Study

Effects of contrasting soil management regimes on total and labile soil organic carbon fractions in a loess soil in China

  • Published source details Yang X., Ren W., Sun B. & Zhang S. (2012) Effects of contrasting soil management regimes on total and labile soil organic carbon fractions in a loess soil in China. Geoderma, 177-178, 49-56.

Actions

This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

Action Category

Amend the soil using a mix of organic and inorganic amendments

Action Link
Soil Fertility
  1. Amend the soil using a mix of organic and inorganic amendments

    A controlled experiment from 1990 to 2010 on silt clay loam in Shaanxi, China (Yang et al. 2012) found highest organic carbon levels in cropped plots treated with nitrogen/phosphorus/potassium (NPK) and 20.6 t/ha manure treatment (13.88 g/kg). Levels were similar in the remaining treatments but higher than in the untreated control (by 34-45%). Microbial biomass was higher under mixed amendments (466 mg C/kg) compared to nitrogen/phosphorus (211 mg C/kg), NPK (247 mg C/kg) and the control (161 mg C/kg).  Three management treatments included land abandonment, bare fallow (both in 14 x 7 m plots) and a wheat Triticum aestivum-maize Zea mays system (14 x14 m plots). Within the wheat-maize system were fertilizer treatments: control (no addition), nitrogen only, nitrogen/potassium, phosphorus/potassium, nitrogen/phosphorus, NPK, NPK plus straw, NPK plus 13.7 t/ha manure, NPK plus 20.6 t/ha manure. All fertilizers were incorporated into the soil to 20 cm depth. Soils were sampled to 20 cm depth at the end of the experiment.

     

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