The integrated effect of salinity, organic amendments, phosphorus fertilizers, and deficit irrigation on soil properties, phosphorus fractionation and wheat productivity

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 10; no. 1; p. 2736
• Main Authors: Ding, Zheli, Kheir, Ahmed M. S., Ali, Marwa G. M., Ali, Osama A. M., Abdelaal, Aly I. N., Lin, Xin’e, Zhou, Zhaoxi, Wang, Bizun, Liu, Beibei, He, Zhenli
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 17-02-2020; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 631/449; 704/172; 704/2151; Arid zones; Chemical properties; Climate change; Crop production; Fertilization; Fertilizers; Field tests; Food security; Fractionation; Global warming; Humanities and Social Sciences; Irrigation; Lead; multidisciplinary; Natural resources; Organic matter; Organic phosphorus; Organic soils; Phosphorus; Salinity; Salinity effects; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Semiarid lands; Soil degradation; Soil density; Soil fertility; Soil properties; Soil salinity; Water scarcity; Wheat
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-59650-8
• EISSN: 2045-2322

Soil degradation due to global warming, water scarcity and diminishing natural resources negatively impacts food security. Soil fertility deterioration, particularly phosphorus (P) deficiency, remains a challenge in the arid and semi-arid regions. In this study, field experiments were conducted in different geographical locations to investigate the effects of organic amendments coupled with P fertilization and irrigation on soil physical-chemical properties, and the growth, yield and quality of wheat. Application of P fertilizers combined with organic amendments mitigated soil salinity, increased organic matter content, available water, hydraulic conductivity and available macronutrients, but decreased soil bulk density. Application of organic amendments slightly increased total Cd, Ni and Pb in soil, but Cd and Ni concentration was below allowable limits whilst Pb reached a hazardous level. Soil P fractions were significantly increased with the combined application of mineral P and organic amendments irrespective of salinity and irrigation. Crop growth yield and quality of wheat improved significantly in response to the integrated application of mineral P and organic amendments. In conclusion, the combination of mineral P sources with organic amendments could be successfully used as a cost-effective management practice to enhance soil fertility and crop production in the arid and semi-arid regions stressed with water scarcity and natural resource constraints.