Combined Application of Organic and Inorganic Fertilizers on Black Soil Fertility and Maize Yield

June 2011

Journal of Northeast Agricultural University (English Edition)

Vol. 18No. 224-29

Combined Application of Organic and Inorganic Fertilizers on Black Soil Fertility and Maize Yield ZHAO Jinwei, and ZHOU Lianren* Resources and Environmental Sciences College, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China

Abstract˖By two years (2007-2008) located fertilizer experiment, the effect of long-term combined application of organic and inorganic fertilizers on black soil fertility and crop yield was investigated in Shuangcheng City, Heilongjiang Province. The results showed that the combined application of organic and inorganic fertilizers could increase the organinc matter, alkaline nitrogen, available phosphorus and available potassium. At the same time, the increasing application of organic fertilizer could reduce the soil bulk density and improve the field moisture capacity. Field moisture capacity and organic matter of the combined application of high quantities of organic manure and inorganic fertilizers A1B5 treatment increased the fastest, organic matter increased by 3.33 g • kg-1 and field moisture capacity increased by 11.25% than the beginning of the experiment. Under the same fertilization, the combined application of organic and inorganic fertilizers' increasing production range was higher than the single chemical fertilizers' which was from 0.8% to 9.4%. The results showed that the combined application of organic and inorganic fertilizers could increase the nutrient contents of soil and also was the highest productivity contribution to black soil fertility. It was the best fertilization structure of increasing productivity level and improving the soil fertility. Key words: black soil, combined application of organic and inorganic fertilizers, soil fertility, maize yield CLC number: S513

Document code: A

Article ID: 1006-8104(2011)-02-0024-06

improve land productivity. Domestic and international

Introduction

data indicated that the application of organic manure could be used to maintain and improve the organic

Since a long time, the organic manure has played a

matter[1], effectively reduce nitrogen leaching losses

vital role of China traditional agricultural production

and improve the grain productivity[2-3]. Through the

in improving soil fertility, crop yield and quality.

adoption of soil fertility, soil organic matter content

Narrowly soil organic fertilization refers to improve

and soil buffer capacity could be increased, soil struc-

the soil organic matter including water, fertilizer, gas,

ture could be improved and a series course which re-

heat and coordination capacity through the application

lated to soil degradation and soil productivity could

of organic manure, thereby, enhancing the utilization

also be adjusted[4]. The combined application of organic

of fertilizer and increasing crop yields. Rational

and inorganic fertilizers is more conducive to improve

fertilization, not only can enhance crop yields and

the soil organic matter content, improve the soil phy-

improve the quality, but also can help to improve

sical and chemical properties, also be effective in im-

the soil fertility, to form good environment and to

proving the soil bulk density, porosity, soil tem-

Received 27 January 2010 Supported by Black Soil Conservation Tillage and Oriented Cultivation Technology Research (GB06B107-1); Innovation Fund of Northeast Agricultural University (CXP7003-3-3); Northeast Agricultural University and the Scientific Research Fund of Heilongjiang Province to Black Colleges and Universities Cold Key Laboratory of Utilization and Protection of Open-funded Projects (GXS08-5) ZHAO Jinwei (1983-), female, Master, engaged in the reserach of soil fertility. E-mail: [email protected]. * Corresponding author. ZHOU Lianren, professor, supervisor of Ph. D student, engaged in the research of soil renovation and improvement. E-mail: [email protected] &NBJM
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ZHAO Jinwei et al. Combined Application of Organic and Inorganic Fertilizers on Black Soil Fertility and Maize Yield

·25·

perature, field capacity and other soil traits. Therefore,

layer of black soil.

the combined application of organic and inorganic

 The area of the test cell which has five ridges that

fertilizers is an effective measure in promoting the crop

the each ridge length is 10 m and each ridge distance

growth, improve the crop yield and product qualities.

is 70 centimeter is 35 m 2. A constant fertilization

 Black soil is the main arable land of our country, its

treatment and six different proportions of organic

7

2

total area is 1.0×10 hm and its cultivated land area 6

2

and inorganic fertilizer treatments were set up. All

is 7.0×10 hm . According to statistics, half arable

the experiment treatments were randomized block

land of Jilin and Heilongjiang Provinces is black soil.

with each treatment repeated three times. Local con-

In recent years, the soil organic matter is declining,

ventional fertilization is that N 140 kg • hm-2, P2O5

a large number of nutrient is depleting and black soil

70 kg • hm-2, and K2O 75 kg • hm-2, and the nitrogen

layer is also thinning because of reusing the light

content of organic fertilizers which is the decomposition

[6-7]

dependent, although the black soil is fertile

. For this

of cow dung is 0.5%.

situation, the author continuously did the experiment on long-term representative monitoring pilot of

Experimental design

Northeast Agricultural University in Dongxing Village

Before the trial, take 0-20 centimeter soil samples of

Shuangcheng City for two years. By using the local

long-term fertilization experiment in March, 2008 to

limited number of organic fertilizer circumstances, a

acquisite and measure the basic physical and chemi-

fertilization model is seeked to guarantee the farmers

cal properties. Soil total nitrogen, alkaline nitrogen

proceed and protect the fertility of black soil resources

and toal phosphorus are 1.75, 170.64 and 0.94 g • kg-1,

by adjusting different proportions of organic and inor-

respectively. Available phosphorus and available pot-

ganic fertilizers. The aim was to investigate the effect

assium are 22.67 and 173.93 mg • kg-1. At the same

of combined application of organic and inorganic

time, soil organic matter which is 22.81 g • kg-1 is a

fertilizers on yield-increasing black soil fertility. It is

little lower than the same field of the area. Soil bulk

reasonable to set up the input-output production of

density and pH are 1.42 and 5.78 g • cm-3, respectively.

agro-ecological model for sustainable development of

The experiment crop is maize.

agriculture to provide a scientific basis and technical

 Fertilization treatments:

specifications.

 (1) A6B0: inorganic fertilizers;  (2) A5B1: 5/6N provision of inorganic fertilizers+1/

Materials and Methods

6N provision of organic fertilizers;  (3) A4B2: 4/6N provision of inorganic fertilizers+2/

Basic situation of pilot sites

6N provision of organic fertilizers;

The experiment was located in Dongguan Zhen

 (4) A3B3: 3/6N provision of inorganic fertilizers+3/

Dongxing Village, Shuangcheng City of Heilongjiang

6N provision of organic fertilizers;

Province, southeastern Harbin (44°26′N/126°30′E).

 (5) A2B4: 2/6N provision of inorganic fertilizers+4/

Experiment plot belongs to the temperate continental

6N provision of organic fertilizers;

climate which has four seasons, long winter and short

 (6) A1B5: 1/6N provision of inorganic fertilizers+5/

summer, relatively rich resources of light and heat. The

6N provision of organic fertilizers;

experiment soil which the annual average temperature

 (7) A0B6: organic fertilizers.

is 3.5-4.5ć, >10ć, the effective temperature is 2 6002 700ć, the average annual rainfall is 400-600 mm,

Test methods

and 60%-70% concentrated from June to August and

Organic matter--the volumetry of K 2 Cr 2 O 7 ; total

frost-free period is 135-145 days, which is the thin

nitrogen-potassium dichromate sulfuric acid digestion IUUQ
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Journal of Northeast Agricultural University (English Edition)

Vol. 18ǂNo. 2ǂ2011

method; total phosphorus-perchloric acid-soluble

comparison, other treatments all reached 5% diffe-

sulfate anti-molybdenum antimony colorimetry;

rence significant level. Among them, there was no

N-diffusion method; available P-sodium bicarbonate

significant difference between the small and medium

method and K-Flame Photometry.

amounts of organic fertilizer A 5B1, A4B2, A3B3 and A2B4 treatments. There was no significant difference

Data processing methods

between the two high-volume organic fertilizer

Single-factor randomized block analysis of Latin

treatments (A1B5 and A0B6), but there was an evidently

square, and Excel 2003 analysis of variance software.

significant difference with other treatments. The largest increase in field moisture capacity was A1B5 treatment which had improved 44.75%, the smallest

Results and Analysis

increase was A 5B 1 treatment which had improved Effect on soil moisture and bulk density of

13.57% comparing with the comparison. Similarly, the

black soil

soil moisture of the combined application of organic

Soil moisture and soil air co-exist in soil pores which

and inorganic fertilizer treatments significantly in-

are active in the participation of many important soil

creased from 17.42% to 56.30% by comparing with the

physical, chemical and biological processes are the

comparison. At the same time, Table 1 showed that

[7]

reflection of important aspects of the soil fertility . The

with the increasing amount of organic fertilizers, the

soil which has the good porosity and crops can meet

soil bulk density had decreased from 1.95% to 7.79%

the requirements of water and air which is conducive

compared with the comparison treatment. But the

to nutrient status of the regulation and extension of

downward trend which content decreased with the

[8]

plant roots .

addition of organic fertilizers becomed slowly. The

 As seen from Table 1, compared to the single appli-

difference of high-volume organic and inorganic

cation of inorganic fertilizer control A6B0 treatment,

fertilizer treatments (A1B5 and A0B6) was not signi-

the field moisture capacity of combined application

ficant. The results showed that the fertilizers could

of organic and inorganic fertilizer treatments in-

improve the soil structure, and combined application

creased reached 13.57% to 44.75%. Comparing with

organic and inorganic fertilizers was the best method.

Table 1 Effect of the soil moisture and bulk density Treament

Bulk density (g • m-3)

Field moisture capacity (%)

Natural water content (%)

A6B0

1.54a

27.92c

27.39c

A5B1

1.51ab

31.71b

33.45b

A4B2

1.49ab

32.46b

32.16b

A3B3

1.45ab

32.27b

34.73b

A2B4

1.47ab

33.42b

35.67b

A1B5

1.42b

40.41a

41.69c

A0B6

1.42b

40.77a

42.81c

 These results showed that the long-term application

bulk density would be more obviously. At the same

of combined application high volume of organic ferti-

time, it showed that using organic fertilizers to reduce

lizers and inorganic fertilizers could be used to improve

the black density and to improve the role of the com-

the black soil moisture content. After successively

position of soil porosity was more availably than using

incresing application of organic fertilizers, improving

of inorganic fertilizer method. Therefore, a small

soil porosity structural and reducing the role of soil

amount of inorganic fertilizers in the application of

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ZHAO Jinwei et al. Combined Application of Organic and Inorganic Fertilizers on Black Soil Fertility and Maize Yield

·27·

fertilizer at the same time with the high volume of

an increase of 15.73% and 13.08%, respectively which

organic fertilizers could be recommended in order

reached significant difference level compared with the

to maintain the long-term sustainability of black soil

single application of chemical treatment.

fertility levels and to ensure the sustainable agricultural development. Effect on soil organic matter Soil organic matter which directly influences the security of fat, water-holding capacity, buffering, and farming conditions and ventilation is the basis of soil fertility. Organic matter is a source of microbial life activity and substance which the soil has to keep the

Organic matter (g • kg-1)

40

Before sowing Post-harvest

35 30 25 20 A6B0

A5B1 A4B2

biological nature and structure, plants require for a variety of inorganic and organic source of nutrients. Therefore, the amount of soil organic matter content is

A3B3 A2B4

A1B5

A0B6

Treatments

Fig. 1ǂEffects of different organic fertilizers on soil active organic carbon

an important indicator of soil fertility.  As seen from Fig. 1, the soil organic matter increas-

 The results showed that combined application of

ed to different degrees because of different treatments

organic and inorganic fertilizers was more conducive

adding the different quantity of organic materials and

to improve the soil organic matter and soil fertility.

inorganic materials. Among them, the effects of the

Single application of chemical fertilizers increased

high volume of organic fertilizers and chemical ferti-

the soil organic matter at pre-fertilization, but at lower

lizers on soil organic matter were more obvious. The

stages it declined slowly. Although it was similar

contents of organic matter of A3B3, A2B4, A1B5 and

to the trend of soil organic matter changes among

A 0B 6 treatments which applied with high volume

the combined application of organic and inorganic

of organic manure and inorganic fertilizers were

fertilizers and a single application of chemical ferti-

greater than those of A5B1 and A4B2 treatments which

lizers, but it was better than the single application of

applied the low volume of organic and inorganic

chemical fertilizer treatments on improving the soil

fertilizers. Comparing to the single application of

organic matter content.

chemical fertilizer A 6B 0 treatment, the two groups had significant difference. At the same time, middle-

Impact of soil available nutrients

and high-volume of organic fertilizers with chemical

The supply of nutrients in soil conditions, mainly

fertilizer treatments improved the organic matter from

embodied in the available nutrient, alkaline nitrogen,

1.31 to 2.50 times and the difference between post-

vailable phosphorus and potassium which reflect the

harvest organic matter reached extremely significant

intensity of soil nutrient supply directly.

level compared to A6B0 control treatment. There were

 As seen from Fig. 2, the soil nutrients of different

no significant differences between the low volume of

treatments changed variously. To the point of soil

organic fertilizers with chemical fertilizer treatment

nitrogen, the combined application of organic and

and the comparison. A2B4 and A1B5 treatments were

inorganic fertilizers increased from 15% to 30% com-

the fastest increase which applied the high volume of

pared to the control treatment, the difference reached

organic and chemical fertilizers, the topsoil organic

a significant level. However, there was no significant

-1

matter content had risen to 35.47 and 36.32 g • kg ,

difference among A5B1, A3B3 and A1B5 treatments.

respectively. Compared with before the test, there was

This was mainly because the combined application IUUQ
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Journal of Northeast Agricultural University (English Edition)

Vol. 18ǂNo. 2ǂ2011

of organic and inorganic fertilizers could improve the

term sustainability of black soil fertility levels and

soil nitrogen content and promote the effective soil

to ensure sustainable agricultural development was

nitrogen levels. Parts of them were small and medium-

recommended.

sized molecules of nitrogen from organic matter and nutrients, another part was the decomposition of

Impect on maize yield and economic benefits

organic matter mineralization which quickly released

As seen from Table 2, maize yield of the combined

the nitrogen nutrition. Althouth the soil vailable

application of organic and inorganic fertilizers incresed

potassium did not reach the significant difference level

significantly compared to the single application of

between the organic and inorganic fertilizer treatments,

chemical fertilizer control A 6B 0 treatment organic

all the treatments improved from 33% to 65% than

manure and inorganic fertilizers. Different productions

the control treatment. The enhance range of soil

deal with varying degrees of increase in production

vailable potassium was A3B3>A1B5>A5B1>A6B0. Soil

rate reached 0.8%-9.4%, yield difference reached

available phosphorus which increased larger than the

significant level. Compared with the control, the yield

comparison increased from 40% to 88%. Mainly duing

of A2B4 treatment which per hectare incresed 960.93

to the addition of organic materials which improved

kg was the highest. Increase at the least low amount

the mechanism for the supply of available phosphorus

of organic and inorganic fertilizer A5B1 treatment,

in soil organic matter. In addition to its own role in

the increase was only 6.5 kg per hectare, there was

the release of mineralization outside the inorganic

no significant difference between the comparisons.

phosphorus, the organic matter decomposition would

From the economic point of view, compared with

generate the organic acids and humus, organic acids

the control, there was the difference of the increase

with insoluble soil phosphate metal ion complexation

in varying degrees between treatment of net income,

reaction occurred, therefore, the soil available pho-

to deal with A2B4 treatment which net income was

sphorus was released.

higher than that of the control increased by 2 079.12 Yuan per hectare. Followed by treatment A 1B5 and

Content (mg • kg-1)

250 200

Alkaline nitrogen Available phosphorus Available potassium

A0B6, the increasing were 2 190.02 Yuan and 1 938.08 Yuan, the lowest rate of increase was the low volume of organic fertilizer and inorganic fertilizer A5B1 and

150

A4B2 treatments, the increase was only 162.75 and

100

768.02 Yuan, and the increase income effect was not obvious.

50

 The results showed that under the nitrogen appli-

0 A6B0

A5B1

A3B3

A1B5

Treatments

Fig. 2ǂAvailable nutrient in soil under different treatments

cation rate in the same circumstance, the method that organic manure in combined application of organic and inorganic fertilizers reduced greatly reduced the fertilizer cost, and the quality of maize which also

 The results showed that the combined application

improved, reaching a yield increase results as com-

of organic and inorganic fertilizers was more con-

pared with the control treatment. Increasing of me-

ducive to improve the soil available nutrient content.

dium amount of organic manure and inorganic fertilizers

Especially for effects of increasing the soil available

was the best fertilizer. From the view of overall econo-

P and K were significant. Therefore, the application

mic value, the effect on volume of organic fertilizers

of a small amount of inorganic fertilizers with organic

with chemical fertilizers use in the reduction of inorganic

materials at the same time in order to maintain long-

fertilizer costs was the best, and also this method saved a

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ZHAO Jinwei et al. Combined Application of Organic and Inorganic Fertilizers on Black Soil Fertility and Maize Yield

·29·

high amount of organic manure applied in the process

tainability maintain the level of black soil fertility and

of manual labor. Inorganic fertilizer in the amount

guarantee the sustainable development of agriculture

of organic manure and fertilizer treatment on income

for the long-term, the reduction of inorganic fertilizer

compared to production was the best, and the increase

application amount was recommended at the same

of the rate was up to 9.4%. Therefore, in order to sus-

time in high-volume organic fertilizers.

Table 2 Analysis of maize yield and economic benefit Increase or decrease Fertilizer and Increase or decrease in Increase Net profit Total revenue value than the comparison compared to comlabor cost -2 -2 (Yuan • hm ) (Yuan • hm ) (%) (Yuan) parison output (kg) (Yuan • hm-2)

Value

Treatment

Yield (kg • hm-2)

A6B0

10 400.01

–

–

4 575.11

9 360.10

4 785.02

A5B1

10 497.50

97.52

0.80

4 500.04

9 447.75

4 947.75

162.75

3.40

A4B2

10 670.13

270.03

4.20

4 050.14

9 603.01

5 553.12

768.02

16.05

A3B3

11 067.52

667.52

5.61

3 570.18

9 960.75

6 390.75

1 605.75

33.56

A2B4

11 360.23

960.93

9.42

3 360.05

10 224.03

6 864.02

2 079.12

43.45

A1B5

11 000.09

600.36

6.01

2 925.49

9 900.29

6 975.05

2 190.02

45.77

A0B6

10 970.17

570.04

4.81

3 150.07

9 873.12

6 723.39

1 938.08

40.50

increase (%)

–

–

by adjusting the different proportions of organic and

Conclusions

inorganic fertilizers were recommended.

Fertilizing experiment results showed that combined

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