%0 Journal Article %A CHEN Lin-Kang %A ZHAO Ping %A WANG Ding %A XIANG Rui %A LONG Guang-Qiang %T Non-additive effect of mixed decomposition of maize and potato straw %D 2023 %R 10.17521/cjpe.2022.0339 %J Chinese Journal of Plant Ecology %P 1728-1738 %V 47 %N 12 %X

Aims The mixed decomposition of organic residues is crucial to the material cycle in terrestrial ecosystems. This study focuses on the decomposition process of mixed straw in farmland ecosystems.
Methods In this study, a 6-month litter bag experiment on the decomposition of maize (Zea mays) straw, potato (Solanum tuberosum) straw and maize-potato mixed straw was set up in maize monoculture, potato monoculture and maize-potato intercropping plots respectively. Biolog-Eco microplate method was applied to evaluate the microbial carbon metabolic activity as influenced by straw type and decomposition environment.
Important findings The results showed that the mixture of potato straw and maize straw resulted in a synergistic effect on the decomposition process. The decomposition rate and microbial metabolic activity of mixed straw were higher than those of single straw type, which facilitated the utilization of carbohydrate and carboxylic acid substrates by microorganisms. Such synergistic effect is weakened over time. Random Forest and structural equation modeling showed that soil dissolved organic carbon, nitrate nitrogen, ammonium nitrogen contents and straw carbon to nitrogen ratio were key factors driving straw decomposition. In general, straw decomposition is promoted by straw mixing.

%U https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/10.17521/cjpe.2022.0339