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Responses of Soil Labile Organic Carbon and Carbon Management Index to Different Long-Term Fertilization Treatments in a Typical Yellow Soil Region

  • AGRICULTURAL CHEMISTRY AND SOIL FERTILITY
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Abstract—

The capacity of soil to store carbon (C) and emit carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere primarily depends on soil management practices. It is essential to understand the impact of management strategies on the soil organic carbon (SOC) content and labile organic carbon (LOC) fraction. The impacts of 24‑year-long organic and inorganic nitrogen (N) treatments on SOC, KMnO4-oxidizable organic carbon and its fractions (highly labile organic carbon (HLOC), moderately labile organic carbon (MLOC), low labile organic carbon (LLOC) and nonlabile organic carbon (NLOC)), and a carbon management index (CMI) were investigated under a continuous maize cultivation system in a long-term experiment in Guizhou, Southwest China. Six fertilizer treatments were included: no fertilizer input (CK), chemical fertilizer alone (NPK), 25% N through farmyard manure (FYM) plus 75% N through chemical fertilizer (1/4N-M+3/4N-CF), 50% N through FYM plus 50% N through chemical fertilizer (1/2N-M+1/2N-CF), FYM plus chemical fertilizer (MNPK) and FYM alone (M). We used the LOC content and CMI value to assess the effects of long-term combinations of FYM and chemical fertilizers at different rates on the SOC pool in various soil layers (0–20, 20–40, 40–60, 60–80, 80–100 cm) and to identify the most suitable integrated treatment. The results showed that the application of organic fertilizer generally increased the SOC content, the LOC fraction, and the CMI values in different layers, especially the surface layer, compared to the CK and NPK fertilization treatments. The SOC content and LOC fraction decreased with increasing soil depth. The significant relationship between the LOC fraction, CMI value, LOC available ratio of carbon (LOC-AR), and soil parameters showed that these values can be used to sensitively assess soil quality and SOC changes in the system. Considering the comprehensive effects on the SOC content, LOC fraction, CMI value, AR value, etc., the 1/4N-M+3/4N-CF and 1/2N-M+1/2N-CF treatments showed the greatest influence on carbon sequestration and soil productivity; therefore, these could be the best options for maize crop** systems in this region.

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Funding

This work was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of China (no. 41461069); the Science and Technology Project of Guizhou Province [(2017)2852]; the Project of the Technological Innovation of Guizhou Academy of Agricultural Sciences (201706); the Project of Science and Technology Innovation Talents Team of Guizhou (20185604) and the Natural Science Foundation of China (no. 31860132).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Guizhou Institute of Soil and Fertilizer, Guizhou Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 550006, Guizhou, China

    Yarong Zhang, Yu Li, Yanling Liu, **ngcheng Huang & Wenan Zhang

  2. Scientific Observing and Experimental Station of Arable Land Conservation and Agricultural Environment, Ministry of Agriculture, 550006, Guizhou, China

    Yarong Zhang, Yu Li, Yanling Liu, **ngcheng Huang, Wenan Zhang & Taiming Jiang

  3. Guizhou Tea Institute, Guizhou Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 550006, Guizhou, China

    Taiming Jiang

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  1. Yarong Zhang
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Zhang, Y., Li, Y., Liu, Y. et al. Responses of Soil Labile Organic Carbon and Carbon Management Index to Different Long-Term Fertilization Treatments in a Typical Yellow Soil Region. Eurasian Soil Sc. 54, 605–618 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1134/S1064229321040189

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