Abstract:
Objective The effects of straw biochar and phosphorus (P) fertilizer application were investigated on the distribution of P fractions in red soil aggregates and plant P uptake through soybean pot experiment.
Method The experiment was set up with the following 6 treatments: P0 (no P and biochar), P30 (30 kg P ha−1, no biochar), P90 (90 kg P ha−1, no biochar), BP0 (no P, 4% biochar alone), BP30 (30 kg P ha−1, combined with 4% biochar) and BP90 (90 kg P ha−1 combined with 4% biochar). Large macro-aggregates ( > 2 mm), small macro-aggregates (0.25-2 mm) and micro-aggregates (< 0.25 mm) were separated by wet sieve method, and P fractions in different aggregates were determined by sequential fractionation.
Result ① Compared with P0 or P30, BP0 and BP30 significantly promoted the formation and stability of large macro-aggregates, promoted soybean growth and P uptake simultaneously, with the largest increase observed in BP30. ② Biochar application at different P levels significantly reduced total P, total organic P, NH4F-Po and NaOH-I-Po content in macro-aggregate, while increased HCl-Pi and NaOH-II-Pi in small macro-aggregates and total inorganic P, HCl-Pi and NaOH-II-Pi content in micro-aggregate. (3) The plant P uptake was significantly negatively correlated with the total organic P, NaOH-I-Po and NaOH-II-Po in large macro-aggregates, but significantly positively correlated with NH4Cl-Pi, HCl-Pi and NaOH-II-Pi in micro-aggregates and small macro-aggregates.
Conclusion The combined application of biochar and low-level P fertilizer could improve the structure and stability of red soil aggregates effectively, promote the activation of macro-aggregates of organic P and the retention of micro-aggregates of inorganic P to ensure the supply of crop P. The result provides a theoretical basis for the use of biochar in organic P mobilization and crop P uptake.