Long-term effects of inorganic fertilizers on microbial biomass and community functional diversity in a paddy soil derived from quaternary red clay

Standard commercial soil tests typically quantify nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, pH, and salinity. These factors alone are not sufficient to predict the long-term effects of management on soil health. The goal of this study was to assess the effectiveness and use of simple physical, biological, and chemical soil health indicator tests that can be completed on-site. Analyses were conducted on soil samples collected from three experimental peach orchards located on the Utah State Horticultural Research Farm in Kaysville, Utah. All simple tests were correlated to comparable lab analyses using Pearson’s correlation. The highest positive correlations were found between Solvita® respiration, and microbial biomass (R = 0.88), followed by our modified slake test and microbial biomass (R = 0.83). Both Berlese funnel and pit count methods of estimating soil macro-organism diversity were fairly predictive of soil health. Overall, simple commercially available chemical tests were weak indicators of soil nutrient concentrations compared to laboratory tests. Modified slake tests, Solvita® respiration and soil organism biodiversity counts may be efficient and cost-effective tools for monitoring soil health on-site.

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Long-term effects of four environment-related iron minerals on microbial anaerobic oxidation of methane in paddy soil: A previously overlooked role of widespread goethite

Soil Biology and Biochemistry ◽

10.1016/j.soilbio.2021.108387 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 108387

Author(s):

Zhanfei He ◽

Yinghong Zhu ◽

Jieni Feng ◽

Qingqing Ji ◽

Xin Chen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Paddy Soil ◽

Anaerobic Oxidation Of Methane ◽

Anaerobic Oxidation ◽

Long Term Effects ◽

Iron Minerals ◽

Oxidation Of Methane

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RESPONSE OF WHEAT–RICE AND MAIZE/MILLET SYSTEMS TO FERTILIZER AND MANURE APPLICATIONS IN THE MID-HILLS OF NEPAL

Experimental Agriculture ◽

10.1017/s0014479799001052 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 35 (1) ◽

pp. 1-13 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

D. P. Sherchan ◽

C. J. Pilbeam ◽

P. J. Gregory

Keyword(s):

Grain Yield ◽

Organic Materials ◽

Cropping Systems ◽

Response To Treatment ◽

Long Term Effects ◽

Inorganic Fertilizers ◽

Grain Yields ◽

Combined Application ◽

Double Cropping

Farmers in the mid-hills of Nepal have a mix of rainfed land on which millet is grown in relay after maize (maize/millet), and irrigated land on which wheat is grown sequentially after rice (wheat–rice). Double cropping is the norm but the diminishing quantities of organic materials, coupled with the trend towards increased use of inorganic fertilizers, have raised questions about the long-term productivity and sustainability of the cropping systems. The aim of this work was to examine the long-term effects (eight years) on grain yield of additions of manure and fertilizer either singly or in combination. Maize/millet and wheat–rice rotations were established on a Dystochrept at Pakhribas Agricultural Centre at about 1450 m altitude. Manure and fertilizer applications were applied to the maize (eight combinations in May) and the wheat (different rates in seven combinations in November) every year with the succeeding crops (millet and rice) utilizing residual nutrients. Yields of maize, millet and rice were greater when manure rather than fertilizer was applied but yields of wheat were less. The combined application of manure and fertilizer significantly increased yields of maize and wheat compared with applications of either manure or fertilizer alone. However, for the subsequent crops (millet and rice) there was either a small residual benefit of the combined application when compared with fertilizer alone, or no benefit when compared with manure alone. Overall, the combined application increased total grain yields by about 35% in the maize/millet rotation and by 16% in the wheat–rice rotation. There was no trend in yields in response to treatment with time.

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Effect of Long-Term Application of Chemical Fertilizers on Microbial Biomass and Functional Diversity of a Black Soil

Pedosphere ◽

10.1016/s1002-0160(08)60076-4 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 18 (6) ◽

pp. 801-808 ◽

Cited By ~ 27

Author(s):

Wei-Dong KONG ◽

Yong-Guan ZHU ◽

Bo-Jie FU ◽

Xiao-Zeng HAN ◽

Lei ZHANG ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Microbial Biomass ◽

Functional Diversity ◽

Black Soil ◽

Chemical Fertilizers

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Long-Term Effects of Inorganic and Organic Amendments on Organic Carbon in a Paddy Soil of the Taihu Lake Region, China

Pedosphere ◽

10.1016/s1002-0160(11)60117-3 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 21 (2) ◽

pp. 186-196 ◽

Cited By ~ 28

Author(s):

Li MA ◽

Lin-Zhang YANG ◽

Li-Zhong XIA ◽

Ming-Xing SHEN ◽

Shi-Xue YIN ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Organic Carbon ◽

Paddy Soil ◽

Taihu Lake ◽

Organic Amendments ◽

Long Term Effects ◽

Lake Region ◽

Inorganic And Organic

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Nitrogen Mineralization, Soil Microbial Biomass and Extracellular Enzyme Activities Regulated by Long-Term N Fertilizer Inputs: A Comparison Study from Upland and Paddy Soils in a Red Soil Region of China

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy11102057 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (10) ◽

pp. 2057

Author(s):

Sehrish Ali ◽

Kailou Liu ◽

Waqas Ahmed ◽

Huang Jing ◽

Muhammad Qaswar ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Microbial Biomass ◽

Paddy Soil ◽

Enzyme Activities ◽

Soil Microbial Biomass ◽

Inorganic Nitrogen ◽

N Addition ◽

Upland Soil ◽

Total N ◽

Soil Microbial

A long-term experiment (38 years) was conducted to elucidate the effects of long-term N addition on the net N mineralization in both paddy and upland soils, based on their initial soil N status, with and in connection with soil microbial biomass and N cycling extracellular enzyme activities. Two treatments without N addition CK (No fertilizer) and K (inorganic potassium fertilizer) and two treatments with N addition N (inorganic nitrogen fertilizer) and NK (inorganic nitrogen and potassium fertilizer) were placed in incubation for 90 days. Results showed that the total N and soil organic carbon (SOC) contents were higher in the treatments with N application compared to the treatments without N in both paddy and upland soils. The SOC content of paddy soil was increased relative to upland soil by 56.2%, 45.7%, 61.1% and 62.2% without N (CK, K) and with N (N and NK) treatments, respectively. Site-wise, total N concentration in paddy soil was higher by 0.06, 0.10, 0.57 and 0.60 times under the CK, K, N and NK treatments, respectively, compared with upland soil. In paddy soil, soil microbial biomass nitrogen (SMBN) was higher by 39.6%, 2.77%, 29.5% and 31.4%, and microbial biomass carbon (SMBC) was higher by 11.8%, 11.9%, 10.1% and 12.3%, respectively, in CK, K, N and NK treatment, compared with upland soil. Overall, compared to upland soil, the activities of leucine-aminopeptidase (LAP) were increased by 31%, 18%, 20% and 11%, and those of N-acetyl-b-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) were increased by 70%, 21%, 13% and 18% by CK, K, N and NK treatments, respectively, in paddy soil. A significantly linear increase was found in the NO3−-N and NH4+-N concentrations during the 90 days of the incubation period in both soils. NK treatment showed the highest N mineralization potential (No) along with mineralization rate constant, k (NMR) at the end of the incubation. SMBC, SMBN, enzyme activities, NO3−-N and NH4+-N concentrations and the No showed a highly significant (p ≤ 0.05) positive correlation. We concluded that long-term N addition accelerated the net mineralization by increasing soil microbial activities under both soils.

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