Microbial and enzymatic properties in response to amelioration of an acidic Ultisol by industrial and agricultural by-products

• Published in: Journal of soils and sediments Vol. 14; no. 2; pp. 441 - 450
• Main Authors: Li, Jiu Yu, Liu, Zhao Dong, Zhao, An Zhen, Xu, Ren Kou
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer-Verlag 01.02.2014; Springer Berlin Heidelberg; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: acid phosphatase; acid soils; Acidification; Arachis hypogaea; byproducts; chaff; Earth and Environmental Science; Environment; Environmental Physics; enzyme activity; Enzymes; field experimentation; Ihss 16: Functions of Natural Organic Matter in Changing Environment; industrial applications; linear models; nutrients; peanuts; rice; soil amendments; Soil conditioners; Soil microorganisms; soil nutrients; soil organic carbon; soil pH; soil quality; soil sampling; Soil Science & Conservation; Soil sciences; straw; topsoil; Ultisols; China, People's Rep; Acidic Ultisol; Soil quality; Microbial activity; Enzyme activity; Industrial by-product; Agricultural by-product
• ISSN: 1439-0108; 1614-7480
• DOI: 10.1007/s11368-013-0666-6

PURPOSE: This study aims to evaluate the effects of industrial and agricultural by-products as amendments on soil acidity, soil nutrients, enzymatic and microbial properties, and thus soil quality of an acidic Ultisol under field conditions and to give some index for choosing amendments in acid soils. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A long-term field experiment was established in an acidic Ultisol in the middle China to investigate the ameliorating effect after application of industrial and agricultural by-products for 4 years. There were five treatments including addition of rice chaff, peanut straw, alkaline slag, alkaline slag with rice chaff, and without amendment of control. Top soil samples (0–15 cm) from individual plots per treatment were collected for the analysis of chemical and microbial properties. The relationships between chemical properties and microbial and enzymatic properties were also analyzed with bivariate correlation analyses and stepwise linear regression. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Alkaline slag was more effective than rice chaff and peanut straw in correcting soil acidity and induced more increase in catalase activity, acid phosphatase activity, and microbial quotient, and thus more depress in the metabolic quotient, since soil acidity was an important stress factor for microbial and enzyme activities in the Ultisol. Incorporation of rice chaff and peanut straw markedly increased the soil microbial carbon, urease activity, and basal respiration to a greater extent, by more greatly enriching soil with organic carbon and more balanced nutrients of N, P, and K, which were also significant factors affecting microbial properties. Consequently, the application of alkaline slag and rice chaff together was the most effective in enhancing the geometric mean of enzyme activities (an important index of soil quality) when compared with the single application of alkaline slag, rice chaff, or peanut straw. CONCLUSIONS: Soil acidity, organic C, and balanced nutrients of N, P, and K were key factors for affecting soil microbial and enzymatic activities, and thus soil quality in this Ultisol. The combined industrial and agricultural by-products together as amendments would be the better choice to improve soil quality in acidic Ultisols.