Partial organic substitution increases soil quality and crop yields but promotes global warming potential in a wheat-maize rotation system in China

Abstract

Excessive application of synthetic fertilizer has resulted in serious soil degradation and significant greenhouse gases (GHGs) fluxes in farmlands. Partial organic substitution for synthetic fertilizer was considered as a possible strategy for sustainable agricultural development, but its potential effects on soil quality, GHGs emissions, and crop productivity remain unclear. A field experiment across 3-year was conducted to evaluate the responses of soil quality, nitrous oxide (N₂O), carbon dioxide (CO₂), and methane (CH₄) emissions, and crop yields to different ratios of organic fertilizer (OF) to synthetic fertilizer (SF). Six treatments were included: non-fertilization (CK); total SF; total OF; 15 %, 30 %, and 45 % organic substitution (LO, MO, and HO). Soil cumulative N₂O emission was decreased with increasing organic substitution ratios, mainly attributing to the reducing soil NH₄⁺ content. However, organic substitution increased soil CO₂ and CH₄ emissions due to the high manure-driven C input, consequently promoting global warming potential (GWP). Meanwhile, soil organic C, total N, P, available P, K, and C-acquisition enzyme activities were increased with organic substitution, resulting the higher soil quality index (SQI) under HO and OF. HO enhanced the annual yield of wheat and maize by 7.2 % and 13.0 % compared with SF and OF, respectively. The positive relationship between crop yield and SQI indicated that the yield-enhancing effect with partial organic substitution was mainly attributed to the improved synchronization in nutrient supply and soil fertility. Overall, partial organic substitution, especially 45 % organic substitution represents a viable strategy to improve soil quality and crop productivity while mitigating N₂O emission in wheat-maize rotation systems. However, organic substitution promoted the GWP through stimulating soil CO₂ and CH₄ emissions. Further investigations of optimize fertilization managements are still needed to reduce manure-induced CO₂ and CH₄ emissions to achieve higher climate change mitigation.