Abstract

Returning straw plays an important role in protecting the environment and maintaining the sustainable development of agriculture. In this research, we explored the effects of returning granular corn straw on soil humus composition and humic acid structural characteristics in a typical saline-alkali soil. This study was conducted in Jilin province. A randomized block design consisting of nine plots with three treatments in three replicates was used for this study. The treatments were granular corn straw (GS), coarse corn straw (CS), and control (CK). The results show that treatments GS and CS both increased the contents of soil humus and its components in the soil compared to CK. However, treatment GS recorded the highest significant increase in soil humus carbon (HEC), fulvic acid carbon (FAC), and humic acid carbon (HAC) by 17.59%, 8.32%, and 26.51%, respectively. Comparing the two straw treatments, it was found that the relative intensities of treatment GS at 2920 and 2850 cm−1 were higher than treatment CS by 1.58% and 72.49%, respectively. The relative intensities of treatment GS at 1720 cm−1 and 1620 cm −1 were lower than treatment CS by 52.2% and 30.43%, respectively. Moreover, an analysis of soil humic acid (HA) through an infrared spectrum, fluorescence spectrum, and principal components analysis (PCA) showed that the application of straw makes the structure of HA aliphatic, simple, and younger, and also promotes the continuous renewal of humus. In this study, the application of granular corn straw effectively improved the soil humus content and humic acid structural characteristics and is thus highly recommended.

Highlights

  • Corn straw is the residue left after harvesting corn

  • Comparing treatment corn straw (CS) with treatment CK, treatment CS recorded a significant increase in soil humus carbon (HEC), fulvic acid carbon (FAC), and humic acid carbon (HAC) by 34.68%, 19.43%, and 53.55%, respectively

  • Comparing the two corn straw treatments, the results show that treatment granular corn straw (GS) recorded a significant increase in HEC, HAC, FAC, and HAC/FAC by 17.59%, 26.51%, 8.32%, and 16.75%, respectively, as compared to treatment CS

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Summary

Introduction

Corn straw is the residue left after harvesting corn It contains a lot of organic matter and nutrients, which serve as a valuable biological resource [1]. Soil humus is mainly composed of soil humic acid (HA) and soil fulvic acid (FA) It is a component of soil organic matter that happens to be highly available in the soil, decomposed and mineralized by soil microbes, and directly affects nutrient supply in plants. It plays a key role in maintaining soil fertility, improving soil quality, and maintaining soil carbon pool balance [7]

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