Influence of 24 annual applications of fertilisers and/or manure to alfalfa on forage yield and some soil properties under dryland conditions in northern China
Jun Fan A B D , Mingde Hao A B , Sukhdev S. Malhi C , Quanjiu Wang B and Mingbin Huang A BA Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China.
B State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China.
C Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Research Farm, Melfort, Saskatchewan, Canada.
D Corresponding author. Email: fanjun@ms.iswc.ac.cn
Crop and Pasture Science 62(5) 437-443 https://doi.org/10.1071/CP10370
Submitted: 22 November 2010 Accepted: 6 April 2011 Published: 1 June 2011
Abstract
A field experiment was established in 1984 at Changwu, Shaanxi, China, to determine the long-term effects of three annual fertiliser and/or manure treatments [no fertilisation (CK), application of phosphorus (P) fertiliser alone at 26 kg P ha–1, and application of P fertiliser at 26 kg P ha–1 + nitrogen (N) fertiliser at 120 kg N ha–1 + animal manure at 75 Mg ha–1 (PNM)] to alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) on forage dry matter yield (DMY) from 1985 to 2008 (24 growing seasons), and some soil properties (moisture content, and concentration of organic matter, total N, total P and available P in soil) in 2001, 2004 and 2006. Compared with the unfertilised CK, application of fertiliser and/or manure resulted in a significant increase of forage DMY in 19 of 24 years, with a maximum DMY usually in the PNM treatment. Cumulative DMY over 24 years (from 1985 to 2008) increased linearly in all three treatments, and it was higher by 22.72 Mg ha–1 with PNM and only by 7.78 Mg ha–1 with P compared with the CK treatment. Soil moisture contents in deep soil profiles did not differ among treatments in most cases. Soil organic matter, total N, total P and available P in soil increased with fertiliser and/or manure treatments, especially when PNM was applied over a long period. In conclusion, the findings suggest that combined applications of inorganic fertilisers and organic manure to alfalfa can provide substantial benefits in terms of both forage yield and stand longevity, while also improving soil quality on the Loess Plateau of northern China.
Additional keywords: alfalfa, fertiliser, forage yield, manure, nitrogen, phosphorus, soil properties.
References
Berg WK, Cunningham SM, Brouder SM, Joern BC, Johnson KD, Santini J, Volenec JJ (2005) Influence of phosphorus and potassium on alfalfa yield and yield components. Crop Science 45, 297–304.| Influence of phosphorus and potassium on alfalfa yield and yield components.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Berg WK, Cunningham SM, Brouder SM, Joern BC, Johnson KD, Santini J, Volenec JJ (2007) The long-term impact of phosphorus and potassium fertilization on alfalfa yield and yield components. Crop Science 47, 2198–2209.
| The long-term impact of phosphorus and potassium fertilization on alfalfa yield and yield components.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD2sXhtlSltbbF&md5=603ac33f88e1df9c5aef6b5003ac002cCAS |
Chen HS, Shao MA, Li YY (2008) Soil desiccation in the Loess Plateau of China. Geoderma 143, 91–100.
| Soil desiccation in the Loess Plateau of China.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Chen LD, Wang JP, Wei W, Fu BJ, Wu DP (2010) Effects of landscape restoration on soil water storage use in the Loess Plateau region, China. Forest Ecology and Management 259, 1291–1298.
| Effects of landscape restoration on soil water storage use in the Loess Plateau region, China.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Cheng JM, Wan HE, Wang J (2005) Alfalfa growth and its relation with soil water status in Loess hilly and gully region. Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology 16, 435–438. [In Chinese with English abstract]
Collins DBG, Bras RL (2007) Plant rooting strategies in water-limited ecosystems. Water Resources Research 43, W06407
| Plant rooting strategies in water-limited ecosystems.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Fan J, Shao M, Wang QJ, Jones SB, Reichardt K, Cheng CR, Fu XL (2010) Toward sustainable soil and water resources use in China’s highly erodible semi-arid Loess Plateau. Geoderma 155, 93–100.
| Toward sustainable soil and water resources use in China’s highly erodible semi-arid Loess Plateau.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Jia Y, Li FM, Zhang ZH, Wang XL, Guo RY, Siddique KHM (2009) Productivity and water use of alfalfa and subsequent crops in the semiarid Loess Plateau with different stand ages of alfalfa and crop sequences. Field Crops Research 114, 58–65.
| Productivity and water use of alfalfa and subsequent crops in the semiarid Loess Plateau with different stand ages of alfalfa and crop sequences.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Jiang HM, Jiang JP, Jia Y, Li FM, Xu JZ (2006) Soil carbon pool and effects of soil fertility in seeded alfalfa fields on the semi-arid Loess Plateau in China. Soil Biology & Biochemistry 38, 2350–2358.
| Soil carbon pool and effects of soil fertility in seeded alfalfa fields on the semi-arid Loess Plateau in China.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD28XotFyrsr4%3D&md5=ac67a049c45be703da67ee48e068fefaCAS |
Li YS (2002) Productivity dynamic of alfalfa and its effects on water eco-environment. Acta Pedologica Sinica 39, 404–410. [In Chinese with English abstract]
Li YS, Huang MB (2008) Pasture yield and soil water depletion of continuous growing alfalfa in the Loess Plateau of China. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 124, 24–32.
| Pasture yield and soil water depletion of continuous growing alfalfa in the Loess Plateau of China.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Li YY, Shao MA (2005) Degradation process and plant diversity of alfalfa grassland in North Loess Plateau of China. Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology 16, 2321–2327. [In Chinese with English abstract]
Liu GS (Ed.) (1998) ‘Soil physical and chemical analysis and description of soil profiles.’ (Chinese Standard Press: Beijing) [In Chinese]
Lorenz RJ (1977) Changes in root weight and distribution in response to fertilization and harvest treatment of mixed prairie. In ‘The below ground ecosystem’. Range Science Department, Science Series No. 26. (Ed. JK Marshall) pp. 63−71. (Colorado State University: Fort Collins, CO)
Malhi SS, Gill KS (2002) Fertilizer N and P effects on root mass of bromegrass, alfalfa and barley. Journal of Sustainable Agriculture 19, 51–63.
| Fertilizer N and P effects on root mass of bromegrass, alfalfa and barley.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Malhi SS, Zentner R, Heier K (2001) Banding increases effectiveness of fertilizer P for alfalfa production. Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems 59, 1–11.
| Banding increases effectiveness of fertilizer P for alfalfa production.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Malhi SS, Nyborg M, Soon Y (2010) Long-term effects of balanced fertilization on grass forage yield, quality and nutrient uptake, soil organic C and N, and some soil quality characteristics. Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems 86, 425–438.
| Long-term effects of balanced fertilization on grass forage yield, quality and nutrient uptake, soil organic C and N, and some soil quality characteristics.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC3cXjtlaht7Y%3D&md5=6aef31fcca2094e460537e4cc8698452CAS |
Regmi AP, Ladha JK, Pathak H, Pasuquin E, Bueno C, Dawe D, Hobbs PR, Joshy D, Maskey SL, Pandey SP (2002) Yield and soil fertility trends in a 20-year rice-rice-wheat experiment in Nepal. Soil Science Society of America Journal 66, 857–867.
| Yield and soil fertility trends in a 20-year rice-rice-wheat experiment in Nepal.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD38XlslOrurs%3D&md5=aba9c52b69fbaae79cbeae63d61bdec1CAS |
SAS Institute (2004) ‘SAS product documentation. Version 8.’ (SAS Institute: Cary, NC) Available at: http://support.sas.com/documentation/onlinedoc/index.html (accessed 17 July 2009)
Schenk HJ, Jackson RB (2005) Mapping the global distribution of deep roots in relation to climate and soil characteristics. Geoderma 126, 129–140.
| Mapping the global distribution of deep roots in relation to climate and soil characteristics.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Shangguan ZP (2007) Soil desiccation occurrence and its impact on forest vegetation in the Loess Plateau of China. International Journal of Sustainable Development and World Ecology 14, 299–306.
| Soil desiccation occurrence and its impact on forest vegetation in the Loess Plateau of China.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Yang WZ, Shao MA (2000) ‘Soil water of the Loess Plateau.’ (Science Press: Beijing) [In Chinese]
Zhang CX, Hao MD, Wei XR, Wang XG (2004) Soil water distribution characteristics of alfalfa with different planting years in the gully region of the Loess Plateau. Plant Nutrient Fertilizer Science 10, 604–607. [In Chinese with English abstract]
