Effects of straw and living grass mulching on soil nutrients, soil microbial quantities and soil enzyme activities in a peach orchard

doi:10.3724/SP.J.1258.2011.01236

Abstract

Abstract:

Aims My aims were to (a) study the effects of mulching materials on microbial quantities, enzyme activities and soil nutrient contents and their relationships and (b) explore feasibility of using soil microbial quantities and soil enzyme activities as indicators of soil health.
Methods Straw of wheat (Triticum aestivum), stalks of corn (Zea mays) and weeds with 3.25, 1.97 and 3.67 kg·m^-2of covering weight, respectively, and living grass (Trifolium repens, Medicago sativaandFestuca arundinacea) with 50 kg·hm^-2 of sowings were used as mulching materials, with no covering as the control.
Important findings The contents of alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen (N), available potassium (K), total N, total K and organic matter of the rhizospheric and non-rhizospheric soils were significantly increased by straw and living grass mulching, except for total phosphorus (P) and available P in the living grass treatment. Quantities of ammonification bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes, as well as soil moisture, pH value and activities of urease and phosphatase significantly increased in all treatments. Greatest mean increases of alkali-hydrolyzable N (99%), available K (270%), total N (267%), total K (117%), organic matter (272%), quantities of ammonification bacteria (158%) and fungi (141%) and activities of urease (156%) and phosphatase (64%) occurred in the Trifolium repenstreatment. Soil alkali-hydrolyzable N, available K, total N, total K and organic matter showed significantly positive correlation with the amount of ammonification bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes and activities of urease and alkaline phosphatase, except for soil available K with actinomycetes and phosphatase. Path analysis indicated that soil urease activity was the most important factor affecting the accumulation of alkali-hydrolyzable N, available K, total N, total K and organic matter in the three types of soil microbes and two kinds of enzymes.

Key words: grass, peach orchard, soil enzyme, soil microbial populations, soil nutrients, straw

ZHANG Gui-Ling. Effects of straw and living grass mulching on soil nutrients, soil microbial quantities and soil enzyme activities in a peach orchard[J]. Chin J Plant Ecol, 2011, 35(12): 1236-1244.

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URL: https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/10.3724/SP.J.1258.2011.01236

https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/Y2011/V35/I12/1236

Figures/Tables 7

References 34

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处理 Treatment	含水率 Moisture content (%)		pH
处理 Treatment	根际 Rhizosphere	非根际Non-rhizosphere	根际 Rhizosphere	非根际 Non-rhizosphere
白三叶草 Trifolium repens	30.21 ± 2.49 ^b	27.27 ± 2.36 ^b	5.90 ± 0.20 ^b	5.78 ± 0.27 ^b
紫花苜蓿 Medicago sativa	28.90 ± 2.38 ^b	26.90 ± 2.09 ^b	5.92 ± 0.25 ^b	5.75 ± 0.19 ^b
高羊茅 Festuca arundincea	27.65 ± 2.19 ^b	25.87 ± 2.18 ^b	5.61 ± 0.19 ^b	5.65 ± 0.20 ^b
玉米秸 Corn stalks	37.15 ± 2.45 ^a	32.55 ± 2.75 ^a	6.31 ± 0.30 ^a	6.25 ± 0.24 ^a
小麦秸 Wheat straw	35.74 ± 2.87 ^a	31.39 ± 2.52 ^a	6.24 ± 0.25 ^a	6.14 ± 0.22 ^a
禾本科杂草 Gramineal weeds	35.28 ± 3.12 ^a	27.89 ± 3.51 ^a	6.35 ± 0.23 ^a	6.27 ± 0.22 ^a
对照 Control	15.23 ± 2.91 ^c	13.14 ± 2.91 ^c	5.60 ± 0.22 ^c	5.54 ± 0.31 ^c

处理 Treatment	含水率 Moisture content (%)		pH
处理 Treatment	根际 Rhizosphere	非根际Non-rhizosphere	根际 Rhizosphere	非根际 Non-rhizosphere
白三叶草 Trifolium repens	30.21 ± 2.49 ^b	27.27 ± 2.36 ^b	5.90 ± 0.20 ^b	5.78 ± 0.27 ^b
紫花苜蓿 Medicago sativa	28.90 ± 2.38 ^b	26.90 ± 2.09 ^b	5.92 ± 0.25 ^b	5.75 ± 0.19 ^b
高羊茅 Festuca arundincea	27.65 ± 2.19 ^b	25.87 ± 2.18 ^b	5.61 ± 0.19 ^b	5.65 ± 0.20 ^b
玉米秸 Corn stalks	37.15 ± 2.45 ^a	32.55 ± 2.75 ^a	6.31 ± 0.30 ^a	6.25 ± 0.24 ^a
小麦秸 Wheat straw	35.74 ± 2.87 ^a	31.39 ± 2.52 ^a	6.24 ± 0.25 ^a	6.14 ± 0.22 ^a
禾本科杂草 Gramineal weeds	35.28 ± 3.12 ^a	27.89 ± 3.51 ^a	6.35 ± 0.23 ^a	6.27 ± 0.22 ^a
对照 Control	15.23 ± 2.91 ^c	13.14 ± 2.91 ^c	5.60 ± 0.22 ^c	5.54 ± 0.31 ^c

处理 Treatment	碱解氮 Alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen (mg·kg^-1)		速效磷 Available phosphorus (mg·kg^-1)		速效钾 Available potassium (mg·kg^-1)
处理 Treatment	根际 Rhizosphere	非根际 Non-rhizosphere	根际 Rhizosphere	非根际 Non-rhizosphere	根际 Rhizosphere	非根际 Non-rhizosphere
白三叶草 Trifolium repens	152.10 ± 9.05 ^a	139.55 ± 9.56 ^a	5.48 ± 0.24 ^c	4.57 ± 0.22 ^c	201.36 ± 11.85 ^a	174.02 ± 13.01 ^a
紫花苜蓿 Medicago sativa	123.46 ± 8.60 ^b	119.25 ± 8.55 ^b	5.50 ± 0.31 ^c	4.69 ± 0.29 ^c	105.22 ± 9.96 ^b	86.22 ± 7.54 ^c
高羊茅 Festuca arundincea	75.56 ± 6.70 ^d	70.20 ± 6.50 ^d	5.30 ± 0.36 ^c	4.75 ± 0.41 ^c	190.05 ± 11.94 ^a	144.11 ± 5.39 ^b
玉米秸 Corn stalks	96.02 ± 8.55 ^c	91.60 ± 8.00 ^c	7.29 ± 0.40 ^b	6.64 ± 0.37 ^b	89.93 ± 5.98 ^b	62.29 ± 4.07 ^d
小麦秸 Wheat straw	95.77 ± 8.46 ^c	91.35 ± 8.54 ^c	7.06 ± 0.46 ^b	6.65 ± 0.43 ^b	88.79 ± 4.94 ^b	60.04 ± 5.00 ^d
禾本科杂草 Gramineal weeds	95.69 ± 9.90 ^c	90.05 ± 9.86 ^c	9.22 ± 0.56 ^a	8.38 ± 0.54 ^a	86.71 ± 4.10 ^b	61.27 ± 4.97 ^d
对照 Control	74.18 ± 6.90 ^d	72.75 ± 6.35 ^d	5.07 ± 0.32 ^c	4.50 ± 0.47 ^c	54.28 ± 5.04 ^c	47.22 ± 3.68 ^e

处理 Treatment	碱解氮 Alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen (mg·kg^-1)		速效磷 Available phosphorus (mg·kg^-1)		速效钾 Available potassium (mg·kg^-1)
处理 Treatment	根际 Rhizosphere	非根际 Non-rhizosphere	根际 Rhizosphere	非根际 Non-rhizosphere	根际 Rhizosphere	非根际 Non-rhizosphere
白三叶草 Trifolium repens	152.10 ± 9.05 ^a	139.55 ± 9.56 ^a	5.48 ± 0.24 ^c	4.57 ± 0.22 ^c	201.36 ± 11.85 ^a	174.02 ± 13.01 ^a
紫花苜蓿 Medicago sativa	123.46 ± 8.60 ^b	119.25 ± 8.55 ^b	5.50 ± 0.31 ^c	4.69 ± 0.29 ^c	105.22 ± 9.96 ^b	86.22 ± 7.54 ^c
高羊茅 Festuca arundincea	75.56 ± 6.70 ^d	70.20 ± 6.50 ^d	5.30 ± 0.36 ^c	4.75 ± 0.41 ^c	190.05 ± 11.94 ^a	144.11 ± 5.39 ^b
玉米秸 Corn stalks	96.02 ± 8.55 ^c	91.60 ± 8.00 ^c	7.29 ± 0.40 ^b	6.64 ± 0.37 ^b	89.93 ± 5.98 ^b	62.29 ± 4.07 ^d
小麦秸 Wheat straw	95.77 ± 8.46 ^c	91.35 ± 8.54 ^c	7.06 ± 0.46 ^b	6.65 ± 0.43 ^b	88.79 ± 4.94 ^b	60.04 ± 5.00 ^d
禾本科杂草 Gramineal weeds	95.69 ± 9.90 ^c	90.05 ± 9.86 ^c	9.22 ± 0.56 ^a	8.38 ± 0.54 ^a	86.71 ± 4.10 ^b	61.27 ± 4.97 ^d
对照 Control	74.18 ± 6.90 ^d	72.75 ± 6.35 ^d	5.07 ± 0.32 ^c	4.50 ± 0.47 ^c	54.28 ± 5.04 ^c	47.22 ± 3.68 ^e

处理 Treatment	全N Total N (g·kg^-1)		全P Total P (g·kg^-1)		全K Total K (g·kg^-1)		有机质 Organic matter (g·kg^-1)
处理 Treatment	根际 Rhizosphere	非根际 Non- rhizosphere	根际 Rhizosphere	非根际 Non- rhizosphere	根际 Rhizosphere	非根际 Non- rhizosphere	根际 Rhizosphere	非根际 Non- rhizosphere
白三叶草 Trifolium repens	1.87 ± 0.20 ^a	1.62 ± 0.16 ^a	0.69 ± 0.04 ^b	0.58 ± 0.08 ^b	12.24 ± 0.85 ^a	10.28 ± 0.71 ^a	53.45 ± 2.35 ^a	50.09 ± 2.52 ^a
紫花苜蓿 Medicago sativa	1.86 ± 0.16 ^a	1.63 ± 0.15 ^a	0.70 ± 0.04 ^b	0.59 ± 0.03 ^b	11.91 ± 0.96 ^a	9.66 ± 0.54 ^a	48.78 ± 2.60 ^b	45.35 ± 1.53 ^b
高羊茅 Festuca arundincea	0.78 ± 0.10 ^c	0.59 ± 0.11 ^c	0.65 ± 0.03 ^b	0.54 ± 0.02 ^b	6.93 ± 0.94 ^c	4.24 ± 0.39 ^c	48.56 ± 1.45 ^b	46.31 ± 2.50 ^b
玉米秸 Corn stalks	1.22 ± 0.12 ^b	1.05 ± 0.16 ^b	0.86 ± 0.07 ^a	0.73 ± 0.07 ^a	9.17 ± 0.98 ^b	7.05 ± 0.67 ^b	27.02 ± 1.55 ^c	24.62 ± 1.81 ^c
小麦秸 Wheat straw	1.20 ± 0.13 ^b	1.02 ± 0.14 ^b	0.87 ± 0.06 ^a	0.72 ± 0.03 ^a	9.07 ± 0.77 ^b	6.92 ± 0.54 ^b	25.23 ± 1.78 ^c	22.53 ± 1.26 ^cd
禾本科杂草 Gramineal weeds	1.17 ± 0.10 ^b	0.98 ± 0.16 ^b	0.88 ± 0.03 ^a	0.74 ± 0.05 ^a	9.18 ± 0.62 ^b	6.88 ± 0.25 ^b	24.90 ± 1.06 ^c	20.97 ± 1.72 ^d
对照 Control	0.53 ± 0.09 ^c	0.42 ± 0.15 ^c	0.62 ± 0.04 ^b	0.57 ± 0.07 ^b	5.99 ± 0.54 ^c	4.38 ± 0.68 ^c	11.18 ± 1.90 ^d	10.77 ± 2.34 ^e