Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Vegetable cultivation under greenhouse conditions leads to rapid accumulation of nutrients, acidification and salinity of soils and groundwater contamination in South-Eastern China

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Vegetable cultivation during winter season is economically profitable, but the impact of the intensive production on soil and water quality remains to be studied. The objectives of this study were to investigate the seasonal dynamics of soil nutrients, acidification and salt accumulation in vegetable fields in South-Eastern China. Various vegetables were grown either under open-field conditions or under two different alternating open-field and greenhouse conditions with three replications. Soil samples were collected periodically and analyzed for pH, plant available nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P), potassium (K), electrical conductivity (EC), and urease activity. Water samples from wells located in or near the plots were collected and analyzed for nitrate. Soil nitrate, available phosphate and salt concentrations declined in summer under open-field conditions and significantly increased from December to May under greenhouse conditions. Exchangeable K also decreased in summer season, but did not increase in the spring. Under alternating open-field and greenhouse conditions, nutrient accumulation, soil salinity and acidification were significantly higher for soil used for vegetable cultivation for 2 years (2-y-plot) than that for only half year (0.5-y-plot). The accumulation of nitrate significantly correlated with soil EC and soil acidification. Thirty-two percent of groundwater samples from the 2-y-plot showed a nitrate concentration higher than 50 mg NO3 l−1. Conversely, no groundwater sample of 0.5-y-plot showed such high nitrate concentration. It can be concluded that the nitrate accumulation in soil used for vegetable cultivation under alternating open-field and greenhouse conditions not only causes soil salinization and soil acidification but also presents a high pollution potential for groundwater.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ajwa HA, Dell CJ, Rice CW (1999) Changes in enzyme activities and microbial biomass of tallgrass prairie soil as related to burning and nitrogen fertilization. Soil Biol Biochem 31:769–777. doi:10.1016/S0038-0717(98)00177-1

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Albiach R, Canet R, Pomares F, Ingelmo F (2000) Microbial biomass content and enzymatic activities after the application of organic amendments to a horticultural soil. Bioresour Technol 75:43–48. doi:10.1016/S0960-8524(00)00030-4

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chen Q, Zhang XS, Zhang HY, Christie P, Li XL, Horlacher D et al (2004) Evaluation of current fertilizer practice and soil fertilizer in vegetable production in the Beijing region. Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst 69:51–58. doi:10.1023/B:FRES.0000025293.99199.ff

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Darwish T, Atallah T, Moujabber ME, Khatib N (2005) Salinity evolution and crop response to secondary soil salinity in two agro-climatic zones in Lebanon. Agric Water Manage 78:152–164. doi:10.1016/j.agwat.2005.04.020

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gijsman AJ (1990) Rhizosphere pH along different root zones of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) as affected by source of nitrogen. Plant Soil 124:161–167. doi:10.1007/BF00009254

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gimsing AL, Kirkegaard JA (2006) Glucosinolate and isothiocyanate concentration in soil following incorporation of Brassica biofumigants. Soil Biol Biochem 38:2255–2264. doi:10.1016/j.soilbio.2006.01.024

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • He F, Chen Q, Jiang R, Chen X, Zhang FS (2007) Yield and nitrogen balance of greenhouse tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum Mill.) with conventional and site-specific nitrogen management in Northern China. Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst 77:1–14. doi:10.1007/s10705-006-6275-7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huan HF, Zhou JM, Duan ZQ, Wang HY, Gao YF (2007) Contribution of greenhouse soil nutrients accumulation to the formation of the secondary salinization: a case study of Yixing City, China. Agrochimica LI:1–14

    Google Scholar 

  • Huang SW, Jin JY, Yang LP (2006) Spatial variability of soil nutrients and influencing factors in a vegetable production area of Hebei province in China. Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst 75:201–212. doi:10.1007/s10705-006-9027-9

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ju XT, Kou CL, Zhang FS, Christie P (2006) Nitrogen balance and groundwater nitrate contamination: comparison among three intensive cropping systems on the North China Plain. Environ Pollut 143:117–125. doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2005.11.005

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ju XT, Kou CL, Christie P, Dou ZX, Zhang FS (2007) Changes in the soil environment from excessive application of fertilizers and manures to two contrasting intensive cropping systems on the North China Plain. Environ Pollut 145:497–506. doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2006.04.017

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kessavalou A, Doran JW, Powers WL (1996) Bromide and 15N tracers of nitrate leaching under irrigated corn in central Nebraska. J Environ Qual 25:1008–1014

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li W, Luo HY, Liu JF (1996) The material and energy fluxes in greenhouse ecosystem and the evaluation of its benefits. Ecolog Agric Res 3:53–55 in Chinese

    Google Scholar 

  • Li HL, Han Y, Cai ZC (2003) Nitrogen mineralization in paddy soils of the Taihu region of China under anaerobic conditions: dynamics and model fitting. Geoderma 115:161–175. doi:10.1016/S0016-7061(02)00358-0

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Marschner H, Häussling M, George E (1991) Ammonium and nitrate uptake rates and rhizosphere pH in non-mycorrhizal roots of Norway spruce. Trees Struct Funct 5:14–21 Picea abies (L.) krast

    Google Scholar 

  • Ministry of Agriculture P. R. China (2005) 2004 China Agriculture Statistical Report. China Agriculture Press, Beijing, China

    Google Scholar 

  • Monokrousos N, Papatheodorou EM, Diamantopoulos JD, Stamou GP (2006) Soil quality variables in organically and conventionally cultivated field sites. Soil Biol Biochem 38:1282–1289. doi:10.1016/j.soilbio.2005.09.023

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Morra MJ, Kirkegaard JA (2002) Isothiocyanate release from soil-incorporated Brassica tissues. Soil Biol Biochem 34:1683–1690. doi:10.1016/S0038-0717(02)00153-0

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nakano A, Yamauchi A, Uehara Y (2003) Effects of application of low-sulfate slow-release fertilizer (LSR) on shoot and root growth and fruit yield of tomato. Jpn Agric Res Qual 37:121–127

    Google Scholar 

  • Olfs HW, Blankenau K, Brentrup F, Jasper J, Link A, Lammel J (2005) Soil- and plant-based nitrogen-fertilizer recommendations in arable farming. J Plant Nutr Soil Sci 168:414–431. doi:10.1002/jpln.200520526

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Olsen SR, Cole CV, Watanabe FS, Dean LA (1954) Estimation of available phosphorus in soils by extraction with sodium bicarbonate. US Dep Agric Circ 939:1–19

    Google Scholar 

  • Page AL, Miller RH, Keeney DR (1982) Methods of soil analysis. Part 2. Chemical and microbiological properties, 2nd edn. American Society of Agronomy, Madison, WI, USA

    Google Scholar 

  • Power JF, Schepers JS (1989) Nitrate contamination of groundwater in North America. Agric Ecosyst Environ 26:165–187. doi:10.1016/0167-8809(89)90012-1

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stigter TY, Ooijen SPJ, Post VEA, Applello CAJ, Dill AMMC (1998) A hydrogeological and hydrochemical explanation under irrigated land in a Mediterranean environment, Algarve, Portugal. J Hydrol (Amst) 208:262–279. doi:10.1016/S0022-1694(98)00168-1

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tabatabai MA (1994) Enzyme. In: Weaver RW, Augle S, Bottomly PJ, Bezdicek D, Smith S, Tabatabai A, Wollum A (eds) Methods of soil analysis. Part 2. Microbiological and biochemical properties, No. 5. Soil Science Society of America, Madison, pp 775–833

    Google Scholar 

  • Watson CJ, Stevens RJ, Garrett MK, Mcmurray CH (1990) Efficiency and future potential of urea for temperate grassland. Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst 26:341–357

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wilson CE, Keisling TC, Miller DM, Dillon CR, Frizzell DL, Counce PA (2000) Tillage influence on soluble salt movement in silt loam soils cropped to paddy rice. Soil Sci Soc Am J 14:1771–1776

    Google Scholar 

  • Yan F, Schubert S (2000) Soil pH changes after application of plant shoot materials of faba bean and wheat. Plant Soil 220:279–287. doi:10.1023/A:1004712518406

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yan F, Schubert S, Mengel K (1996) Soil pH changes during legume growth and application of plant material. Biol Fertil Soils 23:236–242. doi:10.1007/BF00335950

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Dr. Hailin Zhang (Oklahoma State University, OK, USA) and anonymous reviewers for valuable comments and suggestions for revising the manuscript. This research was supported by the funding from Knowledge Innovation Project of Chinese Academy of Sciences (KZCX3-SW-439) and Research Program on Soil Biosystems and Agro-Product Safety of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CXTD-Z2005-4).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, 71 East Beijing Road, Nanjing, 210008, P. R. China

    Wei-Ming Shi & Jing Yao

  2. Institute of Crop Science and Plant Breeding, Justus Liebig University, Ludwigstrasse 23, 35390, Gießen, Germany

    Feng Yan

Authors
  1. Wei-Ming Shi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jing Yao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Feng Yan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Wei-Ming Shi.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Shi, WM., Yao, J. & Yan, F. Vegetable cultivation under greenhouse conditions leads to rapid accumulation of nutrients, acidification and salinity of soils and groundwater contamination in South-Eastern China. Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst 83, 73–84 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10705-008-9201-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10705-008-9201-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation