Soil & Tillage Research最新文献

{"title":"Biochar application increased soil carbon sequestration by altering organic carbon components in aggregates","authors":"Sihua Yan ,&nbsp;Shaoliang Zhang ,&nbsp;Pengke Yan ,&nbsp;Zhimiao Wei ,&nbsp;Xiaoguang Niu ,&nbsp;Haijun Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.still.2025.106795","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.still.2025.106795","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Biochar application critically influences soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics through aggregate stabilization, but their long-term effect on the chemical components and properties of aggregate-organic carbon (OC) under crop planting remains unclear. We conducted an experiment using two biochar application methods (homogeneous application (HA), bottom-concentrated application (CA)) combined with four application amounts (0 (CK), 10 (10B), 20 (20B), 40 Mg ha⁻¹(40B)) to investigate their effect on SOC, easily-oxidized organic carbon (EOC), carbon fraction in soil aggregate, function groups of aggregate-OC and aggregate carbon preservation capacity (CPC) under maize (<em>Zea mays</em>) cropping after 6 yrs’ biochar application. Results showed that compared with CK, (1) 20B and 40B increased the proportion of &gt; 2 mm aggregates in HA while decreased it in CA but not significantly; (2) 10B increased the OC and EOC of aggregates in CA (except for 0.25–2 mm) by 13–22 % and 5–18 %, respectively, while 40B increased them in HA by 11 %-27 % and 8–28 %, respectively; (3) CA increased hydrophobicity of &lt; 0.25 mm aggregate-OC by 2–19 %, while HA enhanced aromatic band stretching by 0.8–5 %, improving SOC resistance to microbial degradation; (4) 20B and 40B improved SOC and CPC of total water-stable aggregates but decreased EOC in HA and CA. Meanwhile, HA increased SOC by affecting aggregate-OC and its hydrophobic and aromatic functional groups, while CA increased SOC by affecting dissolved OC and aggregate-OC. Overall, a low amount of bottom-concentrated application and a higher amount of homogeneous application are promising practices to enhance the anti-microbial decomposition ability of SOC and long-term SOC sequestration.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49503,"journal":{"name":"Soil & Tillage Research","volume":"255 ","pages":"Article 106795"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2025-08-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144779400","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Fixed shanks in the seeder and cover crops improve soil properties and soybean yield in no-tillage system subjected to heavy traffic","authors":"Vitor Hugo Outeiro ,&nbsp;Marcelo Marques Lopes Müller ,&nbsp;Cristiano André Pott ,&nbsp;Jean Sérgio Rosset ,&nbsp;Miguel David Fuentes-Guevara ,&nbsp;Leandro Rampim","doi":"10.1016/j.still.2025.106769","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.still.2025.106769","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Machine traffic creates spatial variability in soil compaction across agricultural fields, challenging soil management and crop production. The combined effects of cover crops and fixed shanks remain underexplored in subtropical clayey soils to minimize soil compaction. This study aimed to assess the effects of fixed shanks and double disk in the seeder and cover crops on soil physical and chemical properties and soybean yield under different traffic intensities. The experiment was conducted using a split-plot design. Each traffic intensity was managed as an independent area, with subplots established within each to evaluate the combination of furrow opening mechanisms and cover crop treatments. The results showed that fixed shanks increased soil macroporosity by 36 % compared to double disk. The phosphorus level in the 0.10–0.20 m layer was 187 % higher with fixed shanks compared with double disk across all traffic intensity. Soybean yield was 12 % higher in areas subjected to moderate traffic than those with heavy traffic, highlighting the impact of traffic intensity on crop performance. Cover crops reduced soil penetration resistance in the surface layers in all traffic areas and increased soybean yield after two years of cultivation in heavy traffic areas. Fixed shanks improve soybean yield across all traffic regions. These findings demonstrate that heavy traffic reduces soybean yield, while fixed shanks enhances soil physical and chemical properties, improving productivity in no-tillage system. This integrated management approach effectively mitigates the negative impacts of soil compaction, promoting sustainable crop production in traffic-affected areas.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49503,"journal":{"name":"Soil & Tillage Research","volume":"255 ","pages":"Article 106769"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2025-08-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144772676","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The impact of precipitation on N2O emissions during the freeze-thaw cycle in a typical grassland in Inner Mongolia","authors":"Wangchen Zhang ,&nbsp;Ying Zhao ,&nbsp;Jan Frouz ,&nbsp;Pengfei Xue ,&nbsp;Jinbo Li ,&nbsp;Lizhu Suo ,&nbsp;Bing Song ,&nbsp;Haixia Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.still.2025.106774","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.still.2025.106774","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Approximately 78 % of China’s grasslands are located north of 30° N latitude where seasonal freeze-thaw processes are prevalent, and the freeze-thaw cycle plays a key role in regulating N₂O emissions. Climate factors, particularly winter precipitation influences soil water dynamics, thermal processes, and nitrogen cycling. Here, we hypothesize that winter precipitation significantly affects N₂O emissions by altering soil water content and nitrogen cycling processes during the freeze-thaw cycle. In this study, nine measurements of N₂O fluxes were conducted during the freeze-thaw periods of 2018, 2021, and 2023, along with soil water and thermal monitoring, across three grazing treatments in the Inner Mongolia Grassland: ungrazed since 1979 (UG79), ungrazed since 1999 (UG99), and continuously grazed (CG). Results show that winter precipitation was very associated with the hydrologic year, highest in 2021 (wet year), followed by 2023 (average year), and lowest in 2018 (drought year). High pulse N₂O emissions occurred only in the drought year, while in the wet year, deeper soil (20–50 cm) had significantly higher N₂O concentrations, but surface N₂O fluxes were lower, even a negative value as a sink. Structural equation modeling indicated that cumulative winter precipitation, soil nitrogen availability (especially NH₄⁺-N), and surface soil moisture were key factors influencing N₂O emissions. Increased winter precipitation enhanced soil moisture and deep soil N₂O concentrations but reduced permeability, promoting denitrification and lowering emissions. This indicates that winter precipitation affects soil N₂O fluxes and concentrations through multiple mechanisms. To improve N₂O emission predictions, winter precipitation dynamics and soil ammonium nitrogen must be considered.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49503,"journal":{"name":"Soil & Tillage Research","volume":"255 ","pages":"Article 106774"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2025-08-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144756825","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Catch crops promote soil physical recovery after forage crop grazing","authors":"Jinbo Li ,&nbsp;Wei Hu ,&nbsp;Stephanie Langer ,&nbsp;Brendon J. Malcolm ,&nbsp;Shane Maley ,&nbsp;Heather Jenkins ,&nbsp;Peter Carey","doi":"10.1016/j.still.2025.106778","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.still.2025.106778","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Soil compaction-induced physical degradation is a threat to sustainable crop production and environmental performance. While measures have been evaluated to alleviate compaction, the impact of catch crops establishment on soil physical recovery following winter grazing remains underexplored. Six New Zealand trials over different years investigated: (1) the effects of soil compaction induced by winter forage crop grazing on soil health, and (2) the effectiveness of catch crops establishment in facilitating soil recovery. Our findings revealed that winter grazing resulted in significant soil physical degradation in the top 10 cm, evidenced by significant reduction in total porosity, macroporosity, available water content, saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks), and soil quality <em>S</em> index. The degree of soil degradation was higher under increased grazing intensity (fodder beet grazing compared with kale grazing) and wetter conditions. For example, in Te Pirita-2019 with kale, changes in Ks were not significant. However, in Te Pirita-2019 with fodder beet, Ks decreased significantly from 1548 mm day^-¹ to 88 mm day^-¹, representing a 94.3 % reduction. Compared with fallow after grazing, growing catch crops promoted soil restoration. Conventional moldboard ploughing and the recently introduced single-pass ‘spader-drill’ outperformed direct drill for soil recovery. This study highlighted the importance of catch crop establishment using conventional tillage and spade drill to mitigate soil degradation resulting from winter forage crop grazing. The spader-drill, where soil conditions allow, is preferred because it allows earlier sowing of catch crops, leading to broader benefits such as increased crop biomass and reduced nitrogen leaching.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49503,"journal":{"name":"Soil & Tillage Research","volume":"255 ","pages":"Article 106778"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144749384","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Field and numerical investigation of soil water–salt dynamics under deep vertical rotary tillage in the Hetao Plain","authors":"Wenxiu Li ,&nbsp;Jingsong Yang ,&nbsp;Rongjiang Yao ,&nbsp;Wenping Xie ,&nbsp;Xiangping Wang ,&nbsp;Jiandong Sheng","doi":"10.1016/j.still.2025.106768","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.still.2025.106768","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Deep vertical rotary tillage (DVT) holds promise for improving saline–alkali land, yet its effects on the spatiotemporal dynamics of soil water–salt, as well as the underlying mechanisms, remain unclear. A two–year field experiment was conducted on saline silty loam farmland in the Hetao Plain, involving three treatments: traditional rotary tillage (TRT), deep vertical tillage at 25 cm (DVT25), and 50 cm (DVT50). Soil physical and hydraulic properties, soil water and salt content were measured. The HYDRUS–2D model, calibrated and validated with field data, accurately simulated soil water (<em>RMSE</em> ≤ 0.028 cm³/cm³) and salinity (<em>RMSE</em> ≤ 0.103 g/kg). Simulation results showed that DVT enhanced both lateral and vertical water movement during spring irrigation, increased soil water in the tilled layers, and promoted salt leaching. These effects were enhanced with increasing tillage depth. As the growing season of <em>Helianthus annuus</em> L. progressed, DVT increased root water uptake while reducing the upward movement of water from deeper layers. Consequently, soil water content of tilled layer declined more markedly than under TRT. After two growing seasons, the desalinization rates under the DVT25 and DVT50 treatments were 35 % and 42 % higher than those under the TRT treatment, which consequently led to increases of 12 % and 10 % in the average <em>Helianthus annuus L.</em> yield (irrigation water productivity), respectively. However, the yield differences were not statistically significant. The reduction of soil salinity was mainly due to the decreased soil bulk density resulting from DVT, which enhanced soil water during spring irrigation and suppressed soil evaporation. Scenario simulations revealed that, compared to TRT, optimal water-saving threshold, of DVT25 and DVT50 reduced by 3 % and 4 % in slightly salinized soils, and by 7 % and 5 % in moderately salinized soils, respectively. Considering both mechanical costs and water management benefits, DVT25 with spring irrigation amounts of 123.2 mm and 126.8 mm was recommended as the optimal strategy for water–salt regulation in slightly and moderately salinized silty loam soils of the Hetao Plain. In summary, DVT improved soil structure and contributed to salt control and crop yield improvement in the Hetao Plain.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49503,"journal":{"name":"Soil & Tillage Research","volume":"255 ","pages":"Article 106768"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144749383","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Enhancing soil organic carbon and structure in Mediterranean rice systems through cover cropping","authors":"Gonçalo Nascimento ,&nbsp;Mar Catala-Forner ,&nbsp;Dolors Villegas ,&nbsp;Oriol Ferre ,&nbsp;Núria Tomàs ,&nbsp;Carlos Cantero-Martínez","doi":"10.1016/j.still.2025.106777","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.still.2025.106777","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cover crops (CC) are recognized for their role in preventing and remediating soil degradation, yet their effects in Mediterranean rice (<em>Oryza sativa</em> L.) systems remain uncertain. This study evaluated the impact of ryegrass (<em>Lolium multiflorum</em> Lam.; RG) and hairy vetch (<em>Vicia villosa</em> Roth; HV) as winter CC on soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics and physical properties of a Calcaric Fluvisol over three years. The effects were compared to a dry bare fallow (BF), with and without nitrogen (N) fertilizer application to rice. Cover cropping increased topsoil SOC levels (<em>p</em> = 0.015), with particulate organic matter as the primary driver (<em>p</em> = 0.039). Longer periods of cover cropping may be needed for a more prominent effect on mineral-associated organic matter dynamics and C sequestration. While both CC increased aggregation after incorporating rice residues by 17 % (<em>p</em> = 0.005), ryegrass demonstrated a more persistent improvement by also enhancing aggregation at CC termination (<em>p</em> = 0.013). However, hairy vetch may offer greater long-term benefits to soil quality potentially by supporting higher CC and rice residue inputs. Soil penetration data suggests constraints to CC root growth in conventional rice systems and highlights the need to integrate CC with other sustainable management practices to maximize their benefits. This study underscores how winter CC can enhance soil organic matter and restore soil quality of Mediterranean rice systems, despite the limiting conditions for growth.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49503,"journal":{"name":"Soil & Tillage Research","volume":"255 ","pages":"Article 106777"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144749951","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A new model framework for infield spatialization of traffic induced soil compaction","authors":"A. Calleja-Huerta,&nbsp;L.J. Munkholm,&nbsp;M. Lamandé","doi":"10.1016/j.still.2025.106775","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.still.2025.106775","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Commonly used decision support tools used for estimating soil compaction are often based on single-point soil characteristics and thus not able to capture traffic and soil spatial variability in the fields. The aim of this study is to present a model framework that combines spatialization of wheel tracks, traffic intensity, soil deformation and its consequences in key soil physical properties. We compared three machines with different wheel loads, tyre dimensions and axle widths and three different route plans with working widths of 3, 6, and 12 m over a mechanical weeding operation occurring in a 5 ha moist field (pF 2). The field consisted of two different soil types, loamy sand and sandy loam with high and low bulk density spots. To model the effects of traffic we used the empirical model for estimating topsoil deformation from Schjønning (2023). We also estimate risk of subsoil compaction from PTFs. From the spatialization of wheel tracks we were able to identify the different traffic intensities and number of wheel passes for each machinery configuration. By combining topsoil deformation with traffic intensities we were able to identify areas where degree of compactness and air-filled porosity was detrimental for crop growth, and gas diffusion and water-filled pore space indicated high risk of greenhouse gas emissions. This simple model framework has shown promising potential for future decision support tools for assessing the impacts of traffic or estimating the risk of soil compaction during agricultural operations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49503,"journal":{"name":"Soil & Tillage Research","volume":"255 ","pages":"Article 106775"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144749952","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Irrigated sugarbeet water use and water use efficiency responses to various tillage practices","authors":"J.D. Jabro ,&nbsp;W.B. Stevens ,&nbsp;W.M. Iversen ,&nbsp;U.M. Sainju ,&nbsp;B.L. Allen ,&nbsp;S.R. Dangi ,&nbsp;C. Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.still.2025.106776","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.still.2025.106776","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>There is limited literature and information on effects of various tillage practices on crop water use (WU) and water use efficiency (WUE) for irrigated sugarbeet (<em>Beta vulgaris</em> L.) production. A field study was conducted to assess the effect of conventional tillage (CT), no-tillage (NT) and strip tillage (ST) practices on WU and WUE of sugarbeet in a clay loam soil under over-head sprinkler irrigation in the northern Great Plains region (NGP) of the United States. Tillage treatments were replicated five times in a randomized block design. Seasonal WU for sugarbeet root yield was calculated based on the soil water balance equation for the 2018, 2019, and 2020 growing seasons under CT, NT and ST practices. Crop WUE for root yield or sucrose yield under each tillage system and year were estimated by dividing root yield and sucrose yield by the amount of water used by the crop through the process of evapotranspiration (ET). No significant differences due to tillage treatment were found for WU, sugarbeet root yield, sucrose yield, and WUE for root yield, and WUE for sucrose yield in 2018, 2019, and 2020 growing seasons. On average, total amounts of water required to produce one Megagram (Mg) of sugarbeet root were 60.6 m³ for CT, 65.7 m³ for NT and 61.3 m³ for ST. The amount of water used to produce a given quantity of roots under NT was slightly greater than both CT and ST. Maximizing crop WUE is possible with innovative, and smart technologies along with appropriate land and irrigation management practices. While NT and ST offer economic and environmental advantages over CT for agricultural production, more studies are needed under various soils, environments, and farming practices prior to making any recommendation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49503,"journal":{"name":"Soil & Tillage Research","volume":"255 ","pages":"Article 106776"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144749950","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Inefficient C sequestration with long term high-level straw return as linked to protected C pools saturation on the North China Plain","authors":"Xu Li ,&nbsp;Xiaonan Yang ,&nbsp;Jingyu Li ,&nbsp;Jun Wang ,&nbsp;Xin Fu ,&nbsp;Zhengping Peng ,&nbsp;Hongkai Dang","doi":"10.1016/j.still.2025.106766","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.still.2025.106766","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Straw return has been widely used as a key measure to increase carbon (C) sequestration and sustain crop yields on the North China Plain, however, its effects were limited under long-term application. The mechanisms underlying the transformation of residue-derived C in soil and saturation status of different protected pools following long-term different straw return levels remain unclear. Soil samples were collected from a 41-yr field experiment with varying straw return rates: 0 kg·ha⁻¹ (CK), 2250 kg·ha⁻¹ (S1), 4500 kg·ha⁻¹ (S2), and 9000 kg·ha⁻¹ (S3), and incubated with ¹³C-labeled straw for 300 days. Soil organic carbon (SOC) and its active fractions in different C pools were measured. After 300 days of incubation, SOC concentration (14.2 %-26.1 %) and active C fractions (32.8 %-220.5 %) increased with an increase in straw application rates. Residue-derived particulate organic C (POC), microbial biomass C (MBC), and dissolved organic C (DOC) concentrations were greater in S3 than in S1 and S2, and these values were greater in S2 than in S1. Furthermore, straw return increased SOC concentration in different protected pools by 4.2 %-36.0 %, but no significant differences were found between S2 and S3 for all protected pools. Residue-derived C was primarily stored in the unprotected pool, accounting for 73.9 %-80.8 %. The residue-derived C concentration in S3 was significantly higher than those in S1 and S2 (except for the microaggregate-protected organic C and occluded silt and clay fractions). All protected pools showed signs of C saturation, but the mechanisms of C saturation differed. The physically protected pool reached C sequestration limit due to microaggregate restrictions. In contrast, the chemically and biochemically protected pools reached a steady-state balance through the mineralization loss of native SOC and the fixation of residue-derived C. Overall, after long-term straw return in North China, surface soils still retain C sequestration potential, but no significant differences in C sequestration were observed between medium and high rates of maize straw return. Integrating straw return with targeted nutrient management or diversified planting is essential to enhance the C sequestration capacity of straw return in the long run.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49503,"journal":{"name":"Soil & Tillage Research","volume":"255 ","pages":"Article 106766"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144722071","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Improving ratoon rice grain yield and soil carbon pools in subtropical regions through integrated crop and soil management practices","authors":"Lingqiong Song ,&nbsp;Yuanwei Chen ,&nbsp;Zhihui Liu ,&nbsp;Qiyuan Tang ,&nbsp;Min Huang ,&nbsp;Jiana Chen ,&nbsp;Weiqing Wang ,&nbsp;Huabin Zheng","doi":"10.1016/j.still.2025.106771","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.still.2025.106771","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Integrated crop and soil management measures have proven effective in enhancing crop yields and resource use efficiency, although the impacts on soil carbon pools and related microbial diversity remain unclear. In this study, we compared rice yield and soil properties between a local ratoon rice farming practice model without organic fertilizer application (FP) with an improved farming practice model (IFP) based on integrated management practices, including a &gt; 20 % increase in planting density, 30 % increase in panicle fertilization, and application of 1.8 t/ha of organic fertilizer, in Hunan Province, China. The 5-year average annual rice grain yield was 32.0 % higher in the IFP (13.3 t/ha) than in the FP. Soil organic carbon (SOC) content was nonsignificantly higher by 9.2 % in the IFP (22.4 g/kg) than in the FP; furthermore, the labile organic carbon and dissolved organic carbon contents were 10.7 g/kg and 45.5 mg/kg, respectively, in the IFP, significantly higher than those of the FP and N-free control. The carbon pool management index in the IFP was 191.4 in 2022 and 132.9 in 2023, and was significantly higher by 95.0 % (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05) than in the FP; the carbon pool activity and carbon pool activity index were similarly improved in the IFP. The average microbial biomass carbon in the IFP was 179.3 mg/kg, but did not differ significantly among the IFP, FP, and control. The bacterial and fungal Chao1 indexes were 5.6 % and 13.3 % higher, respectively, in the IFP (Chao1 for bacteria: 5252.5; fungi: 2291.5) than in the FP. The bacterial and fungal abundance-based coverage estimator (ACE) indexes were 7.2 % and 13.3 % higher, respectively, in the IFP (ACE for bacteria: 5871.5; fungi: 2530.4) than in the FP; however, there was no significant difference between the IFP and FP (<em>P</em> &gt; 0.05). These results support the efficacy of integrated agronomic measures in greatly increasing rice grain yield while supporting soil fertility through enhancing carbon pools and related microbial diversity. As modern ratoon rice production becomes increasingly mechanized, such measures will become easy to adopt.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49503,"journal":{"name":"Soil & Tillage Research","volume":"255 ","pages":"Article 106771"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144714358","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}