Effect of long-term organic and mineral fertilizer on physical properties in root zone of a clayey Ultisol. Issue 6 (2nd June 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bassouny, Mohamed; Chen, Jiazhou
• Is Part Of: Archives of agronomy and soil science. Volume 62:Issue 6(2016)
• Page Start: 819
• Page End: 828
• Publication Date: 2016-06-02
• Subjects: Bulk density -- hydraulic properties -- penetration resistance -- soil organic carbon -- soil water content; Horticulture -- Periodicals; Soils -- Periodicals; 630.5
• DOI: 10.1080/03650340.2015.1085649
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0365-0340

Abstract

ABSTRACT: To explore the effects of long-term organic and mineral fertilization practices on the physical properties in Ultisol of south China, a study was conducted since 1998 to investigate the effects of a control (CK), application of chemical fertilizers (NPK), application of organic manure (OM), and NPK fertilizer plus straw returning (NPK + straw). Results showed that OM significantly increased soil water retention capacity at all tensions but with larger increment in low tension at depths of 0–10 cm and 10–20 cm ( p < 0.05) when compared with the CK. On the contrary, NPK and NPK + straw led to a decrease in soil water retention capacity under chemical treatments. In the field both in wet and dry periods, soil water content was significantly higher in OM than in NPK + straw and NPK ( p < 0.05) since soil hydraulic conductivity (saturated and unsaturated) are lower in OM than in other treatments ( p < 0.05). OM was also found to have the lowest soil bulk density and penetration resistance of the four treatments. A high negative correlation was observed between the soil organic carbon and the bulk density and the penetration resistance ( p < 0.01). In this way, the application of OM improved the clayey soil physical properties.