Biochar–coupled organic fertilizer reduced soil water-dispersible colloidal phosphorus contents in agricultural fields

Abstract

Soil water-dispersible colloidal phosphorus (WCP) presents high mobility, however, the regulatory effect of biochar-coupled organic fertilizer is rarely known, especially under different cropping patterns. This study investigated the P adsorption, soil aggregate stability, and WCP in three paddy and three vegetable fields. These soils were amended with different fertilizers (chemical fertilizer, CF; substitution of solid-sheep manure or liquid-biogas slurry organic fertilizer, SOF/LOF; substitution of biochar-coupled organic fertilizers, BSOF/BLOF). Results presented that the LOF averagely increased the WCP contents by 50.2% across the sites, but the SOF and BSOF/BLOF averagely decreased their contents by 38.5% and 50.7% in comparison with the CF. The WCP decline in the BSOF/BLOF-amended soils was mainly attributed to the intensive P adsorption capacity and soil aggregate stability. The BSOF/BLOF increased the amorphous Fe and Al contents in the fields in comparison with the CF, which improved the adsorption capacity of soil particles, further improving the maximum absorbed P (Qmax) and reducing the dissolved organic matter (DOC), leading to the improvement of > 2 mm water-stable aggregate (WSA>2mm) and subsequent WCP decrease. This was proved by the remarkable negative associations between the WCP and Qmax (R2 = 0.78, p < 0.01) and WSA>2mm (R2 = 0.74, p < 0.01). This study manifests that biochar-coupled organic fertilizer could effectively reduce soil WCP content via the improvement of P adsorption and aggregate stability.