Abstract
Abstract Farming practices that integrate plastic film mulching and nitrogen (N) fertilization have been extensively used to enhance crop productivity. However, the interactive effects of mulching and N application on soil microbial properties and crop yields have received little attention. A 2‐year field experiment was carried out in the Loess Plateau to investigate the independent and combined effects of plastic mulch and N application rate on the soil microbial population, enzymatic activity and grain yield. From 2016 to 2017, two mulching patterns (i.e., plastic mulching and no mulching) were exposed to five different N application rates (0 (N 0 ), 80 (N 80 ), 160 (N 160 ), 200 (N 200 ) and 240 (N 240 ) kg N ha −1 ). N application significantly affected the soil microbial community composition, as suggested by significant increases in soil total bacteria, cellulose‐decomposing bacteria and the bacterial‐to‐fungal ratio with N rates. In contrast, the mulching pattern significantly affected soil extracellular enzyme production. Furthermore, there were significant effects of mulching, N application and their interaction on grain yield. The highest grain yield (11,728 kg N ha −1 in 2016 and 12,350 kg N ha −1 in 2017) in both growing seasons was consistently obtained under plastic mulching with a N level of 200 kg N ha −1 . Our study showed that plastic mulching significantly affected extracellular enzyme production, and N fertilizer application significantly affected the composition of the soil microbial community. Highlights Independent and coupled effects of mulching and N application on soil biological properties and grain performance were explored. N application significantly influenced soil microbial community composition. Mulching pattern rather than N application independently and significantly affected soil extracellular enzyme production The combined application of plastic mulching with 200 kg N ha −1 should be seem as an optimum crop production pattern in this area.
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Claims 8
Claim · model-written summary
Increasing nitrogen significantly increased soil total bacteria, cellulose-decomposing bacteria and the bacterial-to-fungal ratio.
- Treatment
- N applicatione0
- Outcome
- soil total bacteria, cellulose‐decomposing bacteria and the bacterial‐to‐fungal ratioe0
- Direction
- increasese0
- Comparator
- N ratese0
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“N application significantly affected the soil microbial community composition, as suggested by significant increases in soil total bacteria, cellulose‐decomposing bacteria and the bacterial‐to‐fungal ratio with N rates.”
Claim · model-written summary
Mulching pattern significantly affected soil extracellular enzyme production.
Not reportedTaxonComparatorDirection
Verbatim
e0“the mulching pattern significantly affected soil extracellular enzyme production.”
Claim · model-written summary
Mulching significantly affected maize grain yield.
Zea maysNot reportedComparatorDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“there were significant effects of mulching, N application and their interaction on grain yield.”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Nitrogen application significantly affected maize grain yield.
Not reportedComparatorDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“there were significant effects of mulching, N application and their interaction on grain yield.”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Mulching and nitrogen interacted significantly for maize grain yield.
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“there were significant effects of mulching, N application and their interaction on grain yield.”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Plastic mulch with 200 kg N ha−1 yielded the highest grain yield in 2016.
- Treatment
- plastic mulching with a N level of 200 kg N ha −1e0
- Outcome
- grain yielde0
- Direction
- higheste0
- Value
- 11,728 kg N ha −1e0
- Qualifier
- 2016e0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The highest grain yield (11,728 kg N ha −1 in 2016 and 12,350 kg N ha −1 in 2017) in both growing seasons was consistently obtained under plastic mulching with a N level of 200 kg N ha −1 .”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Plastic mulch with 200 kg N ha−1 yielded the highest grain yield in 2017.
- Treatment
- plastic mulching with a N level of 200 kg N ha −1e0
- Outcome
- grain yielde0
- Direction
- higheste0
- Value
- 12,350 kg N ha −1e0
- Qualifier
- 2017e0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The highest grain yield (11,728 kg N ha −1 in 2016 and 12,350 kg N ha −1 in 2017) in both growing seasons was consistently obtained under plastic mulching with a N level of 200 kg N ha −1 .”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors recommend plastic mulch with 200 kg N ha−1 as an optimum production pattern.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The combined application of plastic mulching with 200 kg N ha −1 should be seem as an optimum crop production pattern in this area.”
t0“maize”
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