Agronomy · 2025
Straw Deep Burial and Returning to Farmland: Mechanistic Study on Enhancing Albic Soil Fertility
Wang, Q., Liu, Y., Liu, Y., Wu, B., Meng, Q., Li, J., Zou, J., Liu, X.
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Straw Deep Burial and Returning to Farmland: Mechanistic Stu…
Abstract
This study developed an innovative model integrating straw subsoil deep burial (SD) and mixing plow to mitigate albic soil’s physical and chemical constraints and enhance crop yield. A field experiment with four treatments, including conventional tillage (CT), straw mulching (SM), straw subsoil deep burial (SD), and straw burning (SR), was conducted to assess impacts on soil enzyme activity, nutrient dynamics, crop yield, and soil physical properties. Results showed that SD treatment significantly improved albic soil properties compared to conventional tillage: catalase activity in the albic horizon decreased by 13.51%, reducing peroxide toxicity. In the albic horizon, alkaline hydrolysis nitrogen, total nitrogen, available phosphorus, total phosphorus, available potassium, total potassium, and organic matter increased by 29.98%, 58.70%, 36.86%, 20.46%, 5.00%, 21.70%, and 40.46%, respectively. Correspondingly, maize and soybean yield under SD reached 8686.6 kg/ha and 2245.3 kg/ha, increasing by 15.39% and 19.94% compared to CT, respectively. Additionally, SD treatment improved physical properties of the albic horizon: soil hardness reduced by 43.56%, with enhanced water-holding capacity, permeability coefficient, porosity, and hydraulic conductivity. Its findings not only boost agronomic productivity by improving crop yields but also support environmental sustainability by enhancing soil fertility, which is of great significance for ensuring food security.
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This study developed an innovative model integrating straw subsoil deep burial (SD) and mixing plow to mitigate albic soil’s physical and chemical constraints and enhance crop yield. A field experiment with four treatments, including conventional tillage (CT), straw mulching (SM), straw subsoil deep burial (SD), and straw burning (SR), was conducted to assess impacts on soil enzyme activity, nutrient dynamics, crop yield, and soil physical properties. Results showed that SD treatment significantly improved albic soil properties compared to conventional tillage: catalase activity in the albic horizon decreased by 13.51%, reducing peroxide toxicity. In the albic horizon, alkaline hydrolysis nitrogen, total nitrogen, available phosphorus, total phosphorus, available potassium, total potassium, and organic matter increased by 29.98%, 58.70%, 36.86%, 20.46%, 5.00%, 21.70%, and 40.46%, respectively. Correspondingly, maize and soybean yield under SD reached 8686.6 kg/ha and 2245.3 kg/ha, increasing by 15.39% and 19.94% compared to CT, respectively. Additionally, SD treatment improved physical properties of the albic horizon: soil hardness reduced by 43.56%, with enhanced water-holding capacity, permeability coefficient, porosity, and hydraulic conductivity. Its findings not only boost agronomic productivity by improving crop yields but also support environmental sustainability by enhancing soil fertility, which is of great significance for ensuring food security.
This study developed an innovative model integrating straw subsoil deep burial (SD) and mixing plow to mitigate albic soil’s physical and chemical constraints and enhance crop yield. A field experiment with four treatments, including conventional tillage (CT), straw mulching (SM), straw subsoil deep burial (SD), and straw burning (SR), was conducted to assess impacts on soil enzyme activity, nutrient dynamics, crop yield, and soil physical properties. Results showed that SD treatment significantly improved albic soil properties compared to conventional tillage: catalase activity in the albic horizon decreased by 13.51%, reducing peroxide toxicity. In the albic horizon, alkaline hydrolysis nitrogen, total nitrogen, available phosphorus, total phosphorus, available potassium, total potassium, and organic matter increased by 29.98%, 58.70%, 36.86%, 20.46%, 5.00%, 21.70%, and 40.46%, respectively. Correspondingly, maize and soybean yield under SD reached 8686.6 kg/ha and 2245.3 kg/ha, increasing by 15.39% and 19.94% compared to CT, respectively. Additionally, SD treatment improved physical properties of the albic horizon: soil hardness reduced by 43.56%, with enhanced water-holding capacity, permeability coefficient, porosity, and hydraulic conductivity. Its findings not only boost agronomic productivity by improving crop yields but also support environmental sustainability by enhancing soil fertility, which is of great significance for ensuring food security.
Findings
What changed what, as the paper reports it. Grouped by the measured property. The largest groups are open; open the others as you need them.
urease activity
↑ 2↓ 13
- decrease
SD vs. CTsignificant · 20–40 cm · Dryland Farming Experimental Station of Bawusan Farm · 20–40 cm, Aw; Figure2 CTd/SDg
Source · p. 7 “the SD treatment caused a significant reduction.”
- increase
SD vs. CTsignificant · 40–60 cm · Dryland Farming Experimental Station of Bawusan Farm · 40–60 cm, B; Figure2 CTi/SDh
Source · p. 7 “In the B layer, SW and SR treatments showed no significant changes compared to CT, but SD treatment increased urease activity.”
- increase
SM and SR (agreeing variants) vs. CTsignificant · 0–20 cm · Dryland Farming Experimental Station of Bawusan Farm · 0–20 cm; SM and SR agreeing independently tested variants, Figure2
Source · p. 7 “SM and SR treatments significantly increased urease activity by 26.62% and 18.78%, respectively.”
SUC activity
↑ 1↓ 12
- decrease
SD vs. CTsignificant · 20–40 cm · Dryland Farming Experimental Station of Bawusan Farm · 20–40 cm, Aw; Figure2 CTd/SDg
Source · p. 8 “In the Aw layer, SM and SR reduced SUC activity by 19.82% relative to CT, but SD caused a severe decline.”
- increase
SM and SR (agreeing variants) vs. CTsignificant · 0–20 cm · Dryland Farming Experimental Station of Bawusan Farm · 0–20 cm; SM and SR agreeing independently tested variants, Figure2
Source · p. 7 “In the Ap layer, the SM and SR treatments significantly increased SUC activity by 26.83% and 18.37% compared to CT”
catalase activity
= 11
- no effect
SD vs. CTnot significant · 0–60 cm · Dryland Farming Experimental Station of Bawusan Farm · 0–60 cm; Figure2 letters overlap CT/SD in Ap(a/ab),Aw(bc/cd),B(de/cd). Aw textual13.51% decrease conflicts with plotted pair.
Source · p. 7 “no significant difference was observed between SD and CT”
Source · p. 7 “Letters denote significant differences at the 5% level (lowercase) among treatments.”
alkaline hydrolysis nitrogen
↑ 11
- increase
SD vs. CTsignificant · 20–40 cm · Dryland Farming Experimental Station of Bawusan Farm · 20–40 cm, Aw, second year
Numbers
- percent_change 29.98
Source · p. 8 “The contents of alkaline hydrolysis nitrogen, total nitrogen, and organic matter in the Aw layer are 29.98%, 58.70%, and 40.46% higher than those in the CT treatment, respectively, and the differences reach a significant level.”
total nitrogen
↑ 11
- increase
SD vs. CTsignificant · 20–40 cm · Dryland Farming Experimental Station of Bawusan Farm · 20–40 cm, Aw, second year
Numbers
- percent_change 58.7
Source · p. 8 “The contents of alkaline hydrolysis nitrogen, total nitrogen, and organic matter in the Aw layer are 29.98%, 58.70%, and 40.46% higher than those in the CT treatment, respectively, and the differences reach a significant level.”
soil organic matter
↑ 11
- increase
SD vs. CTsignificant · 20–40 cm · Dryland Farming Experimental Station of Bawusan Farm · 20–40 cm, Aw, second year
Numbers
- percent_change 40.46
Source · p. 8 “The contents of alkaline hydrolysis nitrogen, total nitrogen, and organic matter in the Aw layer are 29.98%, 58.70%, and 40.46% higher than those in the CT treatment, respectively, and the differences reach a significant level.”
available phosphorus
↑ 11
- increase
SD vs. CTsignificant · 20–40 cm · Dryland Farming Experimental Station of Bawusan Farm · 20–40 cm, Aw
Numbers
- percent_change 36.86
Source · p. 8 “Compared with the CT treatment, only the available phosphorus and total phosphorus contents in the Aw layer of the SD treatment show significant differences, with increases of 36.86% and 20.46%, respectively”
total phosphorus
↑ 11
- increase
SD vs. CTsignificant · 20–40 cm · Dryland Farming Experimental Station of Bawusan Farm · 20–40 cm, Aw
Numbers
- percent_change 20.46
Source · p. 8 “Compared with the CT treatment, only the available phosphorus and total phosphorus contents in the Aw layer of the SD treatment show significant differences, with increases of 36.86% and 20.46%, respectively”
total potassium
↑ 11
- increase
SD vs. average of CT, SM, and SRsignificant · 20–40 cm · Dryland Farming Experimental Station of Bawusan Farm · 20–40 cm; explicit mean CT/SM/SR reference
Numbers
- percent_change 21.7
Source · p. 8 “For TK, the SD treatment consistently outperformed other practices in the Aw layer, with a concentration 21.7% higher than the average of CT, SM, and SR treatments (p \< 0.05).”
available potassium
↑ 11
- increase
SD vs. average of CT, SM, and SRsignificant · 20–40 cm · Dryland Farming Experimental Station of Bawusan Farm · 20–40 cm; explicit mean CT/SM/SR reference
Numbers
- percent_change 5
Source · p. 9 “In the Aw layer, AK under SD was significantly elevated by 5.0% relative to the average of CT, SM, and SR”
maize yield
↑ 11
- increase
SD vs. CTsignificant · Dryland Farming Experimental Station of Bawusan Farm · maize phase, two-year rotation
Numbers
- treatment 8,687 vs. control 7,528 kg/ha (+15.39 %)
Source · p. 10 “the SD treatment significantly increased crop yields. Compared with the CT treatment, maize yield increased by 15.39%”
soybean yield
↑ 11
- increase
SD vs. CTsignificant · Dryland Farming Experimental Station of Bawusan Farm · soybean phase, two-year rotation
Numbers
- treatment 2,245 vs. control 1,872 kg/ha (+19.94 %)
Source · p. 10 “the SD treatment significantly increased crop yields.”
Source · p. 10 “soybean yield increased by 19.94%.”
bulk density
1
- decrease
SD vs. CTsignificance not stated · 20–40 cm · Dryland Farming Experimental Station of Bawusan Farm · 20–40 cm, Aw, two years
Numbers
- treatment 1.38 vs. control 1.47 g/cm3 (-6.122 %)
Source · p. 10 “these changes led to a 6.12% decrease in bulk density.”
total porosity
1
- increase
SD vs. CTsignificance not stated · 20–40 cm · Dryland Farming Experimental Station of Bawusan Farm · 20–40 cm, Aw; Table5 has no test; text percentage inconsistent
Numbers
- treatment 45.06 vs. control 37.99 % (+18.61 %)
Source · p. 10 “the change in the Aw layer was the most obvious: its total porosity ratio increased”
soil hardness
↓ 11
- decrease
SD vs. CTsignificant · 20–40 cm · Dryland Farming Experimental Station of Bawusan Farm · 20–40 cm, Aw; two years; printed43.56% reduction, no invented signed numeric value
Source · p. 11 “hardness of the SD treatment decreased significantly, with a maximum hardness of approximately 2 MPa, representing a 43.56% reduction compared to the CT treatment.”
soil permeability coefficient
1
- increase
SD vs. CTsignificance not stated · 20–40 cm · Dryland Farming Experimental Station of Bawusan Farm · 20–40 cm, Aw; measured K, no table test
Numbers
- treatment 0.23 vs. control 0.02 ×10^-5 (unit not stated) (+1,050 %)
Source · p. 12 “In the Aw horizon, the soil permeability coefficient under the SD treatment remained the highest, much higher than those under other treatments”
root penetration depth
1
- increase
SD vs. CTsignificance not stated · Dryland Farming Experimental Station of Bawusan Farm · soybean roots, qualitative Figure4c; conclusion20–45cm differs from Results wording
Source · p. 11 “The CT treated roots (left panel) were predominantly concentrated in the Ap layer, with sparse root penetration below 25 cm”
Source · p. 11 “In contrast, SD treatment (right panel) promoted deeper root growth, with soybean roots extending beyond 30 cm”
soil moisture content
1
- increase
SD vs. CTsignificance not stated · 20–40 cm · Dryland Farming Experimental Station of Bawusan Farm · 20–40 cm; 48h after36mm rainfall; Figure5a deeper water redistribution, no pairwise significance marks
Source · p. 13 “it promoted water infiltration into the deep layer, reaching a peak at the 35 cm depth in the Aw horizon.”
Set-up
Treatments
- straw returning methodsResidues
- CTConventional tillageSDResidue incorporationSMStraw mulchSRResidue burningaverage of CT, SM, and SRResiduesSM and SR (agreeing variants)Residues
Measured
- catalase activityCatalase
- alkaline hydrolysis nitrogenHydrolysable nitrogen
- Unit
- mg/kg
- Method
- alkaline diffusion,1mol/L NaOH
- total nitrogen
- Unit
- g/kg
- Method
- Kjeldahl
- soil organic matter
- Unit
- g/kg
- Method
- dichromate oxidation
- available phosphorus
- Unit
- mg/kg
- total phosphorus
- Unit
- g/kg
- total potassiumTotal Potassium/Total K
- Unit
- g/kg
- available potassiumExchangeable/available potassium
- Unit
- mg/kg
- maize yieldYield
- Unit
- kg/ha
- soybean yieldYield
- Unit
- kg/ha
- bulk density
- Unit
- g/cm3
- total porosity
- Unit
- %
- macroporosity
- Unit
- %
- microporosity
- Unit
- %
- soil hardnessPenetration resistance
- Unit
- MPa
- soil permeability coefficientHydraulic conductivity
- Unit
- ×10^-5 (unit not stated)
- root penetration depthRooting depth
- Unit
- cm
- soil moisture contentGravimetric water content
- Unit
- %
- Method
- oven-drying
- urease activityUrease
- SUC activityInvertase
Sites
Dryland Farming Experimental Station of Bawusan Farm
- Location
- Bawusan Farm, Baoqing County, Heilongjiang Province, China46.52° N, 133.00° E
- Climate
- 3.7 °C mean annual temperature560 mm annual precipitation
- Soil
- upland albic soil · Chinese
- Land use
- drylandNon-irrigated arable land
- Management on the whole site
- maize–soybean rotationCrop rotation
| Depth | Texture | Clay | pH | Organic C | Bulk density |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–20 cm | – | – | 6.1 pH | – | 2.52 g/cm3 (as printed) |
| 20–40 cm | – | – | 6.2 pH | – | 2.51 g/cm3 (as printed) |
| 40–60 cm | – | – | 6.1 pH | – | 2.51 g/cm3 (as printed) |
| general soil characterization (depth not stated) | – | 29.73 % | – | – | – |
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