Simulation-based assessment of the impact of conservation tillage and strip intercropping on soil microbial biomass carbon

IF 5.7 1区农林科学 Q1 GEOSCIENCES, MULTIDISCIPLINARY

Catena Pub Date : 2025-07-31 DOI:10.1016/j.catena.2025.109331

Sana ur Rehman , Xiaoping Xin , Shahzada Sohail Ijaz , Shroz Fatima , Ayesha Siddiqa , Hayder Bin Khalid , Imran Haider , Rashid Iqbal , Aqib Mahmood , Sajad Hussain , Atta Mohi Ud Din , Taqi Raza , Mahmoud Moustafa , Muhammad Ali Raza

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Abstract

Conservation tillage is widely recognized as a key practice for improving soil quality in agriculture. However, despite growing interest, the combined effects of conservation tillage and intercropping on soil properties remain underexplored, particularly in semi-arid regions. There are three tillage practices: conventional tillage (CT), minimum tillage (MT), and reduced tillage (RT), and two strip intercropping systems, wheat-chickpea (W-C) and wheat-brassica (W-B), and three sole crop systems, sole-wheat (SW), sole-chickpea (SC), and sole-brassica (SB). In the present study, we investigated the effects of various tillage systems and strip intercropping on soil properties in a newly implemented site where conservation tillage practices were adopted. The results showed that MBC contents were affected by tillage, cropping systems, and soil depth. A significant increase in MBC concentrations occurred in wheat-chickpea and sole-chickpea (197 and 196 µg g⁻¹, respectively) under the RT system at 0–15 cm soil depth. Bulk density (BD) and nitrate-nitrogen (NO₃-N) gradually increased with the tillage treatments from CT to RT. According to the model’s findings, implementation of reduced tillage (RT) will result in elevated levels of microbial biomass carbon (MBC) by the year 2100. Ultimately, implementing conservation tillage practices and strip intercropping can contribute to sustainable agricultural systems by protecting soil resources, enhancing soil microbial activity, and supporting long-term productivity.

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保护性耕作与带状间作对土壤微生物生物量碳影响的模拟评价

保护性耕作被广泛认为是改善农业土壤质量的关键措施。然而，尽管人们越来越感兴趣，但保护性耕作和间作对土壤性质的综合影响仍未得到充分探索，特别是在半干旱地区。有三种耕作方式：常规耕作（CT）、最少耕作（MT）和减少耕作（RT），两种带状间作系统，小麦-鹰嘴豆（W-C）和小麦-芸苔（W-B），三种单一作物系统，单小麦（SW）、单鹰嘴豆（SC）和单芸苔（SB）。在本研究中，我们研究了不同耕作制度和带状间作对一个新实施保护性耕作的立地土壤性质的影响。结果表明，MBC含量受耕作方式、耕作制度和土壤深度的影响。RT处理下，0 ~ 15 cm土壤深度下，小麦-鹰嘴豆和豇豆-鹰嘴豆的MBC含量显著增加（分别为197和196µg g−1）。容重（BD）和硝态氮（NO3-N）随免耕（CT）到免耕（RT）的处理逐渐增加。根据模型的结果，到2100年，免耕（RT）的实施将导致微生物生物量碳（MBC）水平升高。最终，实施保护性耕作和带状间作可以通过保护土壤资源、增强土壤微生物活性和支持长期生产力来促进可持续农业系统。

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来源期刊

Catena 环境科学-地球科学综合

CiteScore

10.50

自引率

9.70%

发文量

816

审稿时长

54 days

期刊介绍： Catena publishes papers describing original field and laboratory investigations and reviews on geoecology and landscape evolution with emphasis on interdisciplinary aspects of soil science, hydrology and geomorphology. It aims to disseminate new knowledge and foster better understanding of the physical environment, of evolutionary sequences that have resulted in past and current landscapes, and of the natural processes that are likely to determine the fate of our terrestrial environment. Papers within any one of the above topics are welcome provided they are of sufficiently wide interest and relevance.