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Journal of Integrative Agriculture  2024, Vol. 23 Issue (1): 251-266    DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2023.06.011
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Subsoil tillage enhances wheat productivity, soil organic carbon and available nutrient status in dryland fields

Qiuyan Yan1, 2, Linjia Wu3, Fei Dong1, Shuangdui Yan3, Feng Li1, Yaqin Jia1, Jiancheng Zhang2#, Ruifu Zhang4, Xiao Huang3

1 Institute of Wheat Research, Shanxi Agricultural University, Linfen 041000, China

2 State Key Laboratory of Sustainable Dryland Agriculture (in preparation), Shanxi Agricultural University, Taiyuan 030031, China

3 College of Resources and Environment, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu 030801, China

4 Jiangsu Key Lab and Engineering Center for Solid Organic Waste Utilization, National Engineering Research Center for Organic-based Fertilizers, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China

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摘要  

休闲期耕作有利于旱地小麦蓄水增产。然而,目前生长季土壤有机碳(SOC)、全氮(TN)和速效养分对耕作方式的响应尚不清楚。本研究通过5年试验评价了三种耕作方式(NT,免耕;SS,深松;DT,深翻)对土壤物理化学性质的影响,并分析了第5年试验收获期土壤团聚体结构及团聚体碳氮组分。结果表明,与NT相比,SSDT同时提高了小麦的产量、秸秆生物量和秸秆碳投入。与DTNT相比,SS通过提高0-40 cm土层SOCSRTNSR来促进有机碳和全氮含量和储量。SSNT处理下较高的SOC水平与较高的团聚体碳组分正相关,而TNSON呈正相关。DT相比,NTSS处理显著增加0-20 cm土层速效养分



Abstract  

Tillage practices during the fallow period benefit water storage and yield in dryland wheat crops.  However, there is currently no clarity on the responses of soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), and available nutrients to tillage practices within the growing season.  This study evaluated the effects of three tillage practices (NT, no tillage; SS, subsoil tillage; DT, deep tillage) over five years on soil physicochemical properties.  Soil samples at harvest stage from the fifth year were analyzed to determine the soil aggregate and aggregate-associated C and N fractions.  The results indicated that SS and DT improved grain yield, straw biomass and straw carbon return of wheat compared with NT.  In contrast to DT and NT, SS favored SOC and TN concentrations and stocks by increasing the soil organic carbon sequestration rate (SOCSR) and soil nitrogen sequestration rate (TNSR) in the 0–40 cm layer.  Higher SOC levels under SS and NT were associated with greater aggregate-associated C fractions, while TN was positively associated with soluble organic nitrogen (SON).  Compared with DT, the NT and SS treatments improved soil available nutrients in the 0–20 cm layer.  These findings suggest that SS is an excellent practice for increasing soil carbon, nitrogen and nutrient availability in dryland wheat fields in North China.

Keywords:  tillage        dryland wheat fields        soil aggregate size        soil nutrients        soil carbon and nitrogen fractions   
Received: 05 February 2023   Accepted: 27 April 2023
Fund: 

This work was financially supported by the Joint Funds of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (U22A20609), the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2021YFD1901102-4), the State Key Laboratory of Integrative Sustainable Dryland Agriculture (in preparation), the Shanxi Agricultural University, China (202003-3) and the Open Fund from the State Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Nutrient Resources of Shanxi Province, China (2020002).

About author:  Qiuyan Yan, E-mail: sxnkyyqy@163.com; #Correspondence Jiancheng Zhang, Tel: +86-357-2882659, E-mail: zhangjc@126.com

Cite this article: 

Qiuyan Yan, Linjia Wu, Fei Dong, Shuangdui Yan, Feng Li, Yaqin Jia, Jiancheng Zhang, Ruifu Zhang, Xiao Huang. 2024.

Subsoil tillage enhances wheat productivity, soil organic carbon and available nutrient status in dryland fields . Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 23(1): 251-266.

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