Aggregate-associated changes in nutrient properties,microbial community and functions in a greenhouse vegetable field based on an eight-year fertilization experiment of China

Soil aggregation,microbial community,and functions(i.e.,extracellular enzyme activities;EEAs)are critical factors affecting soil C dynamics and nutrient cycling.We assessed soil aggregate distribution,stability,nutrients,and microbial characteristics within>2,0.25-2,0.053-0.25,and<0.053 mm aggregates,based on an eight-year field experiment in a greenhouse vegetable field in China.The field experiment includes four treatments:100%N fertilizer(CF),50%substitution of N frtilizer with manure(M),straw(S),and manure plus straw(MS).The amounts of nutrient(N,P20,and K20)input were equal in each treatment.Results showed higher values of mean weight diameter in organic amended soils(M,MS,and S,2.43-2.97)vs.CF-amended soils(1.99).Relative to CF treatment,organic amendments had positive effects on nutrient(i.e.,available N,P,and soil organic C(SOC))conditions,microbial(e.g,bacterial and fungal)growth,and EEAs in the>0.053 mm aggregates,but not in the<0.053 mm aggregates.The 0.25-0.053 mm aggregates exhibited better nutrient conditions and hydrolytic activity,while the<0.053 mm aggregates had poor nutrient conditions and higher oxidative activity among aggregates,per SOC,available N,available P,and a series of enzyme activities.These results indicated that the 0.25-0.053 mm(<0.053 mm)aggregates provide suitable microhabitats for hydrolytic(oxidative)activity.Interestingly,we found that hydrolytic and oxidative activities were mainly impacted by fertilization(58.5%,P<0.01)and aggregate fractions(50.5%,P<0.01),respectively.The hydrolytic and oxidative activities were significantly(P<0.01)associated with nutrients(SOC and available N)and pH,electrical conductivity,respectively.Furthermore,SOC,available N,and available P closely(P<0.05)afected microbial communities within>0.25,0.25-0.053,and<0.053 mm aggregates,respectively.These findings provide several insights into microbial characteristics within aggregates under dfferent frilization modes in the greenhouse vegetable production system in China.

Effects of straw addition on increased greenhouse vegetable yield and reduced antibiotic residue in fluvo-aquic soil

Organic manure application is an important measure for high yield and good quality vegetable production, whereas organic manure is also a main source of residual antibiotic in soils. A 3-yr experiment was conducted on a fluvo-aguic soil in Tianjin of northern China. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of different fertilization patterns on yield of six-sea- son vegetables with celery and tomato rotation, and dynamic change of tetracyclines residues in the soil during the sixth growing season （tomato season）. The field experiment comprised six treatments depending on the proportion of nitrogen of each type of fertilizer： 4/4 CN （CN, nitrogen in chemical fertilizer）, 3/4 CN＋1/4 MN （MN, nitrogen in pig manure）, 2/4 CN＋2/4 MN, 1/4 CN＋3/4 MN, 2/4 CN＋1/4 MN＋I/4 SN （SN, nitrogen in corn straw）, and CF （conventional fertilization, the amounts of nitrogen application were 943 and 912 kg N ha-1 for celery and tomato season, respectively）. In addition to CF treatment, the amount of nitrogen application in other treatments was greatly reduced and equal （450 and 450 kg N ha-1 for celery and tomato season, respectively）. Results showed that the combined application of 3/4 CN＋1/4 MN achieved the highest yield and economic benefit in the first four seasons, but addition of straw （2/4 CN＋1/4 MN＋I/4 SN treatment） performed better in the subsequent two seasons, and the average yields of 2/4 CN＋1/4 MN＋I/4 SN treatment were respectively higher by 9.9 and 12.8% than those of 4/4 CN treatment, and by 5.6 and 10.5% than those of CF treatment. The residual chlortet- racycline （CTC） in manure-amended soil for three consecutive years increased along with the increase of applied amount of pig manure. Under the same amount of pig manure application, content of CTC in straw-amended soil was obviously decreased compared with no straw-amended soil （3/4 CN＋1/4 MN treatment）, and averagely decreased by 41.9% for four sampling periods in the sixth season. Addition of crop straw facilitated the degradation of CTC in manure-amended soil. As a whole, the conventional fertilization was not the desirable pattern based on yield, economic benefit and environment, the optimal fertilization pattern with the highest yield and profit and the least soil chlortetracycline residue was the treatment of 2/4 CN＋1/4 MN＋I/4 SN under this experimental condition.

Effect of Multi-parameter Environmental Factors on Cucumber Leaf Surface Wetness

In this study, artificial leaf resistance was used to simulate leaf wetness. Specific to the solar greenhouse environment in Tianjin, microclimate monitoring equipment was installed for the collection of temperature group and humidity group data, as well as solar radiation and leaf wetness in the greenhouse. In order to reduce the complexity of multivariate factor prediction and ensure the richness of selected data types, correlation analysis was made to the 2 groups of data, screening 5 000 groups of data, including the humidity group data RH, RH_(20), RH_(40), temperature group data T, T_(20), T_(40), and solar radiation W. The data were then analyzed by principal component analysis, screening out 4 groups of principal components to show the leaf wetness index.

Effects of Different Drip Irrigation Fertilizers on Nutrient Levels in Celery and Soil under Drip Irrigation

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of different fertilizers on nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium ＇absorption and distribution by celeo, and the changes of soil nutrients in the 0 -40 cm soil layer under drip irrigation, so as to provide a theoretical basis for nutrient management of greenhouse celery culti- vation and special fertilizer development. With celery as an experiment material and the ratio of conventional fertilization as control treatment, the effects of different ratios of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium on nutrient absorption by celery and changes of soil nutrients were investigated by plot experiment in greenhouse. The results showed that the contents and distribution proportions of N and P in leaf were higher than those in stem, while for K, the content and distribution proportion were higher in stem than in leaf. The absorption amount of K was the highest in celery, followed by N, and the absorption amount of P element was the least. The mean ratio of N, P and K in celery was 1：0.556： 1.609. There were evident dynamic changes in contents of soil available nutrients in the 0 -20 cm soil layer in various growth stages of celery under different drip irrigation fertilizers. The contents of soil available nutrients were higher on the 28＇h , 47~ and 83＇h d ＂after fieht planting, while those before field planting and after harvest were lower. So the amounts of soil available nutrients were closely related to the growth stage of celery. In the whole growth period of celery, the mean input amounts of N, P205 and K20 were 805, 1 049 and 916 kg/hm2 , respectively, but the absorption amounts of nutrients by celery were far less than inputs, and the amounts of N, P205 and K20 absorbed by celery＂ were only 23% -26% , 10% and 31% -35% of the appli- cation amounts, respectively. The apparent balance of N, P2 O5 and Kz O were 613,943 and 609 kg/hm2 , respectively, indicating excess fertilization in this experi- ment. Under this experiment condition, Tj （ N： PzOs： K20 = 1 ： 0.63： 1.08） favored increase of celery yield and absorption of nitrogen, phosphorus and petassium by celery. The results will provide a scientific basis for study and utilization of special fertilizer for drip irrigation on celery. Key words Drip irrigation; Fertilizer for drip irrigation; Celery; Soil nutrient; Apparent balance

Comparison of Soil Nutritional Status between Different Muscat Hamburg Vineyards in Coastal Areas of Tianjin

To study the effects of different soil conditions on winter nutrient storage of Muscat Hamburg branches,this study compared the soil texture,bulk density,total salt content and soil K,Ca,Na,Mg and total Fe contents of Muscat Hamburg vineyards in Ninghe District and Hangu District,Binhai New Area of Tianjin and analyzed the soluble sugar and soluble protein contents in one-year-old vine branches. The results showed that the soil p H was lower,and the soil K,Ca and total salt( 0. 445%) contents were higher in the vineyard of Ninghe District than those in the vineyard of Hangu District. There were no significant differences in the soil Mg,Fe and Na contents between the vineyards in the two regions. The soil of the vineyard in Ninghe District is medium loam,and that in Hangu District is heavy loam. In short,all the soil indicators of the vineyard in Ninghe District were better than those in Hangu District except the indicator of soil salt content. The soluble sugar and soluble protein contents of one-year-old vine branches differed significantly between the two regions.

Groundwater Nitrate Contamination and Driving Forces from Intensive Cropland in the North China Plain

High nitrate in groundwater is a serious problem especially in highly active agricultural areas.In this paper,the concentration and spatial distribution of groundwater nitrate in cropland area in the North China Plain were assessed by statistical and geostatistical techniques.Nitrate concentration in groundwater reached a maximum of 526.58 mg/L,and 47.2%,21.33%and 11.13%of samples had levels in excess of nitrate safety threshold concentration(50 mg/L)in shallow,middle-deep and deep groundwater,respectively.And NO-3 content significantly decreased with groundwater depth.Groundwater nitrate concentrations under vegetable area are significantly higher than ones under grain and orchard.And there are great differences in spatial distribution of nitrate in the North China Plain and pollution hotspot areas are mainly in Shandong Province.Based on both multiple regressions combined with principal component analysis(PCA),significant variables for nitrate variation in three types of ground water were found:population per unit area,percentage of vegetable area,percentage of grain crop area,livestock per unit area,annual precipitation and annual mean temperature for shallow groundwater;population per unit area and percentage of vegetable area for middle-deep groundwater;percentage of vegetable area,percentage of grain crop area and livestock per unit area for deep groundwater.

Changes in organic C stability within soil aggregates under different fertilization patterns in a greenhouse vegetable field

Knowledge of the stability of soil organic C(SOC)is vital for assessing SOC dynamics and cycling in agroecosystems.Studies have documented the regulatory effect of fertilization on SOC stability in bulk soils.However,how fertilization alters organic C stability at the aggregate scale in agroecosystems remains largely unclear.This study aimed to appraise the changes of organic C stability within soil aggregates after eight years of fertilization(chemical vs.organic fertilization)in a greenhouse vegetable field in Tianjin,China.Changes in the stability of organic C in soil aggregates were evaluated by four methods,i.e.,the modified Walkley-Black method(chemical method),13C NMR spectroscopy(spectroscopic method),extracellular enzyme assay(biological method),and thermogravimetric analysis(thermogravimetric method).The aggregates were isolated and separated by a wet-sieving method into four fractions:large macroaggregates(>2 mm),small macroaggregates(0.25–2 mm),microaggregates(0.053–0.25 mm),and silt/clay fractions(<0.053 mm).The results showed that organic amendments increased the organic C content and reduced the chemical,spectroscopic,thermogravimetric,and biological stability of organic C within soil aggregates relative to chemical fertilization alone.Within soil aggregates,the content of organic C was the highest in microaggregates and decreased in the order microaggregates>macroaggregates>silt/clay fractions.Meanwhile,organic C spectroscopic,thermogravimetric,and biological stability were the highest in silt/clay fractions,followed by macroaggregates and microaggregates.Moreover,the modified Walkley-Black method was not suitable for interpreting organic C stability at the aggregate scale due to the weak correlation between organic C chemical properties and other stability characteristics within the soil aggregates.These findings provide scientific insights at the aggregate scale into the changes of organic C properties under fertilization in greenhouse vegetable fields in China.