Interaction of liming and long-term fertilization increased crop yield and phosphorus use efficiency (PUE) through mediating exchangeable cations in acidic soil under wheat\u2013maize cropping system

Muhammad Qaswar,Huang Jing,Zhang Lu,Waqas Ahmed,Li Dongchu,Muhammad Abbas,Wang Boren,Zulqarnain Haider Khan,Han Tianfu,Du Jiangxue,Sami Ullah,Zhang Huimin

doi:10.1038/s41598-020-76892-8

Abstract

Low phosphorus use efficiency (PUE) is one of the main problems of acidic soil that limit the crop growth. Therefore, in the present study, we investigated the response of crop yield and PUE to the long-term application of fertilizers and quicklime (CaO) in the acidic soil under wheat–maize rotation system. Treatments included, CK (no fertilization), NP (inorganic nitrogen and P fertilization), NPK (inorganic N, P and potassium fertilization), NPKS (NPK + straw return), NPCa (NP + lime), NPKCa (NPK + lime) and NPKSCa (NPKS + lime). Results showed that, fertilizer without lime treatments, significantly (p ≤ 0.05) decreased soil pH and crop yield, compared to the fertilizer with lime treatments during the period of 2012–2018. Average among years, compared to the CK treatment, wheat grain yield increased by 138%, 213%, 198%, 547%, 688% and 626%, respectively and maize yield increased by 687%, 1887%, 1651%, 2605%, 5047% and 5077%, respectively, under the NP, NPK, NPKS, NPCa, NPKCa and NPKSCa treatments. Lime application significantly increased soil exchangeable base cations (Ca2+ and Mg2+) and decreased Al3+ cation. Compared to the NP treatment, phosphorus use efficiency (PUE) increased by 220%, 212%, 409%, 807% and 795%, respectively, under the NPK, NPKS, NPCa, NPKCa and NPKSCa treatments. Soil pH showed significant negative relationship with exchangeable Al3+ and soil total N. While, soil pH showed significant (p ≤ 0.05) positive relationship with exchangeable Ca2+, PUE and annual crop yield. PUE was highly negatively correlated with soil exchangeable Al3+. In addition, soil exchangeable Ca2+, pH, exchangeable Al3+ and available N were the most influencing factors of crop yield. Therefore, we concluded that lime application is an effective strategy to mitigate soil acidification and to increase PUE through increasing exchangeable base cations and reducing the acidic cations for high crop yield in acidic soil.

Highlights

Observation Station of Qiyang Agri‐Ecology System, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Qiyang 426182, Hunan, People’s Republic of China. 4Guangdong
Compared to the CK treatment, soil pH under the NP, NPK, NPKS, NPCa, NPKCa and NPKSCa treatments decreased by 25.4%, 26%, 24.2%, 14.8%, 12.1% and 14.7%, respectively
In all the fertilization treatments with and without liming soil organic carbon (SOC), total N and available N contents were significantly higher than the CK treatment

Summary

Introduction

Strategy to mitigate soil acidification and to increase PUE through increasing exchangeable base cations and reducing the acidic cations for high crop yield in acidic soil. Some negative effects may appear in soil such as depletion of base nutrients, high solubility of Al, Fe and Mn, which may cause toxicity in plant[15,16,17]. We observed that application of wheat straw or pig manure in combination with inorganic fertilizer increased the phosphatase activities and P UE24. Liming is considered one of the most effective strategies to mitigate soil acidification, which can increase P availability in acidic soil[26,27]. Addition of lime to the acidic soil can reduce the oxides of Al and Fe27 and it can increase the P uptake for better crop production

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion