Effect of straw management on carbon sequestration and grain production in a maize–wheat cropping system in Anthrosol of the Guanzhong Plain

•Straw return was effective in increasing carbon sequestration and grain production.•Straw return was effective in increasing grain yield and SYI value.•A minimum C input of 4.07Mgha−1year−1 was required to maintain SOC level.•The optimal SYI value could reach 0.651 when C input reaches 10.51Mgha−1y...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Soil & tillage research 2016-04, Vol.157, p.43-51
Main Authors: Li, Shuo, Li, Youbing, Li, Xiushuang, Tian, Xiaohong, Zhao, Aiqing, Wang, Shujuan, Wang, Shaoxia, Shi, Jianglan
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Maize–wheat cropping system
SOC sequestration
Straw return
Sustainable yield index
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Summary:•Straw return was effective in increasing carbon sequestration and grain production.•Straw return was effective in increasing grain yield and SYI value.•A minimum C input of 4.07Mgha−1year−1 was required to maintain SOC level.•The optimal SYI value could reach 0.651 when C input reaches 10.51Mgha−1year−1.•The MH–WH treatment is a sustainable practice for sustainable crop production. Straw return is a widely recognized strategy for increasing soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration and improving soil quality and crop productivity. A 4-year-long field experiment established in 2008 was conducted to investigate the effects of the combined return of maize and wheat straw on the SOC stock at a soil depth of 0–20cm in an intensive summer maize (Zea mays L.)–winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cropping system in the Guanzhong Plain. The study involved four treatments with four replicates: low return of maize and wheat straw (ML–WL), low return of maize straw and high return of wheat straw (ML–WH), high return of maize straw and low return of wheat straw (MH–WL), and high return of maize and wheat straw (MH–WH). Compared with the SOC stock in the pre-experimental soil, the SOC stock in the 0–20cm soil layer decreased by 2.6% under the ML–WL treatment, and in contrast, increased by 1.9% in ML–WH and 14.4% in MH–WH. Similarly, the stabilization rate gradually increased from 2.4% in ML–WH to 10.0% in MH–WH, though an obvious decrease of 6.8% was found in the ML–WL treatment. A significant linear relationship (P
ISSN:0167-1987
1879-3444
DOI:10.1016/j.still.2015.11.002