Abstract
Purpose
Saline sodic soils pose challenges for crop growth due to their high soil salinity, poor structure, and low nutrient content and effectiveness. As a result, there has been increasing interest in using straw return to the field as a means to enhance productivity. However, the impact of straw return and nitrogen fertilization on soil aggregates and nutrient dynamics in saline sodic soils has not been fully understood yet.
Methods
The present study conducted a 3-year positional experiment to examine the effects of straw return (S0: 0, S1: 7 t ha−1) and nitrogen fertilization (N0: 0, N1: 150, N2: 250, and N3: 350 kg ha−1) on bulk density (BD), aggregate distribution, nutrient dynamics, and rice yield.
Results
Straw return to the field promoted the transformation of aggregates into larger ones, resulting in increased aggregate stability. Additionally, it significantly reduced the BD by 8.5 to 10% and increased the soil organic carbon (SOC), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) content of the aggregates. The 0.25–2 mm aggregates were found to be the major contributors to fertility enhancement. There were no significant differences in the structure of the aggregates and the nutrient levels between the N2 and N3 treatments. Straw return led to a significant increase in rice yield by 20.90 to 27.57%. However, the differences between the S1N2 and S1N3 treatments were not significant, indicating that S1N2 had better benefits. Regression analysis revealed that the optimum nitrogen application rate tended to decrease with the increase in years of straw return.
Conclusion
The incorporation of straw and optimal nitrogen (quantity) into saline sodic soils can enhance soil structure and aggregate nutrients, particularly in 0.25–2 mm aggregates. This agronomic measure is viable in improving soil productivity which ultimately increases rice yield.
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Data availability
The datasets generated in the framework of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
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This study was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program (2022YFD1500505) and Jilin Province Major Science and Technology Special Project (20230508001RC).
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Gao Jiayong conducted data analysis, chart making, and paper writing; Zhao Zhexuan conducted data analysis and field tests; Zhang Yutong and Du Juan conducted laboratory experiments; Ran Cheng, Geng Yanqiu, and Zhang Qiang modified the paper; Shao **wen and Guo Liying designed the test and provided the test site and corresponding instruments.
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Gao, J., Zhao, Z., Zhang, Y. et al. Straw return with nitrogen fertilizer promotes rice yield through change in nutrient dynamics within soil aggregates in saline sodic soils. J Soils Sediments 24, 928–945 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-023-03688-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-023-03688-4