Stratification of soil organic C, N and the C : N ratio as affected by different plastic film mulching modes in a semiarid region of China
Peng Zhang
A B C D , Ting Wei B C D , Zhikuan Jia A B C E and Xiaolong Ren A B C E
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China.
B Key Laboratory of Crop Physi-Ecology and Tillage Science in Northwestern Loess Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China.
C Institute of Water-Saving Agriculture in Arid Areas of China, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China.
D These two authors contributed equally to this publication
E Corresponding authors. Email: jiazhk@126.com; rxlcxl@aliyun.com
Soil Research 57(4) 408-417 https://doi.org/10.1071/SR18256
Submitted: 27 August 2018 Accepted: 24 February 2019 Published: 29 March 2019
Abstract
The soil degradation caused by plastic film mulching tillage in rain-fed areas of north-west China is known to affect sustainable and stable crop yields because of major losses of soil organic carbon (SOC) and nutrients. To evaluate the effects of different plastic film mulching modes on SOC and total nitrogen (STN) sequestration capacity in loessic soil, we investigated the effects of different plastic film mulching on SOC, STN, and the soil C : N ratio in semiarid areas of southern Ningxia for a 4-year period (2013–2016). Five treatments were tested: (i) the control, conventional flat planting without mulching (CK); (ii) alternating mulching and bare rows without ridges and planting in mulched rows (P); (iii) furrow planting of maize, separated by consecutive plastic film-mulched ridges (S); (iv) furrow planting of maize, separated by alternating large and small plastic film-mulched ridges (D); and (v) furrow-flat planting of maize with a large plastic film-mulched ridge alternating with a flat plastic film-mulched space (R). In the final experimental year (2016), the results showed that the mean soil bulk density at 0–60 cm depth had decreased with film mulching treatments by 2.82%, 5.90% (P < 0.05), 7.29% (P < 0.05), and 9.46% (P < 0.05) respectively, compared with CK. Film mulching increased the concentration of SOC and STN, which were ranked in order S > R/D > P > CK; however, there was no significant increase with the storage of SOC and STN. The mean soil C : N ratio was higher with mulching treatment, i.e. 2.91% (P > 0.05) higher than CK in 0–60 cm depth. Mulching treatments significantly (P < 0.05) increased the stratification ratio (SR) of SOC and soil C: N ratio from the surface (0–20 cm) to all depths compared with CK, i.e. the SR of SOC at the 0–20 : 20–40 cm depth significantly (P < 0.05) increased with D, R, S, and P by 14.81%, 9.47%, 14.18%, and 9.51% respectively, compared with CK.
Additional keywords: plastic film mulching, soil C : N ratio, soil organic carbon, soil total nitrogen, stratification ratio.
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