TY - JOUR
T1 - How long-term chemical fertilization of sloping cropland enhances yield and fertility without compromising coil structure
AU - Xu, Mingxiang
AU - Li, Qiang
AU - Bowker, Matthew
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2017, HARD Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
PY - 2017
Y1 - 2017
N2 - We studied the effects of the long-term (17 years) application of different chemical fertilizer regimes on soil N and its inorganic fractions in relation to the soil physical properties in a sloping cropland in the hilly Loess Plateau. Seven treatments comprised of two factors were arranged within a randomized complete block design. As expected, crop yield increased 2-4-fold, but soil structure did not degrade. Under long-term fertilization, the portion of the small aggregates (<2 mm) and sand content were significantly decreased while the large aggregates (>2 mm) and the silt content increased by 276% and 7.4%, respectively, as compared with those in areas without fertilization. Moreover, the various continuous chemical fertilization treatments increased SOC content by 12.9% and total N by 12.4%, on average, compared with unfertilized plots. The SOC, total N, and shoot C, shoot N had close relationships with the large aggregates (>2 mm) and the clay content. The results suggest that, in this setting, the long-term addition of both N and P may sustain soil quality of an infertile sloping cropland in this region, compared to agriculture without fertilizer or applications of N alone.
AB - We studied the effects of the long-term (17 years) application of different chemical fertilizer regimes on soil N and its inorganic fractions in relation to the soil physical properties in a sloping cropland in the hilly Loess Plateau. Seven treatments comprised of two factors were arranged within a randomized complete block design. As expected, crop yield increased 2-4-fold, but soil structure did not degrade. Under long-term fertilization, the portion of the small aggregates (<2 mm) and sand content were significantly decreased while the large aggregates (>2 mm) and the silt content increased by 276% and 7.4%, respectively, as compared with those in areas without fertilization. Moreover, the various continuous chemical fertilization treatments increased SOC content by 12.9% and total N by 12.4%, on average, compared with unfertilized plots. The SOC, total N, and shoot C, shoot N had close relationships with the large aggregates (>2 mm) and the clay content. The results suggest that, in this setting, the long-term addition of both N and P may sustain soil quality of an infertile sloping cropland in this region, compared to agriculture without fertilizer or applications of N alone.
KW - Optimal fertilizer treatment
KW - Physical properties
KW - Soil microbial biomass carbon
KW - Soil nitrogen fractions
KW - Soil organic carbon
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85029616353&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85029616353&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.15244/pjoes/69031
DO - 10.15244/pjoes/69031
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85029616353
SN - 1230-1485
VL - 26
SP - 1797
EP - 1807
JO - Polish Journal of Environmental Studies
JF - Polish Journal of Environmental Studies
IS - 4
ER -