Abstract:
Objectives We studied the apparent balance of soil nutrients under different mulching methods in dryland of central Gansu, to provide a scientific basis for nutrient management under mulching cultivation.
Methods A field experiment was carried out at Dingxi Experimental Station of Gansu Academy of Agricultural Sciences in 2022 and 2023, where the planting system was one crop each year under potato and wheat rotation. The experiment was composed of four treatments: no mulching control (CK), plastic film full mulching (PM), crushed straw mulching and returning to field (SR), and whole straw mulching on strip and returning to field (SM). Potato and wheat samples were collected at harvesting stages for analysis of biomass, nutrient contents. Soil samples were collected at the same time for measurement of available nutrient contents.
Results Compared with CK, all the PM, SR and SM treatments increased the absorption of N, P, and K by potato and wheat, and PM treatment was recorded the highest absorption with the increment of N, P, and K in potato plants by 41.44%, 71.99% and 49.78%, and in wheat plants by 38.37%, 59.70% and 64.59%, respectively. Both SR and SM treatments increased the soil available nutrient contents, and improvement effect in SR treatment was greater than that of SM treatment. In potato season, SR treatment increased available N, P and K in 0−20 cm soil layer by 39.31%, 14.99% and 25.92%, respectively, and increased available P and K in 20−40 cm soil layer by 31.97% and 15.72%, respectively, and in wheat season, increased 0−20 cm soil layer available N and K by 21.36% and 21.16%, increased 20−40 cm soil layer available P and K by 12.03% and 14.29%, increased 40−60 cm soil layer available P and K by 39.46% and 30.67%, respectively. In CK treatment, the apparent balances of soil N and P were in surplus, and that of K was in deficit in two rotation seasons. PM treatment significantly reduced soil N and P surplus by 37.38% and 27.30%, but exaggerated the K deficit by 60.73%, with the actual balance rate of N, P, and K at 48.0%, 106.3%, and −94.1%, respectively. The apparent N and P surpluses of SR treatment were 89.97% and 43.75% higher than CK, while the K deficit was 88.18% lower than CK, with the actual balance rates of N, P, and K at 159.5%, 241.3%, and −7.2%. The apparent N, P, and K of SM treatment were all in surplus, which were 99.19%, 46.27%, and 120.12% higher than CK, with the actual balance rate of 180.6%, 255.7%, and 16.0%.
Conclusions The apparent balance of soil N, and P were in heavily surplus, while that of K was in deficit under the local nutrient management in the potato-wheat rotation system in dryland farmland of central Gansu. Plastic film mulching effectively decreases the P and P surplus but exaggerate the unbalance of K. Straw mulching in full and strip pattern could increase the absorption of N, P and K by crops, the crude protein yield of crops, in spite of that, they still increase the N and P surplus, and alleviates the deficiency of potassium. Therefore, the long-term use of straw mulching in dryland farmland in central Gansu should consider reducing the application rate of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer, and plastic film mulching should pay attention to increasing the application rate of potassium.