Soil quality indices as affected by long‐term burning, irrigation, tillage, and fertility management

Abstract

Understanding the impacts of long‐term agricultural practices on soil quality (SQ) is key for sustaining agroecosystem productivity. This study investigated conventional and no‐tillage (NT), residue burning and no burning, residue level (high and low), and irrigation (irrigated and dryland) effects on soil properties, SQ, and crop yields following 16 yr of a wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)–soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] double‐crop system via the Soil Management Assessment Framework (SMAF). A field experiment was conducted in the Lower Mississippi River Delta region on a silt‐loam soil. Bulk density, soil organic C (SOC), total N (TN), pH, electrical conductivity (EC), and soil P and K from the 0‐ to 10‐cm soil depth were used as SQ indicators investigated individually and as an overall soil quality index (SQI). Following 16 yr, residue burning reduced SOC (1.1%) compared with no burning (1.24%). Irrigation resulted in greater soil TN than dryland management systems (p < 0.05). Reduced soil pH and extractable soil P and K occurred under NT, high residue, and irrigated treatments. Irrigation increased soybean yields, regardless of the tillage system. Burned, NT–high residue management increased wheat yields (3.45 Mg ha−1). Irrigation reduced SQ because of low EC and K scores. High residue reduced SQ compared with the low residue treatment within NT systems, owing to low pH scores. The SMAF indices identified the impacts of irrigation, NT, and optimal N fertilization on SQ. Monitoring of soil pH, P, and K may be needed to maintain SQ in long‐term wheat–soybean systems.

Unveiling changes in rhizosphere‐associated bacteria linked to the genotype and water stress in quinoa

“…However, when analysing the influence of the soil infusion factor significant differences only appeared in cultivar F16 under WW conditions (showing a higher alpha diversity index for the S2 non-sterile (MB) and S2 sterile (E) and the lowest in S1 MB (Figure 2)), where family 67-14 (unclassified Solirubacterales) was heavily enriched (Figure 1). Also, the fact that S2 showed changes with E and MB soil infusions could imply that the nutrient contents added with this infusion are responsible for the variations observed, as previously reported by several authors that point to a fundamental role of the nutrient availability in shaping rhizosphere bacterial communities (Amorim et al, 2021;Kelly et al, 2020;Rao et al, 2021).…”

Changes in Soil Microbial Activity, Bacterial Community Composition and Function in a Long-Term Continuous Soybean Cropping System After Corn Insertion and Fertilization

“…Ecosystem functions possessed by soil bacterial communities often employed functional metrics like respiration, decomposition, microbial activity or and extracellular enzyme activities ( Castle et al, 2017 ). The composition of soil bacterial community and functional metrics are greatly affected by the corresponding changing edaphic properties, therefore, appropriate agricultural management like irrigation, tillage, crop rotation and fertilizer regime can enable soil microorganisms to perform their diverse ecological functions ( Amorim et al, 2020 ; Kelly et al, 2020 ).…”

Continuous-cropping-tolerant soybean cultivars alleviate continuous cropping obstacles by improving structure and function of rhizosphere microorganisms

“…The composition and function of soil bacterial communities influence soil properties. Proper management of agricultural fields enables soil microorganisms to better perform their diversified ecological functions ( Amorim et al, 2020 ; Kelly et al, 2020 ). Cropping system is the main factor that changes microbial community structure ( Meriles et al, 2009 ; Zhou et al, 2018 ; Liu et al, 2019 ).…”