Effects of long-term green manure application on the content and structure of dissolved organic matter in red paddy soil

Dissolved organic matter(DOM) plays important roles in soil biogeochemistry activity and nutrients transportation in soils, but studies regarding the long-term effects of green manures on the content and structure of DOM in red paddy soil have not been reported yet. A long-term green manure experiment established in 1982 was utilized to test the DOM contents in different treatments, and the spectral characteristics of DOM were investigated by using ultraviolet-visible(UV-Vis) spectrometry and Fourier transform infrared(FTIR) spectrometry. The experiment included four cropping systems: ricerice-milk vetch(RRV), rice-rice-rape(RRP), rice-rice-ryegrass(RRG) and rice-rice-winter fallow(RRF), among them, milk vetch, rape, and ryegrass are popular winter green manure species in southern China. The results showed that the content of dissolved organic carbon(DOC), which is widely used to estimate the concentration of DOM, was significantly promoted after the incorporation of green manures compared with the other sampling stages. The contents of aromatic groups and the degree of humification of DOM increased in RRV and RRP, suggesting more complex compositions of the soil DOM after long-term application of milk vetch and rape. The contents of phenol, alcohol and carboxylic acid group at the mature stage of early rice were significantly higher than those at the stage of after green manures turned over, especially for the RRV treatment. The absorption ratio of FTIR indicated that winter plantation of rape increased the aromatic-C/aliphatic-C ratio, and ryegrass increased the aromatic-C/carboxyl-C ratio. In conclusion, long-term planting of milk vetch and rape as green manures increased the degree of aromaticity, humification and average molecular weight of DOM, and made the DOM more stable in red paddy soil.

The effects of soil moisture and salinity as functions of groundwater depth on wheat growth and yield in coastal saline soils

In the coastal saline soils,moisture and salinity are the functions of groundwater depth affecting crop growth and yield.Accordingly,the objectives of this study were to:1)investigate the combined effects of moisture and salinity stresses on wheat growth as affected by groundwater depth,and 2)find the optimal groundwater depth for wheat growth in coastal saline soils.The groundwater depths(0.7,1.1,1.5,1.9,2.3,and 2.7 m during 2013-2014(Y1)and 0.6,1.0,1.4,1.8,2.2,and 2.6 m during 2014-2015(Y2))of the field experiment were maintained by soil columns.There was a positive correlation between soil moisture and salinity.Water logging with high salinity(groundwater depth at 0.7 m in Y1 and 0.6 m in Y2)showed a greater decline towards wheat growth than that of slight drought with medium(2.3 m in Y1)or low salinity(2.7 m in Y1,2.2 and 2.6 m in Y2).The booting stage was the most sensitive stage of wheat crop under moisture and salinity stresses.Data showed the most optimal rate of photosynthesis,grain yield,and flour quality were obtained under the groundwater depth(ditch depth)of 1.9 m(standard soil moisture with medium salinity)and 2.3 m(slight drought with medium salinity)in Y1 and 1.8 m(standard soil moisture with medium salinity)and 2.2 m(slight drought with low salinity)in Y2.The corresponding optimal soil relative moisture content and conductivity with the 1:5 distilled water/soil dilution,in the depth of 0-20 cm and 20-40 cm in coastal saline soils,were equal to 58.67-63.07%and 65.51-72.66%in Y1,63.09-66.70%and 69.75-74.72%in Y2;0.86-1.01 dS m^-1 and 0.63-0.77 dS m^-1 in Y1,0.57-0.93 dS m^-1 and 0.40-0.63 dS m^-1 in Y2,respectively.

Effects of nitrogen management on the ratoon crop yield and head rice yield in South USA

Ratoon rice cropping is an important component of the rice cropping system in Texas and south Louisiana,USA,and expanded to Asian countries in 1970.Two field studies were conducted with widely planted rice(Oryza sativa L.)cultivars at Eagle Lake,Texas,USA to determine the effects of nitrogen(N)management in main(first)crop(MC)and ratoon(second)crop(RC)on RC yield.In 2012 and 2013,one cultivar(Presidio)was adopted to determine the effects of RC N management on ratoon yield and head rice yield.In 2016 and 2017,CL153,CL163 and CL272 in addition to Presidio were adopted to examine the effect of MC N management on ratoon yield and head rice yield.N applied at preflood after MC harvest considerably improved RC yield.Application of 99 kg N ha^(–1)at preflood after MC harvest was practically adequate for RC regrowth,development and approaching the yield potential for Presidio.RC could produce quite high average grain yields of 5.90 to 6.53 t ha–1 in 2012 and 2013,respectively.Main crop N rate only significantly affected MC yield;however,given N applied of 99 kg ha^(–1)at preflood after MC harvest,ratoon yield was not significantly affected by MC N rate.Neither the main nor ratoon crop N management had a significant effect on RC head rice yield.Considerable RC head rice yields(55–65%)were observed in all of the four cultivars and 4 years except for CL272 in 2016.These results indicat that without very high N fertilizer application,rice ratoon crop could produce a considerable grain yield and an expectative head rice yield.Rice ratooning could be a practical way to increase rice yields with the minimal input in south Texas and regions with a similar climate.