),并分析了各指标之间的相关性。【结果】随试验年限的增加,在0—20 cm土层,CK处理SOC含量有所下降,TN含量基本保持不变,而RI和RC处理的SOC和TN含量均有所增加,RC处理下均为最高;RI处理的SOC和TN含量在0—20 cm土层分布相对均匀,RC处理SOC和TN含量在0—5 cm土层中明显增加,尤其在试验5～8年间的增幅明显升高。CK、RI和RC 3个处理的TP和TK含量均随试验年限的增加缓慢升高,处理间无显著...     

Response of soil properties and yam yield to Chromolaena odorata (Asteraceae) and Tithonia diversifolia (Asteraceae) mulches

Plant materials differ in their chemical composition, rate of decomposition and suitability as mulch materials. Experiments were conducted during 2006–2007 and 2007–2008 cropping seasons for early yam cultivation at Owo in the forest–savanna transition zone of southwest Nigeria to study the effect of Chromolaena odorata and Tithonia diversifolia mulches applied at 0.0, 5.0, 7.5, 10.0 and 12.5 t ha^?1 on soil chemical properties, leaf nutrient composition, growth and tuber yield of white yam (Dioscorea rotundata Poir). Both C. odorata and T. diversifolia mulches reduced soil bulk density and temperature; increased concentrations of soil organic matter (SOM), total N, available P, exchangeable K, Ca and Mg, leaf N, P, K, Ca and Mg; enhanced growth and yield of yam compared with control. The values of SOM, total N and available P and leaf N and P concentrations increased with increasing mulch rate. C. odorata mulch and T. diversifolia mulch applied at 10.0 and 7.5 t ha^?1, respectively, was found to be suitable for yam production. T. diversifolia mulch compared with C. odorata mulch produced higher values of soil chemical properties, leaf nutrient concentrations, growth and yield of yam. T. diversifolia mulch produced 19% and 18% higher tuber yield compared with C. odorata mulch during 2006–2007 and 2007–2008 cropping seasons, respectively.     

Soil moisture, carbon and nitrogen dynamics following incorporation and surface application of labelled crop residues in soil columns

One way to increase the amount of carbon sequestered in agricultural land is to convert conventional tillage into no‐tillage systems. This greatly affects the location of crop residues in soil. To investigate the impact of the location of residues on soil physical and biological properties and how the interactions between those properties influence the fate of carbon and nitrogen in soil, we did a laboratory experiment with repacked soil in columns. Doubly labelled ¹³C¹⁵N oilseed rape residues were incorporated in the 0–10 cm layer or left on the soil surface. The columns were incubated for 9 weeks at 20°C and were submitted to three cycles of drying and wetting, each of them induced by a rain simulator. The location of the residues affected the water dynamics and the distribution of C and N in the soil, which in turn influenced microbial activity and the decomposition rate of the added residues. After 9 weeks of’incubation, 18.4 ± 1.5% of the surface applied residue‐C and 54.7 ± 1.3% of the incorporated residue‐C was mineralized. We observed a nitrate accumulation of 10.7 mg N kg^?1 with residues at the soil surface, 3.6 mg N kg^?1 with incorporated residues and 6.3 mg N kg^?1 without addition of fresh organic matter, which entailed net N mineralization in soil under mulch and immobilization of N with residue incorporation compared with the control soil. We concluded that application of oilseed rape residues at the soil surface increased the storage of fresh organic C in soil in the short term, compared with the incorporation treatment, but increased the risk of nitrate leaching.     

稻-油轮作下长期秸秆还田与施肥对作物产量和土壤理化性状的影响

【目的】研究长期秸秆还田与施肥对作物产量和土壤肥力的影响,为该种植模式下作物最佳养分管理提供技术支撑。【方法】自2005年起在成都平原的广汉市开展了水稻-油菜轮作下连续秸秆覆盖还田+免耕与不同施肥的长期定位试验。试验为随机区组设计,共有8个处理,3次重复。这8个处理包括对照(只施化肥、 无秸秆覆盖)和秸秆覆盖还田下4个氮肥用量、 2个磷肥用量和3个钾肥用量的7个组合处理。自2005年起每季收获时采集植株样本,分析不同处理下水稻和油菜的农艺形状与产量变化情况,2010年水稻收获后采取耕层(05 cm、 515 cm和1530 cm)土样,分析不同处理的土壤肥力演化趋势。【结果】在稻-油轮作下,同一处理水稻和油菜产量受气候变化影响存在显著的年度间差异。秸秆还田对水稻产量的影响始于覆盖后的第三年,即秸秆覆盖处理的水稻产量显著高于相同施氮量的无覆盖对照处理,油菜秸秆覆盖条件下的减磷和减钾处理的水稻产量相当或高于对照处理。按此计算,秸秆还田在水稻季每公顷可节约大约N 60 kg和K2O 90 kg。在油菜季,稻草覆盖似乎不能明显减少氮肥投入,减磷处理的油菜产量始终最低。因此,施用充足的磷肥成为油菜高产的关键,该结果为稻-油轮作制度中磷肥的合理分配提供了科学依据,即磷肥应重点施在油菜上,水稻上可少施或不施磷肥。在油菜季,秸秆还田每公顷能节约大约N 30 kg和K2O 90 kg。连续秸秆覆盖+免耕使土壤有机质和氮、 磷、 钾养分在05 cm土层聚集,但对下层土壤影响不大; 减磷、 减钾处理使土壤磷、 钾耗竭,但无覆盖对照处理的土壤钾耗竭大于减钾处理;在磷钾施肥量不变的情况下,增加氮肥施用量降低了土壤速效钾与有效磷含量。长期秸秆覆盖还田+免耕能显著改善05 cm土层的土壤物理性状,即降低土壤容重,增加孔隙度、 非水稳性和水稳性团聚体的数量,但增加了下层土壤的容重和降低了土壤孔隙度。【结论】长期秸秆覆盖还田+免耕能显著提高水稻-油菜轮作下的作物产量,减少肥料投入和提高表层土壤肥力水平,但油菜季必须注意施用足够的磷肥以保证油菜籽高产的需要。     

Evaluation of Field-Applied Fresh Composts for Production of Sod Crops

Application of compost to cropland potentially can use large quantities of compost and serve as an alternative to waste disposal into landfills. This study was conducted to evaluate the suitability of field-applied composts of mixed municipal solid wastes, biosolids, leaves, and agricultural wastes for production of wildflower and grass sods. The composts were applied one inch thick on the soil surface. In half the plots, the composts were left on the surface as a mulch and in the other half, composts were worked into the top two inches of soil. The effects of the composts on wildflower, grass, and weed germination and growth and on wildflower diversity and flowering were investigated for two growing seasons. Wildflower and grass quality did not differ whether the composts were applied as a mulch or incorporated into the soil. In the first year, limited growth in apparently immature biosolids-woodchips and mixed MSW composts was attributed to high concentrations of ammonium or soluble salts. The detrimental effects of biosolids-woodchips compost which had high initial ammonium-N concentrations remained into the second season. In the first season, N from composts or fertilizers stimulated weed growth and resulted in poor crop quality. In the second season, crops had a competitive edge over the weeds, and N from the compost improved crop quality. Wildflower diversity and total amount of bloom improved as the N status of the media increased. Weed control and mature compost with readily available N and low soluble salt concentrations are required for high crop quality in the first season.     

Modifying profile water storage through tillage,herbicide, chemical evaporation retardent and straw mulch and its effect on rainfed chickpea (Cicer arientinum L.)

The influence of tillage, herbicide (paraquat), evaporation retardents (white opaque polythene and hexadecanol) and straw mulch, applied in the post-monsoon pre-seeding period, on soil moisture conservation and yield of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) was studied in a 2-year field experiment. These practices all proved to be useful in conserving more soil moisture in the 180 cm deep soil profile. Opaque polythene conserved most moisture, followed by straw mulch with an average increase of 47 mm (24%) and 32 mm (16%) over the control. Polythene and straw mulch greatly improved moisture in the seeding zone; tillage, hexadecanol and paraquat were also useful. Soil moisture conservation treatments improved plant stand, profile water use, yield and yield components. The effect of treatments varied with crop season rainfall. In the first year, with low rainfall (51 mm), polythene and straw mulch significantly increased the grain yield over other treatments. Hexadecanol, tillage and herbicide also tended to increase yields. In the second, wetter crop season (rainfall 139 mm), the differences in yield between treatments were not significant though the trend was similar to the dry year. Polythene and straw mulch increased yields over the control by 690 and 536 kg/ha in the first year and 399 and 281 kg/ha in the second year. Polythene and hexadecanol being costly, straw mulch, tillage and herbicide offer scope for adoption at field scale.     

免耕对旱作燕麦田耕层土壤微生物生物量碳、氮、磷的影响

2005～2008年,在内蒙古清水河县研究了免耕留低茬(NL)、免耕留高茬(NH)、免耕留低茬覆盖(NLS)、免耕留高茬覆盖(NHS)和常规耕作(T)5种耕作方式对旱坡地燕麦田耕层土壤微生物生物量碳、氮、磷的影响。结果表明:各处理土壤微生物生物量碳、氮、磷含量在不同年际间的变化趋势一致。土壤微生物生物量碳、氮含量均呈双峰曲线变化,其中,NHS和NLS处理土壤微生物生物量碳的峰值出现在拔节期和灌浆期,NH、NL和T处理的土壤微生物生物量碳的峰值出现在孕穗期和灌浆期,而土壤微生物生物量氮的峰值则出现在苗期和灌浆期。土壤微生物生物量磷呈单峰曲线变化,各处理的峰值均出现在灌浆期。不同年份间、不同生育期间,土壤微生物生物量碳、氮、磷含量的大小顺序为:NHS>NLS>NH>NL>T。其中,免耕各处理的燕麦产量相对常规耕作呈先降低后增加的趋势,以2008年为例,NHS、NLS、NH、NL燕麦产量分别较T增加了22%、17%、11%、5%。综上所述,免耕有利于提高土壤微生物生物量碳、氮、磷含量,而且可有效地增加作物产量,尤其是NHS和NLS处理比较明显。     

Soil physical changes and maize growth in a structurally fragile tropical soil due to mulching and duration between irrigation intervals

Under tropical meteorological conditions, the volume of soil explored by plant roots is crucial for crop growth as it allows increased water and nutrient use efficiency. We hypothesized that, under different irrigation intervals, leguminous mulch can extend the duration between irrigation events but maintain crop performance, because decreased evaporative fluxes also reduce constraints to root exploration imposed by mechanical stress. We evaluated the combined effects of leguminous mulch and irrigation intervals on soil physical properties to determine whether the growth and productivity of maize were modified in a structurally fragile tropical soil. The experiment involved the following treatments: 4‐day irrigation intervals with soil mulched (4C) or bare (4S), 6‐day irrigation intervals with soil mulched (6C) or bare (6S), 8‐day irrigation intervals with soil mulched (8C) or bare (8S) and 10‐day irrigation intervals with soil mulched (10C) or bare (10S). Mulch decreased soil penetration resistance and increased to 4 days the favourable time for root development in drying soil. Relative to bare soil, mulch with a 6‐day irrigation interval almost doubled nitrogen uptake post‐tasselling, which decreased nitrogen remobilization and increased the crop growth rate during this stage. These conditions had a positive effect on the transpiration rate and stomatal conductance as well as on the growth and yield of maize. A 6‐day irrigation interval with mulch compared to 4 days with bare soil resulted in similar conditions for root development, but greater uptake of nitrogen (102.73–78.70 kg/ha) and better yield (6.2–5.3 t/ha), which means greater efficiency in nitrogen and water use.     

免耕覆盖还田下玉米秸秆氮素的去向研究

采用田间微区试验,以15N标记的玉米秸秆为研究对象,研究了免耕覆盖还田下玉米秸秆氮素经过4个生长季后的作物累积利用率、在土壤(0~60 cm)的残留率以及损失情况。试验共设2个处理:TS1为第1年15N标记秸秆覆盖还田,此后秸秆不还田;TS2为第1年15N标记秸秆覆盖还田,此后每年以非标记秸秆还田。结果表明:经过4个生长季后,两个处理间的玉米籽粒、秸秆的累积产量及总氮素吸收量的差异均不显著。在TS1处理中,秸秆氮素在籽粒和秸秆中的累积回收率分别为14.2%和6.7%,并分别高于TS2处理的12.4%和5.8%。与作物的累积回收率相比,更多的秸秆氮素被保持在土壤中。在TS1和TS2处理中,秸秆氮素在土壤中的残留率分别为40.9%和73.8%,而损失率分别为38.6%和8.1%。与TS1处理相比,TS2处理中较高的土壤微生物生物量碳和氮以及较低的矿质态秸秆氮的含量,说明连续秸秆还田在一定程度上提高了最初还田秸秆氮素在土壤中的微生物固持并降低了秸秆氮素的淋失风险,从而显著提高秸秆氮素在土壤-植物系统中的总回收率。因此,在温带农田生态系统中,长期的免耕结合秸秆覆盖还田可促进秸秆氮素的积累,这对提高和保持土壤氮素含量和稳定性具有重要的意义。     

Incorporation of nitrogen from crop residues into light-fraction organic matter in soils with contrasting management histories

The proportion of N from crop residues entering the light-fraction organic matter (LFOM) pool was investigated in soils with contrasting soil organic matter and microbial characteristics arising from different management histories. A laboratory experiment was conducted in which ¹⁵N-labelled sugar beet, Brussels sprout or ryegrass shoots, which possessed a range of C/N contents, and hence different biochemical qualities, were incorporated into a sandy–loam soil collected from within a field (FC) or from the field margin (FM). Amounts of C and N incorporated into LFOM were determined after 112 days. The FC and FM soils had organic C contents of 0.9% and 2.5%, respectively. Addition of crop residues increased total LFOM N content and reduced its C/N in FC soil but had no effect on total LFOM N or its C/N in FM soil. Ryegrass incorporation into FC was the only treatment in which there was a net increase in LFOM C. Isotopic analysis indicated that more crop-residue-derived N became incorporated into the LFOM N pool in FM relative to FC soil, with per cent crop residue N incorporated ranging from 25.9% to 35.3% in FC and between 38.9 and 68.5 in FM. Incorporation of crop residues had a positive priming effect on pre-existing LFOM N in FM but not FC soil. We conclude that the characteristics of plant material, together with differences in soil organic matter and microbiology resulting from contrasting management, determined the amount of crop residue C and N incorporated into both HFOM and LFOM.     

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.