Changes and availability of P fractions following 65 years of P application to a calcareous soil in a Mediterranean climate

The fate and availability of P derived from granular fertilisers in an alkaline Calcarosol soil were examined in a 65-year field trial in a semi-arid environment (annual rainfall 325 mm). Sequential P fractionation was conducted in the soils collected from the trial plots receiving 0–12 kg P ha⁻¹crop⁻¹, and the rhizosphere soil after growing wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv. Yitpi) and chickpea (Cicer arietinum L. cv. Genesis 836) for one or two 60-day cycles in the glasshouse. Increasing long-term P application rate over 65 years significantly increased all inorganic P (Pi) fractions except HCl–Pi. By contrast, P application did not affect or tended to decrease organic P (Po) fractions. Increasing P application also increased Olsen-P and resin-P but decreased the P buffer capacity and sorption maxima. Residual P, Pi and Po fractions accounted for an average of 32, 16 and 52% of total P, respectively. All soil P fractions including residual P in the rhizosphere soil declined following 60-day growth of either wheat or chickpea. The decreases were greater in soils with a history of high P application than low P. An exception was water-extractable Po, which increased following plant growth. Changes in various P fractions in the rhizosphere followed the same pattern for both plant species. Biomass production and P uptake of the plants grown in the glasshouse correlated positively with the residual P and inorganic fractions (except HCl–Pi) but negatively with Po in the H₂O-, NaOH- and H₂SO₄-fractions of the original soils. The results suggest that the long-term application of fertiliser P to the calcareous sandy soil built up residual P and non-labile Pi fractions, but these P fractions are potentially available to crops.     

Variation in Yield Gap Induced by Nitrogen,Phosphorus and Potassium Fertilizer in North China Plain

A field experiment was conducted under a wheat-maize rotation system from 1990 to 2006 in North China Plain (NCP) to determine the effects of N, P and K on yield and yield gap. There were five treatments: NPK, PK, NK, NP and a control. Average wheat and maize yields were the highest in the NPK treatment, followed by those in the NP plots among all treatments. For wheat and maize yield, a significant increasing trend over time was found in the NPK-treated plots and a decreasing trend in the NK-treated plots. In the absence of N or P, wheat and maize yields were significantly lower than those in the NPK treatment. For both crops, the increasing rate of the yield gap was the highest in the P omission plots, i.e., 189.1 kg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ for wheat and 560.6 kg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ for maize. The cumulative omission of P fertilizer induced a deficit in the soil available N and extractable P concentrations for maize. The P fertilizer was more pivotal in long-term wheat and maize growth and soil fertility conservation in NCP, although the N fertilizer input was important for both crops growth. The crop response to K fertilizers was much lower than that to N or P fertilizers, but for maize, the cumulative omission of K fertilizer decreased the yield by 26% and increased the yield gap at a rate of 322.7 kg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹. The soil indigenous K supply was not sufficiently high to meet maize K requirement over a long period. The proper application of K fertilizers is necessary for maize production in the region. Thus, the appropriate application of N and P fertilizers for the growth of both crops, while regularly combining K fertilizers for maize growth, is absolutely necessary for sustainable crop production in the NCP.     

Growth response of Pinus radiata to multiple applications of nitrogen fertilizer and evaluation of the quantity of added nitrogen remaining in the forest system

Over a period of nine years, 922 kg ha^-1 of N was added in eight applications to a 16 year old P. radiata stand in a low rainfall area in north-east Tasmania, Australia. Fertilizing lifted current annual increment from 8.5 m³ha^-1 for the unfertilized plots, to 31 m³ha^-1. Increased growth was associated with improved health of the trees. Biomass measurements showed that there was a large increase in needle retention as well as needle mass on the fertilized trees. Concentration of N was also higher in fertilized trees. Fertilized plots contained 467 kg ha^-1 more N than unfertilized plots. This represented about 50 percent of the N applied. Most of this extra N was in the forest crop and in the surface 10 cm of the soil. There was no increase in organic carbon in the surface soil with the result that the C/N ratio was reduced from a very high 28 to 17.Despite the high growth rates attained in the N fertilized plots, the failure to increase soil organic matter and the loss from the site of much of the applied N indicated that long term improvement of growth of these low rainfall sites was unlikely. Growth would only be maintained with continued N fertilizer additions.     

Phosphorus budget of a 70-year-old northern hardwood forest

Recent measurements have made it possible to revise and improve the phosphorus budget of the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, including partitioning P uptake by vegetation from the forest floor and mineral soil and estimating net P mineralization in the forest floor. Both living biomass and forest floor are accumlating P (at rates of 1.3 and 0.16 kg P ha^-1 yr^-1 respectively) in this 70-yr old northern hardwood forest. About 61% of the P taken up by the vegetation each year comes from the forest floor (5.9 kg P ha^-1 yr^-1 of a total 9.6 kg P ha^-1 yr^-1), even though the P content of this pool is just 5% of that in mineral soil. The turnover rate of P in the forest floor is 7% yr^-1, while that of the mineral soil is 0.3% yr^-1. Recycling of P in the forest floor is very efficient; of the 5.6 kg P ha^-1 yr^-1 net mineralization in the forest floor, only 0.3 kg P ha^-1 leaches into the mineral soil; the rest is taken up by plants. This tight recycling of P is important because P is less readily available in the mineral soil than in the forest floor.     

Greenhouse gas fluxes from an Australian subtropical cropland under long‐term contrasting management regimes

The long‐term effects of conservation management practices on greenhouse gas fluxes from tropical/subtropical croplands remain to be uncertain. Using both manual and automatic sampling chambers, we measured N₂O and CH₄ fluxes at a long‐term experimental site (1968–present) in Queensland, Australia from 2006 to 2009. Annual net greenhouse gas fluxes (NGGF) were calculated from the 3‐year mean N₂O and CH₄ fluxes and the long‐term soil organic carbon changes. N₂O emissions exhibited clear daily, seasonal and interannual variations, highlighting the importance of whole‐year measurement over multiple years for obtaining temporally representative annual emissions. Averaged over 3 years, annual N₂O emissions from the unfertilized and fertilized soils (90 kg N ha^?1 yr^?1 as urea) amounted to 138 and 902 g N ha^?1, respectively. The average annual N₂O emissions from the fertilized soil were 388 g N ha^?1 lower under no‐till (NT) than under conventional tillage (CT) and 259 g N ha^?1 higher under stubble retention (SR) than under stubble burning (SB). Annual N₂O emissions from the unfertilized soil were similar between the contrasting tillage and stubble management practices. The average emission factors of fertilizer N were 0.91%, 1.20%, 0.52% and 0.77% for the CT‐SB, CT‐SR, NT‐SB and NT‐SR treatments, respectively. Annual CH₄ fluxes from the soil were very small (?200–300 g CH₄ ha^?1 yr^?1) with no significant difference between treatments. The NGGF were 277–350 kg CO₂‐e ha^?1 yr^?1 for the unfertilized treatments and 401–710 kg CO₂‐e ha^?1 yr^?1 for the fertilized treatments. Among the fertilized treatments, N₂O emissions accounted for 52–97% of NGGF and NT‐SR resulted in the lowest NGGF (401 kg CO₂‐e ha^?1 yr^?1 or 140 kg CO₂‐e t^?1 grain). Therefore, NT‐SR with improved N fertilizer management practices was considered the most promising management regime for simultaneously achieving maximal yield and minimal NGGF.     

Nitrogen inputs and losses from New Zealand dairy farmlets, as affected by nitrogen fertilizer application: year one

Inputs and losses of nitrogen (N) were determined in dairy cow farmlets receiving 0, 225 or 360 kg N ha^-1 (in split applications as urea) in the first year of a large grazing experiment near Hamilton, New Zealand. Cows grazed perennial ryegrass/white clover pastures all year round on a free-draining soil. N₂ fixation was estimated (using ¹⁵N dilution) to be 212, 165 and 74 kg N ha^-1 yr^-1 in the 0, 225 and 360 N treatments, respectively. The intermediate N rate had little effect on clover growth during spring but favoured more total pasture cover in summer and autumn, thereby reducing overgrazing and resulting in 140% more clover growth during the latter period.Removal of N in milk was 76,89 and 92 kg N ha^-1 in the 0, 225 and 360 N treatments, respectively. Denitrification losses were low (7–14 kg N ha^-1 yr^-1), increased with N application, and occurred predominantly during winter. Ammonia volatilization was estimated by micrometeorological mass balance at 15, 45 and 63 kg N ha^-1 yr^-1 in the 0, 225 and 360 N treatments, respectively. Most of the increase in ammonia loss was attributed to direct loss after application of the urea fertilizer.Leaching of nitrate was estimated (using ceramic cup samplers at 1 m soil depth, in conjunction with lysimeters) to be 13, 18 and 31 kg N ha^-1 yr^-1 in a year of relatively low rainfall (990 mm yr^-1) and drainage (170–210 mm yr^-1). Drainage was lower in the N fertilized treatments and this was attributed to enhanced evapotranspiration associated with increased grass growth.Nitrate-N concentrations in leachates increased gradually over time to 30 mg L^-1 in the 360 N treatment whereas there was little temporal variation evident in the 0 (mean 6.4 mg L^-1) and 225 (mean 10.1 mg L^-1) N treatments. Thus, the 360 N treatment had a major effect by greatly reducing N₂ fixation and increasing N losses, whereas the 225 N treatment had little effect on N₂ fixation or on nitrate leaching. However, these results refer to the first year of the experiment and further measurements over time will determine the longer-term effects of these treatments on N inputs, transformations and losses.     

Effect of phosphorus fertilizer on A values for soils cropped with winter wheat

The effect of successive annual fertilizer P applications (30 kg P ha⁻¹yr⁻¹) on A values (plant availability) for four soils cropped with winter wheat, was investigated over a four-year period under field conditions in the Southern Plains, USA, using P-32 as a tracer. With successive annual fertilizer P applications, winter wheat dry matter yield and A value increased. This increase was linear for wheat yield on each soil (r²=0.77 to 0.97). For A value, the increase was a positive linear function of residual Bray-I P (r²=0.99 to 1.00) and a negative linear function of P-sorption index of the soil (r²=0.94 to 0.98). This was attributed to the fact that continued fertilizer P applications, by decreasing P-sorption index, increased amounts of available P. Consequently, utilization of fertilizer P decreased with successive applications and A value, thus, represents total soil P availability, including native and residual (carry over) fertilizer P. These results confirm earlier suggestions that the A value may be used as a quantitative measurement of environmental and soil factors influencing P availability.     

Dynamics of phosphorus fractions during fallow with natural vegetation and planted Pueraria phaseoloides in south-western Nigeria

A study was conducted in 1998 and 1999 on a long-term fallow management trial, established in 1989 at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, in the derived savanna of southwestern Nigeria, to quantify P fractions under natural fallow (NF) and a Pueraria cover crop fallow. Plots with previous 1:1, 1:2, and 1:3 crop/fallow ratios before reverting to fallow in either 1998 or 1999 were considered. Biomass accumulation under the two fallow types was comparable and increased linearly with fallow age, reaching slightly above 7 t dry matter ha^–1 after 8 months of fallow. Phosphorus accumulation in the fallow vegetation ranged from 2.1 – 9.1 kg ha^–1 for natural fallow (NF) and from 1.5 – 6.6 kg ha^–1 for Pueraria. Magnesium was also higher under NF (9.1 – 21 kg ha^–1) than under Pueraria (4.4 – 13 kg ha^–1), whereas N, Ca, and K contents were higher in Pueraria biomass than under NF at 1 year after fallow. Pueraria fallow tended to lower soil pH compared with NF. However, plots with less frequent cropping (1:3 crop/fallow ratio) did not have significantly different pH irrespective of the fallow vegetation type. Olsen extractable soil P increased as fallow length increased irrespective of the fallow system and previous crop/fallow ratio. For example, under NF (0–5 cm depth, 1:1 crop/fallow ratio in1998) Olsen P increased from 12 mg kg^–1 to 17 mg kg^–1 after 1 year of fallow and under Pueraria, it increased from 8 mg kg^–1 to 15 mg kg^–1. Fallow type and previous crop/fallow ratio had no significant and consistent effects on soil P fractions. However, NaOH- and concentrated HCl- extractable organic P fractions increased with fallow length. In 1998, under NF, NaOH- extractable organic P increased from 12 to 21 mg kg^–1 (1:1 crop/fallow ratio) and from 10 to 19 mg kg^–1 for both 1:2 and 1:3 crop/fallow ratio. HCl- extractable organic P increased from 11 to 30 mg kg^–1 (1:1 crop/fallow ratio), from 13 to 27 mg kg^–1 (1:2 crop/fallow ratio) and from 18 to 35 mg kg^–1 (1:3 crop/fallow ratio). Similar trend was observed under Pueraria fallow. These results suggest that P was reallocated to non-readily available organic P fractions irrespective of fallow type and previous land use. These organic P fractions, which are usually more stable, reflect the overall change in soil organic P levels when the soil was stressed by cultivation and then reverted to fallow. These pools may thus represent an active reservoir (source and sink) of P in shifting cultivation under tropical conditions without inorganic fertilizer application.     

Bioavailability of slowly cycling soil phosphorus: major restructuring of soil P fractions over four decades in an aggrading forest

Although low solubility and slow cycling control P circulation in a wide range of ecosystems, most studies that evaluate bioavailability of soil P use only indices of short-term supply. The objective here is to quantify changes in P fractions in an Ultisol during the growth of an old-field pine forest from 1957 to 2005, specifically changes with organic P (Po) and with inorganic P (Pi) associated with Fe and Al oxides as well as Ca compounds. Changes in soil P were estimated from archived mineral soil samples collected in 1962 shortly after pine seedlings were planted, and on six subsequent occasions (1968, 1977, 1982, 1990, 1997, and 2005) from eight permanent plots and four mineral soil layers (0–7.5, 7.5–15, 15–35, and 35–60 cm). Despite the net transfer of 82.5 kg ha⁻¹ of P from mineral soil into tree biomass and O horizons, labile soil P was not diminished, as indexed by anion exchange resins, and NaHCO₃ and Mehlich III extractants. An absence of depletion in most labile P fractions masks major restructuring of soil P chemistry driven by ecosystem development. During 28 years of forest growth, decreases were significant and substantial in slowly cycling Po and Pi associated with Fe and Al oxides and Ca compounds, and these accounted for most of the P supplied to biomass and O horizons, and for buffering labile soil fractions as well. Changes in soil P are attributed to the P sink strength of the aggrading forest (at 2.9 kg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ over 28 years); legacies of fertilization, which enriched slowly cycling fractions of Po and Pi; and the changing biogeochemistry of the soil itself.     

Mutualistic functioning of indigenous arbuscular mycorrhizae in spring barley and winter wheat after cessation of long-term phosphate fertilization

 The influence of 23 years of phosphorus (P) application at three annual rates of 0, 17.5 and 52.5 kg ha^–1 on arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal colonization was studied 10 years after the fertilization treatment ended. The annual application of 52.5 kg ha^–1 was about twice the annual crop P extraction and after 23 years had resulted in a measured increase of 23% in the soil total-P concentration. After 10 and 11 years without fertilization, the total mycorrhizal and arbuscular colonization of the plots previously fertilized at this high rate were still significantly lower than in the plots subjected to the 0 and 17.5 kg ha^–1 rates. Plots previously fertilized annually at the rate of 52.5 kg ha^–1 also had a lower benefit : cost ratio for the symbiosis between AM fungi and plants. Furthermore, P-use efficiency was lower in these plots, although no decrease in total dry matter production was found. Accepted: 13 October 2000     

Soil nitrogen mineralization in plantations ofJuglans nigra interplanted with actinorhizalElaeagnus umbellata orAlnus glutinosa

Nitrogen mineralization rates were estimated in 19-year-old interplantings of black walnut (Juglans nigra L.) with dinitrogen fixing autumn-olive (Elaeagnus umbellata Thunb.) or black alder (Alnus glutinosa L. Gaertn.) and in pure walnut plantings at two locations in Illinois USA. N mineralization rates were measured repeatedly over a one year period usingin situ incubations of soil cores in oxygen-permeable polyethylene bags at 0–10 and 10–20 cm soil depths, and also by burying mixed-bed ion-exchange resin in soil. Mineralization rates were highest in summer and in plots containing actinorhizal Elaeagnus and Alnus in contrast with pure walnut plots. Elaeagnus plots at one location yielded 236 kg of mineral N ha^–1 yr^–1 in the upper 20 cm of soil, a value higher than previously reported for temperate decidous forest soils in North America. The highest mean plot values for N mineralization in soil at a location were 185 kg ha^–1 yr^–1 for Alnus interplantings and 90 kg ha^–1 yr^–1 for pure walnut plots. Plots which had high N mineralization rates also had the largest walnut trees. Despite low pH (4.1 and 6.5) and low extractable P concentrations (1.4 and 0.7 mg kg^–1 dry mass) at the two locations, nitrification occurred in all plots throughout the growing season. NO ₃ ^– –N was the major form of mineralized N in soil in the actinorhizal interplantings, with NH ₄ ⁺ –N being the major form of mineral N in control plots. Walnut size was highly correlated with soil nitrogen mineralization, particularly soil NO ₃ ^– –N production in a plot.     

Effect of phosphorus,potassium and zinc fertilizers on iron toxicity in wetland rice (Oryza sativa L.)

During the period January–August 1996, an investigation was carried out in La Mata, Cotuí, Dominican Republic with the objective to study the effect of P, K and Zn fertilizers on Fe toxicity in the rice varieties JUMA-57 (sensitive to Fe toxicity), ISA-40 and PSQ-4 (both tolerant to Fe toxicity). The rate of fertilizer application was 22 and 62 kg P ha^–1; 58 and 116 kg K ha^–1; 3 and 7 kg Zn ha^–1 and a constant dose of 140 kg N ha^–1 and 40 kg S ha^–1 on all fertilized plots. The control received no fertilizer. JUMA-57 was the only variety that showed symptoms of Fe toxicity. The observed symptoms showed a yellow to orange colour. Symptoms of Fe toxicity appeared first one week after transplanting (WAT), decreased at the fourth WAT, but returned six WAT and continued until the end of the experiment. Fertilizer application reduced symptom intensity and increased grain yield in all varieties, but only JUMA-57 did not reach the maximum yield typical for that variety. Fertilizer application did not completely overcome the toxicity effect, i.e. in symptom intensity and grain yield. The positive effect of fertilizer application could not be attributed to a specific nutrient. Intensity of symptoms was not related to Fe concentration in the leaves. The average Fe concentration of 108 mg kg^–1 was not high enough to be considered toxic. Symptoms could not be explained through Mn toxicity (average Mn concentration in the leaves was 733 mg kg^–1) nor Zn deficiency (average Zn concentration in the leaves was 20 mg kg^–1). There was a clear relationship, though, between soil DTPA extractable Fe and symptom intensity or grain yield. The toxic effect was observed when the DTPA extractable Fe in the flooded soil was above 200 mg kg^–1. From these results, we concluded that the Fe toxicity resulted from high Fe in the root zone and not from high Fe concentrations in the leaves.     

Primary production and carbon allocation in relation to nutrient supply in a tropical experimental forest

Nutrient supply commonly limits aboveground plant productivity in forests, but the effects of an altered nutrient supply on gross primary production (GPP) and patterns of carbon (C) allocation remain poorly characterized. Increased nutrient supply may lead to a higher aboveground net primary production (ANPP), but a lower total belowground carbon allocation (TBCA), with little change in either aboveground plant respiration (APR) or GPP. Alternatively, increases in nutrient supply may increase GPP, with the quantity of GPP allocated aboveground increasing more steeply than the quantity of GPP allocated belowground. To examine the effects of an elevated nutrient supply on the C allocation patterns in forests, we determined whole‐ecosystem C budgets in unfertilized plots of Eucalyptus saligna and in adjacent plots receiving regular additions of 65 kg N ha^?1, 31 kg P ha^?1, 46 kg K ha^?1, and macro‐ and micronutrients. We measured the absolute flux of C allocated to the components of GPP (ANPP, TBCA and APR), as well as the fraction of GPP allocated to these components. Fertilization dramatically increased GPP. Averaged over 3 years, GPP in the fertilized plots was 34% higher than that in the unfertilized controls (3.95 vs. 2.95 kg C m^?2 yr^?1). Fertilization‐related increases in GPP were allocated entirely aboveground – ANPP was 85% higher and APR was 57% higher in the fertilized than in the control plots, while TBCA did not differ significantly between treatments. Carbon use efficiency (NPP/GPP) was slightly higher in the fertilized (0.53) compared with the control plots (0.51). Overall, fertilization increased ANPP and APR, and these increases were related to a greater GPP and an increase in the fraction of GPP allocated aboveground.     

High retention of 15N‐labeled nitrogen deposition in a nitrogen saturated old‐growth tropical forest

The effects of increased reactive nitrogen (N) deposition in forests depend largely on its fate in the ecosystems. However, our knowledge on the fates of deposited N in tropical forest ecosystems and its retention mechanisms is limited. Here, we report the results from the first whole ecosystem ¹⁵N labeling experiment performed in a N‐rich old‐growth tropical forest in southern China. We added ¹⁵N tracer monthly as ¹⁵NH₄¹⁵NO₃ for 1 year to control plots and to N‐fertilized plots (N‐plots, receiving additions of 50 kg N ha^?1 yr^?1 for 10 years). Tracer recoveries in major ecosystem compartments were quantified 4 months after the last addition. Tracer recoveries in soil solution were monitored monthly to quantify leaching losses. Total tracer recovery in plant and soil (N retention) in the control plots was 72% and similar to those observed in temperate forests. The retention decreased to 52% in the N‐plots. Soil was the dominant sink, retaining 37% and 28% of the labeled N input in the control and N‐plots, respectively. Leaching below 20 cm was 50 kg N ha^?1 yr^?1 in the control plots and was close to the N input (51 kg N ha^?1 yr^?1), indicating N saturation of the top soil. Nitrogen addition increased N leaching to 73 kg N ha^?1 yr^?1. However, of these only 7 and 23 kg N ha^?1 yr^?1 in the control and N‐plots, respectively, originated from the labeled N input. Our findings indicate that deposited N, like in temperate forests, is largely incorporated into plant and soil pools in the short term, although the forest is N‐saturated, but high cycling rates may later release the N for leaching and/or gaseous loss. Thus, N cycling rates rather than short‐term N retention represent the main difference between temperate forests and the studied tropical forest.     

Mineralization of nitrogen in long-term pasture soils: effects of management

A field incubation technique with acetylene to inhibit nitrification was used to estimate net N mineralization rates in some grassland soils through an annual cycle. Measurements were made on previously long-term grazed pastures on a silty clay loam soil in S.W. England which had background managements of +/– drainage and +/– fertilizer (200 kg N ha^–1 yr^–1). The effect of fertilizer addition on mineralization during the year of measurement was also determined. Small plots with animals excluded, and with herbage clipped and removed were used as treatment areas and measurements were made using an incubation period of 7 days at intervals of 7 or 14 days through the year. Soil temperature, moisture and mineral N contents were also determined. Mineralization rates fluctuated considerably in each treatment. Maximum daily rates ranged from 1.01 to 3.19 kg N ha^–1, and there was substantial net release of N through the winter period (representing, on average, 27% of the annual release). Changes in temperature accounted for 35% of the variability but there was little significant effect of soil moisture. Annual net release of N ranged from 135 kg ha^–1 (undrained soil, no previous or current fertilizer) to 376 (drained soil, +200 kg N ha^–1 yr^–1 previous and current fertilizer addition). Addition of fertilizer N to a previously unfertilized sward significantly increased the net release of N but there was no immediate effect of withholding fertilizer on mineralization during the year in which measurements were made.     

Cadmium status of soils and plants from a long-term fertility experiment in southeast Norway

To determine whether the use of phosphate fertilizer resulted in measurable cadmium accumulation in soils and crops harvested, soil and plant samples were collected from some selected treatments of a seventy year-old fertilizer experiment at Møystad, southeast Norway. Soil samples after extraction with Aqua Regia or 1M NH₄NO₃ and plant samples after digestion were analyzed for Cd. Cadmium balance based on fertilizer and atmospheric inputs and crop removal and leaching losses was worked out. Neither the total nor the available (NH₄NO₃-extractable) Cd in the soil was significantly affected by Cd added through fertilizer, though a tendency of higher Cd in soils from the plots receiving higher amounts of fertilizer was seen. The same trend was also observed for the Cd concentration in plants. Annual Cd input rates (fertilizer and atmosphere) varied from 1.20 to 2.57 g Cd ha^-1 y^-1 and the Cd removal (crops and leaching) rates varied from 1.16 to 1.79 g Cd ha^-1 y^-1. The balance calculations based on the seventy years data indicated Cd accumulation in the soil was <1 g Cd ha^-1 y^-1, but that increasing the doses of either commercial fertilizer or farm yard manure would likely result in increased accumulation of the element. This may have a negative impact because the available soil Cd content would be increased at a faster rate, resulting in increased plant uptake. Although Cd tended to accumulate as a result of P fertilization, the rate of increase was slow. The annual increase in the total Cd content of fertilized plots varied from 0.04 to 0.12% indicating that it may take from 800 to 2000 years, depending upon the fertilizer input, to accumulate Cd equivalent to that currently present in the soil.     

Crop residue addition effects on myriad forms and sorption of phosphorus in a Vertisol

Crop residues are a vital organic resource and their extensive use in soil management for sustainable agriculture is widely advocated. The effects of soybean residue (SR) and wheat residue (WR) applied alone or in combination with fertilizer P (FP) on dynamics of labile P, distribution of P fractions and P sorption in a Vertisol (Typic Haplustert) were assessed in a 16 week long incubation study. The amount of P added through crop residues, FP or their combination was kept constant at 10 mg P kg(-1) soil. Addition of SR or WR resulted in net increase of labile inorganic (Pi) and organic (Po) P, and microbial P throughout the incubation period, except that the WR decreased labile Pi during the first two weeks due to Pi immobilization. Integration of FP with SR had no added benefit compared to SR alone, while use of FP + WR proved better in ensuring short-term P availability by offsetting initial P immobilization associated with WR alone. Sequential fractionation of soil P at the end of 16 weeks showed that addition of SR and WR alone or in combination with FP favoured a build-up in labile Pi and Po (NaHCO3-Pi and Po), and moderately labile Po (NaOH-Po) fractions at the expense of recalcitrant P (HCl-P). The P sorption capacity of soil and P required to maintain optimum solution P concentration of 0.2 mg P 1(-1) also decreased with addition of these crop residues. The implication of the results of this study is that soybean and wheat residues can potentially improve soil P fertility by increasing labile Pi and Po, and moderately labile Po fractions, decreasing P sorption and concomitantly causing dissolution of recalcitrant P in soil.     

三江平原湿地土壤磷形态转化动态

采用Hedley连续浸提法对三江平原湿地小叶章草甸土壤磷形态的季节动态进行研究,分析生长季土壤磷形态之间的相互转化及其可能的驱动机制。结果表明:小叶章草甸土壤有机磷(TPo)总量高于无机磷(TPi),NaOH溶液浸提的无机磷(NaOH-Pi)和有机磷形态(NaOH-Po)分别占总无机磷(TPi)和总有机磷(TPo)比重最大。各无机磷形态均有明显的季节变化,Resin-P和Conc.HCl-Pi季节变异性大,生长结束后含量较初期降低,其他形态无机磷含量有不同程度的升高。有机磷组分中NaOH-Po的季节波动最明显,生长季末期较初期含量降低,其他有机磷形态和Residual-P生长季初、末期含量变化不大,波动也相对较小。TP、TPo季节变化整体趋势相似,二者含量变化达到极显著相关。各无机磷形态变化主要受植物生长节律影响;水分、热量等环境条件也是磷的形态转化的重要驱动因子,并可能间接通过影响土壤动物、微生物等的活性推动土壤磷的循环。小叶章草甸土壤有机磷矿化释放的无机磷通常都首先被土壤金属氧化物固定,再经过无机磷之间的转化过程为生物利用,因此三江平原湿地土壤磷大量释放的可能性很小。     

Nitrous oxide emissions from a cropped soil in a semi-arid climate

Understanding nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions from agricultural soils in semi‐arid regions is required to better understand global terrestrial N₂O losses. Nitrous oxide emissions were measured from a rain‐fed, cropped soil in a semi‐arid region of south‐western Australia for one year on a sub‐daily basis. The site included N‐fertilized (100 kg N ha^?1 yr^?1) and nonfertilized plots. Emissions were measured using soil chambers connected to a fully automated system that measured N₂O using gas chromatography. Daily N₂O emissions were low (?1.8 to 7.3 g N₂O‐N ha^?1 day^?1) and culminated in an annual loss of 0.11 kg N₂O‐N ha^?1 from N‐fertilized soil and 0.09 kg N₂O‐N ha^?1 from nonfertilized soil. Over half (55%) the annual N₂O emission occurred from both N treatments when the soil was fallow, following a series of summer rainfall events. At this time of the year, conditions were conducive for soil microbial N₂O production: elevated soil water content, available N, soil temperatures generally >25 °C and no active plant growth. The proportion of N fertilizer emitted as N₂O in 1 year, after correction for the ‘background’ emission (no N fertilizer applied), was 0.02%. The emission factor reported in this study was 60 times lower than the IPCC default value for the application of synthetic fertilizers to land (1.25%), suggesting that the default may not be suitable for cropped soils in semi‐arid regions. Applying N fertilizer did not significantly increase the annual N₂O emission, demonstrating that a proportion of N₂O emitted from agricultural soils may not be directly derived from the application of N fertilizer. ‘Background’ emissions, resulting from other agricultural practices, need to be accounted for if we are to fully assess the impact of agriculture in semi‐arid regions on global terrestrial N₂O emissions.     

The effect of nitrogen fertilizer and irrigation on black point incidence in soft white spring wheat

Agronomic studies were conducted to examine the effect of fertilizer N on black point incidence in Fielder soft white spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L. em Thell.). Black point incidence rose with increases in the amount of N supplied either as fertilizer applied during the growing season in irrigation water or as soil N, specifically nitrate, from fertilizer N application in previous years. A comparison of four different irrigation regimes demonstrated that black point incidence was highest under frequent irrigation (irrigate to field capacity at 75% available moisture) and lowest under conventional irrigation (irrigate to field capacity at 50% available soil moisture). In each irrigation regime, disease incidence increased as N rates were raised from 0 to 120 kg ha^-1. A residual fertilizer-N study demonstrated in 1985 and 1986 that black point incidence generally rose with increasing levels of nitrogen from either preplant applications in the spring or soil nitrate from the previous year. However, additions of fertilizer N were shown to slightly reduce black point incidence at soil nitrate levels above 150 kg ha^-1. A two-year fertilizer N study demonstrated that in treatments receiving the same amount (90 kg ha^-1) of fertilizer N, the amount broadcast as a preplant treatment versus the amount applied in irrigation water in a fertigation treatment had no effect on black point incidence, but all fertilized treatments had significantly higher levels of disease than the unfertilized check.Contribution no. 3879016