Integrated use of straw mulch with nitrogen fertilizer improves soil functionality and soybean production

Kashif Akhtar; Weiyu Wang; Guangxin Ren; Ahmad Khan; Yongzhong Feng; Gaihe Yang; Haiyan Wang

doi:10.1016/j.envint.2019.105092

Integrated use of straw mulch with nitrogen fertilizer improves soil functionality and soybean production

Environ Int. 2019 Nov:132:105092. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2019.105092. Epub 2019 Aug 20.

Authors

Kashif Akhtar¹, Weiyu Wang², Guangxin Ren², Ahmad Khan³, Yongzhong Feng², Gaihe Yang⁴, Haiyan Wang⁵

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Nuclear Agricultural Sciences, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; College of Agronomy, Northwest A & F University, Yangling 712100, China; The Research Center of Recycle Agricultural Engineering and Technology of Shaanxi Province, Yangling 712100, China.
² College of Agronomy, Northwest A & F University, Yangling 712100, China; The Research Center of Recycle Agricultural Engineering and Technology of Shaanxi Province, Yangling 712100, China.
³ Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Crop Production, The University of Agriculture Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 25000, Pakistan.
⁴ College of Agronomy, Northwest A & F University, Yangling 712100, China; The Research Center of Recycle Agricultural Engineering and Technology of Shaanxi Province, Yangling 712100, China. Electronic address: ygh@nwsuaf.edu.cn.
⁵ Institute of Nuclear Agricultural Sciences, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China. Electronic address: wanghaiyan@zju.edu.cn.

PMID: 31442740
DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2019.105092

Abstract

Mulching can effectively maintain and improve soil health and functionality. The mechanisms, however, have not been fully elucidated. Therefore, the effects of temperature on the biogeochemical properties of soil were investigated in the present study in relation to nitrogen management and soil functionality. The results of the 3-year field experiments showed that integrated straw mulch (S) and nitrogen fertilizer (N) treatments enhanced the activities of soil urease, invertase, alkaline phosphatase, and catalase by >1.8, 2.1, 2.0 and 1.4 fold, respectively, compared with the control treatment. Furthermore, these treatments increased soil available N by 28%, phosphorus by 45%, and potassium by 55%. In general, the soil organic carbon, dissolved carbon and labile organic carbon content in the treated plot were approximately 1.2-2.9 folds greater than in the control plot. These improvements in soil fertility and carbon indices increased the biomass and grain yield of soybean (67 and 75%, respectively) during the three-year study period. During 2015-2017, the straw mulch and nitrogen fertilizer treatment increased the soil moisture (23%) and decreased the soil temperature (8%) in comparison to the control in the 0-0.2 m soil depth and, therefore, improved soil enzyme activities, nutrient availability, and carbon stocks, and ultimately, soil functionality and sustainability, in the semiarid region.

Keywords: Enzyme activities; Nutrient availability; Soil carbon; Soil hydrothermal properties.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Agriculture / methods*
Biomass
Carbon / analysis
Edible Grain / drug effects
Edible Grain / growth & development
Fertilizers*
Glycine max / drug effects*
Glycine max / growth & development
Nitrogen / chemistry
Nitrogen / pharmacology
Phosphorus / analysis
Potassium / analysis
Soil / chemistry*
Temperature
Triticum*

Substances

Fertilizers
Soil
Phosphorus
Carbon
Nitrogen
Potassium