Exploring Phosphorus Fraction Dynamics in Loess Soils: Impact of Long-Term Nitrogen and Phosphorus Fertilization on Cropland and Fallow Land

Mohsin Mahmood, Sajid Mehmood, Waqas Ahmed, Ahmed Salah Elrys, Yi Tian, Xiaoli Hui, Anam Ayyoub, Ahmed S. M. Elnahal, Weidong Li (), Zhaohui Wang () and Jinshan Liu
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Mohsin Mahmood: Center for Eco-Environment Restoration Engineering of Hainan Province, College of Ecology and Environment, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
Sajid Mehmood: Center for Eco-Environment Restoration Engineering of Hainan Province, College of Ecology and Environment, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
Waqas Ahmed: Center for Eco-Environment Restoration Engineering of Hainan Province, College of Ecology and Environment, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
Ahmed Salah Elrys: Soil Science Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagazig University, Zagazig 44511, Egypt
Yi Tian: Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and Agri-Environment in Northwest China, Ministry of Agriculture/College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Xianyang 712100, China
Xiaoli Hui: Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and Agri-Environment in Northwest China, Ministry of Agriculture/College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Xianyang 712100, China
Anam Ayyoub: College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Xianyang 712100, China
Ahmed S. M. Elnahal: Department of Plant Pathology, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagazig University, Zagazig 44511, Egypt
Weidong Li: Center for Eco-Environment Restoration Engineering of Hainan Province, College of Ecology and Environment, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
Zhaohui Wang: Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and Agri-Environment in Northwest China, Ministry of Agriculture/College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Xianyang 712100, China
Jinshan Liu: Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and Agri-Environment in Northwest China, Ministry of Agriculture/College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Xianyang 712100, China

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 16, 1-17

Abstract: Long-term cropping systems require balanced phosphorus (P) management for better yield and environmental sustainability. However, the soil P transformations under fallow rotations with and without long-term nitrogen (N) and P fertilization largely remained unknown. This study evaluated the status of P forms in loess soils in response to varied combined rates of N and P fertilizers, tillage management practices, fallow land systems (natural fallow (NF), and bare fallow (BF)). Four NP treatments (N0P0, control; N0P100, 100 kg P ha −1 ; N160P0, 160 kg N ha −1 ; and N160P100), and two treatments with no fertilizer application and crops (NF and BF) were conducted. The treatments N0P100 and N160P100 significantly increased soil total P, inorganic P (P i ), organic P (P o ), and Olsen P concentrations compared to the control, NF, and BF treatments. Labile P fractions (NaHCO 3 -P o and NaHCO 3 -P i ) were 7.30% and 11.8–12.4% higher in fertilized treatments than in control, NF, and BF treatments. The moderately labile NaOH-P i was stable in all treatments, but NaOH-P o significantly decreased in the NF (2.60%) and BF (1.40%) treatments compared to the control and fertilized treatments; however, HCl D -Pi was 59.1–66.0% higher in NF and BF compared to the control and fertilized treatments. Non-labile P (HCl C -P i and HCl c -P o ) fractions showed no significant difference between the fertilized and unfertilized treatments. Residual P levels were substantially greater in the P fertilized (N0P100) treatment than in the fallow treatments. The conceptual framework and redundancy (RDA) analysis revealed that the labile (NaHCO 3 -P i and NaHCO 3 -P o ) and moderately labile P fractions (NaOH-P o , NaOH-P i , and HCl D -P i ) were substantially associated with Olsen P contents, grain yield, and P uptake. Higher moderate fraction concentrations in fallows and their positive correlation with yield, P uptake, and Olsen P predict the importance of reserved P in these soils upon long-term fertilization, suggesting the utilization of P legacy and optimizing fertilizer applications.

Keywords: Olsen-P; phosphorus fractions; P uptake; grain yield; fallow lands; croplands; Tiessen and Moir fractionation scheme (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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