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Effects of long-term different fertilizations on biomass and nutrient content of maize root.

CAI Miao, MENG Yan, MOHAMMAD Amin Ahmadzai, ZHOU Jian-bin   

  1. (College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University/Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and Agrienvironment in Northwest China, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China)
  • Online:2015-08-18 Published:2015-08-18

Abstract: Taking two longterm local field trials at the south edge of the Loess Plateau, which were found in 1990 and 2003, respectively, as test subjects, the effects of different fertilization practices on the maize root biomass and nutrient content were investigated in this paper. Maize roots in the 0-20 cm top soil postmaize harvest from the different fertilization practices were collected by hand in October 2011. The results showed that compared with control without fertilization and N, NK, or PK treatments, the NP, NPK, fertilizers plus manure (M1NPK and M2NPK) or plus straw return (SNPK) treatments significantly increased the dry mass of maize root. The C, N, P and K contents in maize roots in the NP, NPK, M1NPK, M2NPK and SNPK treatments were also significantly higher than those of control, especially in the NPK plus organic manure treatments (M1NPK and M2NPK) in the trial. Compared with the N fertilizer free treatment (N0), root biomass in the 120 kg N·hm-2 (N120) and 240 kg N·hm-2 (N240) fertilization treatments increased by 38% and 45%, respectively, but there was no significant difference between N120 and N240 treatments. Nitrogen fertilizer application (N120 and N240) also improved the C, N, P and K contents in maize root. The water soluble organic C and total soluble N contents of maize root in the NP, NPK, M1NPK, M2NPK, SNPK and the N120 and N240 treatments were greater than those of control and other treatments. Otherwise, the cellulose and lignin contents in maize roots declined in the NPK, M1NPK, M2NPK, and SNPK treatments compared with other treatments. So the root C/N and lignin/N ratios in the control, PK and N0 treatments were significantly higher than those in the NP, NPK, M1NPK, M2NPK and SNPK treatments. We concluded that the optimum fertilization (e.g., NP, NPK, MNPK and SNPK treatments) could increase maize root growth and nutrient content and improve soil fertility and carbon sequestration through root residue into soil.