Effects of mineral-organic fertilizer on the biomass of green Chinese cabbage and potential carbon sequestration ability in karst areas of Southwest China

Abstract

The karst mountain areas of Southwest China contain barren farmland soils and suffer from nutritional and water deficiencies that affect crop productivity. Hence, it is imperative to apply suitable fertilizers to restore soil fertility and maintain crop yield. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of mineral-organic fertilizer (MOF) made of potassic rock and organic waste on the growth of crops. For this purpose, green Chinese cabbage grown using three different fertilization methods including MOF, inorganic fertilizer (IF), and a control was evaluated. We determined soil water content, agronomic characteristics, and biomass of green Chinese cabbage in different treatments. Furthermore, surface runoff from the pot experiments and soil leachate from pot experiments were collected to determine water temperature, pH, and cation and anion concentrations. The results demonstrate that MOF can improve the soil water-holding capacity of soil, and the basic agronomic characteristics of the cabbage treated with MOF were superior to those with IF. Using MOF can promote the increase in cabbage biomass. Additionally, the concentration of inorganic carbon (largely in the form of HCO3−) in surface runoff water treated by MOF was higher than the other treatments, establishing carbon sequestration potential. This work provides a novel and environmentally friendly fertilization pattern in karst areas, which will improve crop yield and also increase the carbon sequestration potential of crops.