Abstract
We have studied the influence of long-term fertilization on organic C, nutrients, microbial biomass of soil, and grain yield of rice (Oryza sativa L.) after 18 years of inorganic and organic fertilizer application to an infertile paddy field under subtropical conditions. After 18 years of fertilization, soil organic C and total N contents were 9.56~12.17 and 1.01~1.25 g kg−1, which were 190~269% and 135~191% higher than those of the initial soil, respectively. Organic manure application increased soil organic C, total N, available N, and available P contents by 19.2%, 14.4%, 13.2%, and 78.3% on average compared with organic manure-omitted treatments. Phosphorus fertilizer application increased soil available P content more significantly than organic manure application, and it was an average 385% higher than P-omitted treatments. Soil microbial biomass C, N, and rice yield were 48.9%, 33.2%, and 133% higher in organic manure application treatments and 36.8%, 38.8%, and 239% higher in P fertilizer application treatments than organic manure-omitted or P-omitted treatments, respectively. Incorporation of organic manure-enhanced and P fertilizer-enhanced rice yields by 382% compared with the unfertilized treatment and yield increment index was 123% compared with that observed during 1991–1994, implying that organic manure application combined with P fertilizer was needed to ensure high and sustainable productivity. Rice yield was significantly correlated with all soil chemical properties except available K content, and stepwise regression analysis showed that soil available P content was the limiting factor to rice yield.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bajwa MI (1994) Soil potassium status, potash fertilizer usage and recommendations in Pakistan. Potash Review No. 3/1994. Subject 1, 20th suite, Basel: International Potash Institute
Belay A, Claassens AS, Wehner FC (2002) Effect of direct nitrogen and potassium and residual phosphorus fertilizers on soil chemical properties, microbial components and maize yield under long-term crop rotation. Biol Fertil Soils 35:420–427
Bi LD, Zhang B, Liu GR, Li ZZ, Liu YR, Ye C, Yu XC, Lai T, Zhang JG, Yin JM, Liang Y (2009) Long-term effects of organic amendments on the rice yields for double rice cropping systems in subtropical China. Agric Ecos Environ 129:534–541
Boling AA, Tuong TP, Van Keulen H, Bouman BAM, Suganda H, Spiertz JHJ (2010) Yield gap of rainfed rice in farmers’ fields in Central Java, Indonesia. Agric Syst 103:307–315
Bremner JM, Mulvaney CS (1982) Nitrogen - total. In: Page AL, Miller RH, Keeney DR (eds) Methods of Soil Analysis. Part 2: Chemical and Microbiological Properties. American Society of Agronomy, Madison, WI, pp 595–641
Cai TM, Huang KY, Peng ZH, Liao YL, Nie J, Zheng SX, Dai PA (2009) Effects of different application rate of sulphate–potassium magnesium on rice. Hunan Agric Sci 5:58–60
Chu HY, Lin XG, Fujii T, Morimoto S, Yagi K, Hua JL, Zhang JB (2007) Soil microbial biomass, dehydrogenase activity, bacterial community structure in response to long-term fertilizer management. Soil Biol Biochem 39:2971–2976
Dawe D, Dobermann A, Moya P, Abdulrachman S, Singh B, Lal P, Li SY, Lin B, Panaullah G, Sariam O, Singh Y, Swarup A, Tan PS, Zhen QX (2000) How widespread are yield declines in long-term rice experiments in Asia? Field Crops Res 66:175–193
De Datta SK, Mikkelsen DS (1985) Potassium nutrition of rice. In: Munson RD, Sumner ME, Bishop WD (eds) Potassium in Agriculture. American Society of Agronomy, Madison, WI, pp 665–699
Dobermann A, Cassman KG, Sta Cruz PC, Adviento MA, Pampolino MF (1996a) Fertilizer inputs, nutrient balance, and soil nutrient-supplying power in intensive, irrigated rice systems. II: effective soil K-supplying capacity. Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst 46:11–21
Dobermann A, Cassman KG, Sta Cruz PC, Adviento MAA, Pampolino MP (1996b) Fertilizer inputs, nutrient balance, and soil nutrient-supplying power in intensive, irrigated rice systems. III. Phosphorus. Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst 46:111–125
Dobermann A, Cassman KG, Mamaril CP, Sheehy JE (1998) Management of phosphorus, potassium and sulfur in intensive, irrigated lowland rice. Field Crops Res 56:113–138
Dobermann A, Dawe D, Roetter RP, Cassman KG (2000) Reversal of rice yield decline in a long-term continuous cropping experiment. Agron J 92:633–643
FAO (2001) Statistical Databases. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations
Gioacchini P, Nastri A, Marzadori C, Giovannini C, Antisari LV, Gessa C (2002) Influence of urease and nitrification inhibitors on N losses from soils fertilized with urea. Biol Fertil Soils 36:129–135
Gong ZT, Xu Q (1990) Paddy soils. In: Li QK, Sun O (eds) Soils of China. Science Press, Beijing, pp 233–260
Houba VJG, Huijbregts AWM, Wilting P, Novozamsky I, Gort G (1995) Sugar yield, nitrogen uptake by sugar beet and optimal nitrogen fertilization in relation to nitrogen soil analyses and several additional factors. Biol Fertil Soils 19:55–59
Jackson ML (1962) Soil Chemical Analysis. Prentice Hall of India Pvt Ltd, New Delhi
Jenkinson DS, Ladd JN (1981) Microbial biomass in soil: measurement and turnover. In: Paul EA, Ladd JN (eds) Soil Biochemistry, vol 5. Marcel Dekker Inc, New York, pp 451–471
Körschens M (2006) The importance of long-term field experiments for soil science and environmental research—a review. Plant Soil Environ 52:1–8
Lee SB, Lee CH, Jung KY, Park KD, Lee D, Kim PJ (2009) Changes of soil organic carbon and its fractions in relation to soil physical properties in a long-term fertilized paddy. Soil Tillage Res 104:227–232
Liang B, Yang XY, He XH, Zhou JB (2011) Effects of 17-year fertilization on soil microbial biomass C and N and soluble organic C and N in loessial soil during maize growth. Biol Fertil Soils 47:121–128
Li JT, Zhang B (2007) Paddy soil stability and mechanical properties as affected by long-term application of chemical fertilizer and animal manure in subtropical China. Pedosphere 17:568–579
Li ZP, Tang YL, Shi H, Gao KL (1998) Nutrient cycling and balance of paddy fields in different fertilization systems in red soil region of subtropical China. Sci Agric Sin 31:46–54
Li ZP, Wu XC, Chen BY (2007) Changes in transformation of soil organic C and functional diversity of soil microbial community under different land uses. Agric Sci Chin 6:1235–1245
Li ZP, Zhang TL, Han FX, Felix-Henningsen P (2005) Changes in soil C and N contents and mineralization across a cultivation chronosequence of paddy fields in subtropical China. Pedosphere 15:554–562
Li ZP, Zhang TL, Chen BY (2006) Changes in organic carbon and nutrient contents of highly productive paddy soils in Yujiang County of Jiangxi Province, China and their environmental application. Agric Sci Chin 5:522–529
Liu M, Li ZP, Zhang TL, Jiang CY, Che YP (2011) Discrepancy in response of rice yield and soil fertility to long-term chemical fertilization and organic amendments in paddy soils cultivated from infertile upland in subtropical China. Agric Sci Chin 10:259–266
Ma L, Yang LZ, Xia LZ, Shen MX, Yin SX, Li YD (2011) Long-term effects of inorganic and organic amendments on organic carbon in a paddy soil of the Taihu Lake region, China. Pedosphere 21:186–196
Marchesini A, Allieri L, Comotti E, Ferrari A (1988) Long-term effects of quality-compost treatment on soil. Plant Soil 106:253–261
Marinari S, Masciandaro G, Ceccanti B, Grego S (2000) Influence of organic and mineral fertilizers on soil biological and physical properties. Bioresour Technol 72:9–17
Mussgnug F, Becker M, Son TT, Buresh RJ, Vlek PLG (2006) Yield gaps and nutrient balances in intensive, rice-based cropping systems on degraded soils in the Red River Delta of Vietnam. Field Crops Res 98:127–140
Nelson DM, Sommer LE (1975) A rapid and accurate method for estimating organic carbon in soil. Proceeding Indiana Academic Sci 84:456–462
Nieder R, Benbi DK, Scherer HW (2011) Fixation and defixation of ammonium in soils: a review. Biol Fertil Soils 47:1–14
Olsen SR, Cole CV, Watanabe FS, Dean LA (1954) Estimation of Available Phosphorous in Soils by Extraction with Sodium Bicarbonate. US Dept of Agric, Circular, 939
Rasool R, Kukal SS, Hira GS (2008) Soil physical fertility and crop performance as affected by long term application of FYM and inorganic fertilizers. Soil Tillage Res 96:64–72
Saleque MA, Abedin MJ, Bhuiyan NI, Zaman SK, Panaullah GM (2004) Long-term effects of inorganic and organic fertilizer sources on yield and nutrient accumulation of lowland rice. Field Crops Res 86:53–65
Schulten HR, Leinweber P (1991) Influence of long-term fertilization with farmyard manure on soil organic matter: characteristics of particle-size fractions. Biol Fertil Soils 12:81–88
Shen J, Li R, Zhang F, Fan J, Tang C, Rengel Z (2004) Crop yields, soil fertility and phosphorus fractions in response to long-term fertilization under the rice monoculture system on a calcareous soil. Field Crops Res 86:225–238
Tirol-Padre A, Ladha JK, Regmi AP, Bhandari AL, Inubushi K (2007) Organic amendments affect soil parameters in two long-term rice-wheat experiments. Soil Sci Soc Am J 71:442–452
Vance ED, Brookes PC, Jenkinson DS (1987) An extraction method for measuring microbial biomass C. Soil Biol Biochem 19:703–707
Wade LJ, Fukai S, Samson BK, Ali A, Mazid MA (1999) Rainfed lowland rice: physical environment and cultivar requirements. Field Crops Res 64:3–12
Wang WJ, Smith CJ, Chalk PM, Chen D (2001) Evaluating chemical and physical indices of nitrogen mineralization capacity. Soil Sci Soc Am J 65:368–376
Witt C, Dobermann A, Abdulrachman S, Gines HC, Wang GH, Nagarajane R, Satawatananontg S, Thuc T (1999) Internal nutrient efficiencies of irrigated lowland rice in tropical and subtropical Asia. Field Crops Res 63:113–138
Wu XC, Li ZP, Zhang T (2009) Nutrient cycling and balance of paddy fields with different long-term fertilization management in red soil region. Soil 41:377–383
Yan DZ, Wang DJ, Yang LZ (2007) Long-term effect of chemical fertilizer, straw, and manure on labile organic matter fractions in a paddy soil. Biol Fertil Soils 44:93–101
Yin YQ, He MX, Deng MJ (2008) Effects of soil acidification on soil nutrients and quality of flue-cured tobacco and its countermeasures. Chin J Tobacco Sci 29:51–54
Zhong WH, Cai ZC (2007) Long-term effects of inorganic fertilizers on microbial biomass and community functional diversity in a paddy soil derived from quaternary red clay. Appl Soil Ecol 36:84–91
Zhong WH, Cai ZC, Zhong H (2007) Effects of long-term application of inorganic fertilizers on biochemical properties of a rice-planting red soil. Pedosphere 17:419–428
Acknowledgments
This study is jointly supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (no. 40871122) and the funding from the National Basic Research Program of China (no. 2007CB109301).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding authors
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Lv, M., Li, Z., Che, Y. et al. Soil organic C, nutrients, microbial biomass, and grain yield of rice (Oryza sativa L.) after 18 years of fertilizer application to an infertile paddy soil. Biol Fertil Soils 47, 777–783 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-011-0584-y
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-011-0584-y