Soil nutrient content and nutrient balances in newly-built solar greenhouses in northern China

• Published in: Nutrient cycling in agroecosystems 2012-09, Vol.94 (1), p.63-72
• Main Authors: Gao, J. J., Bai, X. L., Zhou, B., Zhou, J. B., Chen, Z. J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agriculture; Agrochemicals; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Electrical conductivity; Electrical resistivity; Farm buildings; Fertilization; Fertilizers; Greenhouses; Life Sciences; Manures; Mineral fertilizers; Nitrates; Nutrient content; Organic matter; Organic soils; Original Article; Phosphorus pentoxide; Soil nutrients; Soil organic matter; Subsoils; Topsoil
• ISSN: 1385-1314; 1573-0867
• DOI: 10.1007/s10705-012-9526-9

Soil nutrient content and nutrient balances in newly-built solar greenhouses in the southern part of China’s Loess Plateau were investigated over two consecutive years. Farmers applied manure and inorganic fertilizers at average annual rates of 1,907 kg N ha −1 , 1,601 kg P 2 O 5  ha −1 and 1,742 kg K 2 O ha −1 . Manure accounted for 65 % of the total N input, 57 % of the total P input and 55 % of the total K input. The average annual nutrient surpluses were 1,374 kg N ha −1 , 1,468 kg P 2 O 5  ha −1 and 881 kg K 2 O ha −1 . Soil organic matter, total N, available P, available K and electrical conductivity (EC) increased significantly across time in the topsoil (0–20 cm depth), but not in the subsoil (20–100 cm depth). The nitrate–N concentrations (mg N kg −1 ) of the 0–100 cm depth increased by 163–336 % over 2 years. The average accumulation of nitrate–N (kg N ha −1 ) of the 0–100 cm depth increased by 241 % and leveled out at 511 kg N ha −1 ; and it was 1,015 kg N ha −1 in the 0–200 cm depth. In conclusion, over-fertilization led to large nutrient surpluses in the soil of newly-built greenhouses.