Changes of Labile Organic Carbon Fractions in Soils Under Different Rotation Systems

Soil labile (biologically active) organic carbon fractions under different crop rotation systems in Jiangsu Province, China, were investigated after 10 years of rotation. The rotation systems, including green manurerice-rice (GmRR), wheat-rice-rice (WRR), wheat-rice (WR) and wheat/corn intercrop-rice (WCR) rotations,were established on paddy soils using a randomized complete block design with three replicates. The total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN) and water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) in the soils under different systems were greater in the GmRR and WRR than in the WR and WCR rotation systems because the soils under triple cropping often received more crop residues than the soils under double cropping. Both the WSOC and the microbial biomass carbon (MBC) contents in the soils of the GmRR rotation system were significantly greater than those in the other crop rotation systems, which was due to the return of green manure to the fields of the GmRR rotation system. The results of a 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (13C-NMR) analysis indicated that the structural characteristics of soil WSOC were similar under the four crop rotation systems with carbohydrates and long-chain aliphatics being the major components. Correlation analysis showed that the content of the WSOC was positively correlated with that of the MBC (P ＜0.01),and all had significantly positive correlations with TOC and TN. The coefficients of variation (CVs) for WSOC and WSOC/TOC were greater than the other indices (e.g, MBC, TOC and TN), suggesting that WSOC in the soils was more sensitive to these rotation systems. The results above indicated that the soil amended with green manure could not only increase the usable C source for soil microorganisms, but could also enhance soil organic matter content; hence, rotation with green manure would be a good strategy for sustainable agriculture.

Sorption of dissolved organic matter and its effects on the atrazine sorption on soils

The dissolved organic matter(DOM), water soluble organic matter derived from sewage sludge was separated into hydrophobic fraction(Ho) and hydrophilic fraction(Hi). The sorption of DOM and its fractions on soils and the effects of DOM sorption on a nonionic pesticide(atrazine(2-chloro-4-ethylamino-6-isopropylamino-1,3,5-trazine)) distribution between soil and water were investigated using a batch equilibrium technique. The total DOM sorption on soils described by the Langmuir equation reached saturation as the DOM concentration increased. The sorption of Ho fit the Freundlich model. In contrast, a negative retention evidently occurred as adding Hi at higher level in tested soils. The sorption of Ho dominated the total DOM sorption and the release of soil organic matter(SOM). Effects of DOM on the atrazine sorption by soils were DOM-concentration dependent and dominated by the interaction of atrazine, DOM, and soil solids. Generally, the presence of DOM with lower concentration promoted atrazine sorption on soils, namely the apparent partitioning constant(K*_d) for atrazine sorption in the presence of DOM was larger than the distribution constant(K_d) without DOM; whereas the presence of DOM with higher concentration inhibited atrazine sorption(i.e., K*_d<K_d). The overall effects of DOM on atrazine sorption in soils might be related to the DOM sorption and the release of soil intrinsic organic matter into aqueous solution. The sorption of Ho on soils promoted the atrazine sorption on soil, while the release of SOM by Hi and the competitive sorption between Hi and atrazine on soil surface led to a decrease of atrazine sorption. Information provided in this work may contribute to a better understanding of the DOM sorption and its impacts on the contaminant soil-water distribution.

Dynamics of Microbial Biomass in a Rainfed Soil Under Wheat Cultivation

A pot experiment was conducted to determine the dynamics of soil microbial biomass in a rainfed soil under wheat cultivation at the University of Arid Agriculture, Rawalpindi, Pakistan. The treatments applied were: 1) a control (CK), 2) NPK (0.44-0.26-0.18 g pot-1), 3) farmyard manure (FYM, 110 g pot-1), 4)poultry manure (PM, 110 g pot-1), 5) FYM (110 g pot-1) + NPK (0.44-0.26-0.18 g pot-1), 6) poultry manure (PM, 110 g pot-1) + NPK (0.44-0.26-0.18 g pot-1), 7) FYM (110 g pot-1) + NPK(S) (0.44-0.26-0.18 g pot-1, one half of the NPK at sowing and the other half one month after sowing), and 8) PM (110 g pot-1) + NPK(S) (0.44-0.26-0.18 g pot-1, one half of the NPK applied at sowing and the other half one month after sowing). The experiment was laid out using a completely randomized design with three replications. Microbial biomass C, N and P contents increased continuously from the beginning of the experiment up to the three-leaf stage. A slight decline was observed at the tillering stage in all treatments except with the organic manures + NPK(S) treatments. After tillering there was an increase in all treatments to the recorded maximum point at the full heading stage in all treatments except with the organic manures + NPK(S) treatments. In the FYM + NPK(S) and PM + NPK(S) treatments; however, there was a continuous increase in microbial biomass up to the heading stage. At the harvesting stage a sharp decline was noted in all treatments. The C:N ratio of microbial biomass in tested soil ranged from 7.8 to 11.3, while C:P ratio of microbial biomass in the tested soil ranged from 22.6 to 35.1 throughout all growth stages of the wheat crop.