Abstract:
Objectives To investigate the effects of phosphorus application on the content, stock, stoichiometric characteristics of soil carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus and yield in maize and peanut intercropping farmland, and to provide theoretical basis for soil nutrient management and rational fertilization under intercropping system.
Methods From 2010 to 2022, the field randomized area group experiment was conducted in the experimental farm of Henan University of Science and Technology. The experimental treatment consisted of phosphorus (P180, P2O5 180 kg/hm2) and no phosphorus (P0, P2O5 0 kg/hm2), maize monoculture (SM), peanut monoculture (SP) and maize peanut intercropping (M/P), the soil carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus content, stock, stoichiometric characteristics of 0−20 cm and 20−40 cm soil layers and crop yield were analyzed after crop harvest. Crop yield was measured at harvest.
Results There were some difference in carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus content of the soil treated among the three planting methods, the contents of soil carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus were increased 14.2%, 11.3% and 67.8% by applying phosphorus fertilizer compared with the treatment without phosphorus fertilizer. The soil carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus stock were increased by 10.9%, 8.0% and 63.3%. The total output of maize and peanut in intercropping (M/P treatment) increased by 11.7%−112.0% compared with that of single cropping, and the improvement effect of phosphorus application was higher than that of no phosphorus application (P<0.01). The soil C/N of peanut monoculture (SP) was significantly lower than that of intercropping (M/P) and maize monoculture (SM) by 8.8% and 8.6%. Intercropping (M/P) significantly increased soil C/P by 10.8% and 21.3% compared with peanut monoculture (SP) and maize monoculture (SM). Intercropping (M/P) and peanut monoculture (SP) significantly increased soil N/P by 14.4% and 14.8% compared with maize monoculture (SM). Compared with P0, P180 significantly reduced soil C/N in intercropping (M/P treatment) by 2.3%, and significantly reduced soil C/P, N/P by 31.6% and 33.0%. Phosphorus application and planting methods had significant or extremely significant effects on soil carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus content, stock and stoichiometric characteristics as well as crop yield. Soil organic carbon content, stock and C/N were positively correlated, while soil carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus content and stock were negatively correlated with C/P and N/P.
Conclusions Intercropping and phosphorus application can improve the capacity of nutrient supply and storage preservation, improve the stoichiometry characteristics of soil carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus, and the promotion of intercropping and increasing phosphate fertilizer will help to improve soil quality and improve crop yield.