Long-Term Wheat Residue Management and Supplementary Nutrient Input Effects on Phosphorus Fractions and Adsorption Behavior in a Vertisol

Abstract

The management of crop residues coupled with external nutrient inputs is important for improving and conserving soil fertility and productivity. We assessed the long-term effects of three wheat residue management options (RMO) (residue burning, incorporation, and surface retention) in combination with three supplementary nutrient inputs (SNI) [control, fertilizer, and farmyard manure (FYM)] on phosphorus (P) fractions and adsorption behavior of a Vertisol under soybean–wheat system. Wheat residue incorporation and retention improved the labile inorganic P [sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3-Pi)] by 3.2 and 5.0 mg kg−1 and the labile organic P (NaHCO3-Po) by 2.4 and 4.2 mg kg−1, respectively, as compared to residue burning. The soils under residue incorporation and retention had 38 and 26% more moderately labile organic P [sodium hydroxide (NaOH-Po)], respectively, than the soil under residue burning. The SNI either as fertilizer or FYM further enhanced NaHCO3-Pi, NaHCO3-Po, and NaOH-Po. In contrast, less labile P fractions [hydrochloric acid (HCl)-P and residual-P] remained unaffected by RMO and SNI treatments. Residue retention or incorporation decreased P adsorption over the residue burning for all the three nutrient inputs. The P-adsorption data fitted well to the Langmuir equation (R2 ranged from 0.970 to 0.994). The P-adsorption maximum (b), bonding energy constant (k), differential P-buffering capacity (DPBC), and standard P requirement (SPR) were lower with residue incorporation or surface retention than with residue burning. The SPR followed the order residue burning > incorporation > retention for RMOs and control > fertilizer > FYM for SNI treatments. The NaHCO3-Pi, NaHCO3-P0, and NaOH-Po had negative correlation with P-adsorption parameters and showed positive correlation with soybean P uptake. Wheat residue incorporation or retention plus FYM could be an effective strategy for enhancing the P fertility of Vertisols under a soybean–wheat system.