Abstract:
Objectives Research on the effects of phosphorus fertilizer application and maize-peanut intercropping on soil aggregate splash erosion characteristics under different rainfall intensities, to provide fertilization and cultivation measures for improving soil stability.
Methods From 2010 to 2022, field trials were conducted at the experimental farm of Henan University of Science and Technology using the maize variety 'Zhengdan 958' and peanut variety 'Huayu 16' as experimental materials. Two application levels of P2O5 (P0) and 180 kg/hm2 (P180) were set, along with three planting patterns: maize monoculture (SM), peanut monoculture (SP), and maize-peanut intercropping (M/P), totaling six treatments. After the summer crop harvest in October 2022, soil samples from the 0-20 cm soil layer were collected and subjected to simulated rainfall erosion tests of light rain (0.5 mm/min), moderate rain (1 mm/min), heavy rain (1.5 mm/min), and torrential rain (2 mm/min). During the rainfall process, the eroded aggregates were collected, and after the simulated rainfall ended, the collected eroded aggregates were divided into six particle size grades: >2, 2−1, 1−0.5, 0.5−0.25, 0.25−0.053, and <0.053 mm. After being dried at 105℃ for 24 hours, the weights of each treatment’s soil aggregates were measured, and the average weight diameter (MWD), geometric mean diameter (GMD), enrichment rate of eroded aggregates (ER), terminal velocity (Vi), and rainfall kinetic energy (Ers) were calculated.
Results The application of phosphorus can effectively reduce the amount of soil splash erosion, and intercropping can also significantly reduce the amount of soil splash erosion under torrential rain compared with maize and peanut monoculture. Compared with no phosphorus fertilizer, the application of phosphorus fertilizer increased the mass percentage of soil aggregates with particle size of 0.5−0.25 mm and <0.053 mm by 3.7% and 4.7% respectively. The enrichment rate of 1−0.5 mm aggregate was lower than 1,0.5−0.25 mm and 0.25−0.053 mm aggregate was higher than 1 under different rainfall intensity. Compared with monoculture, intercropping increased the average weight diameter of soil aggregates, but the difference was not significant (P>0.05). Compared with no phosphorus fertilizer, the average weight diameter of soil aggregates was significantly increased by applying phosphorus fertilizer.
Conclusions Long-term application of phosphorus fertilizer can significantly increase the mass proportion of large and medium splash-eroded aggregates in the soil, enhance the stability of splash-eroded aggregates, and thereby significantly reduce soil splash erosion. When combined with maize-peanut intercropping, the effect on enhancing the stability of splash-eroded aggregates is further improved.