Abstract:
Objectives In recent years, acidification of yellow-cinnamon soil has posed a significant threat to the profitability and sustainability of soybean production in southern Henan Province. This study investigated changes in soil properties following acidification and assessed the effects of different degrees of acidification on soybean growth and yield.
Methods A pot experiment was conducted in Xinxiang, Henan Province. Seven soil treatments with initial pH values of 3.5, 3.7, 4.0, 4.4, 4.8, 5.3, and 5.7 were established by adding different amounts of ferrous sulfate and plant ash to the soil. Soybean plant height was measured at 16, 25, 35, 45, 55, 71, and 93 days after emergence (DAE). Aboveground biomass and grain yield were determined at harvest. Soil samples were collected at 25, 46, 68, and 89 DAE and at harvest to determine exchangeable and available nutrient contents and the activities of related soil enzymes. The Gompertz equation was used to model the relationships of soybean grain yield and biomass with soil pH. The soil pH values corresponding to 95% (pH95), 50% (pH50), and 5% (pH5) of the maximum grain yield and biomass, as well as the sensitive pH values, were calculated.
Results With increasing soil acidification, exchangeable acidity and ammonium nitrogen content increased, whereas base cation, available phosphorus, readily available potassium, and nitrate nitrogen contents decreased. Concurrently, polyphenol oxidase activity increased, whereas acid phosphatase and catalase activities decreased. Soybean biomass and grain yield increased significantly with increasing soil pH, with maximum increases of 60.60% and 59.85%, respectively. Gompertz modeling showed that the soil pH values corresponding to 95%, 50%, and 5% of the maximum grain yield were 5.23, 3.64, and 2.74, respectively, with a sensitive pH value of 3.41. For biomass, the corresponding pH values were 5.38, 3.60, and 2.61, respectively, with a sensitive pH value of 3.35.
Conclusions Acidification of yellow-cinnamon soil in southern Henan increased exchangeable acidity and ammonium nitrogen content, while decreasing base cation, available phosphorus, readily available potassium, and nitrate nitrogen contents. It also reduced soil organic matter stability and deteriorated the microbial environment, ultimately weakening the soil's capacity to retain and supply nutrients. A soil pH of 5.23 is the critical lower limit to achieve 95% of maximum soybean grain yield.