Pedosphere 33(4): 589--599, 2023
ISSN 1002-0160/CN 32-1315/P
©2023 Soil Science Society of China
Published by Elsevier B.V. and Science Press
Green manure rotation and application increase rice yield and soil carbon in the Yangtze River valley of China
Qian YUE1, Jianfei SUN2, Jonathan HILLIER3, Jing SHENG1, Zhi GUO1, Puping ZHU1, Kun CHENG4, Genxing PAN4, Yunpeng LI4, Xin WANG1
1 Key Laboratory for Crop and Animal Integrated Farming of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs/Institute of Agricultural Resources and Environment, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing 210014(China)
2 Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Nanjing 210042(China)
3 Global Academy of Agriculture and Food Security, The Royal(Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and The Roslin Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Campus, Midlothian EH25 9RG(UK)
4 Institute of Resource, Ecosystem and Environment of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095(China)
ABSTRACT
      The addition of organic matter via green manure rotation with rice is considered a smart agricultural practice to maintain soil productivity and support environmental sustainability. However, few studies have quantitatively assessed the impact of green manure rotation and application on the interactions between agronomic management practice, soil fertility, and crop production. In this study, 800 pairs of data from 108 studies conducted in the agricultural region of the Yangtze River, China were assessed, and random forest (RF) modeling was performed to evaluate the effect of green manure rotation and application on rice yield and soil properties. Compared to a winter fallow system, rotation and application of green manure significantly increased rice yield and soil organic carbon (SOC) by 8.1% and 8.4%, respectively. According to the RF models, rice type, green manure application rate and duration, mineral and organic nitrogen application rates, and initial SOC content and soil pH were identified as the main drivers for rice yield and SOC changes. Marginal benefit analysis revealed that green manure application rates for early rice in double cropping system and the rice in single cropping system were approximately 20 and 26 t ha-1 (fresh weight), respectively. Further, the optimum green manure application rate was approximately 25 t ha-1 (fresh weight) for carbon sequestration. However, it should be noted that green manure application to soils with high SOC level might result in the soils becoming a net carbon source. Our study contributed scientific and quantitative indicators for achieving the greatest benefits in rice yield and increasing SOC upon application of green manure.
Key Words:  carbon sequestration,crop production,random forest model,soil fertility,soil organic carbon
Citation: Yue Q, Sun J F, Hillier J, Sheng J, Guo Z, Zhu P P, Cheng K, Pan G X, Li Y P, Wang X. 2023. Green manure rotation and application increase rice yield and soil carbon in the Yangtze River valley of China. Pedosphere. 33(4): 589–599.
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