Positive Effects of Organic Substitution in Reduced-Fertilizer Regimes on Bacterial Diversity and N-Cycling Functionality in Greenhouse Ecosystem

Abstract

Conventional fertilization in the greenhouses of North China used excessive amounts of chemical and organic fertilizer, resulting in soil degradation and severe agricultural non-point source pollution. A nine-year study was conducted on a loamy clay soil in Shijiazhuang, Hebei province, to investigate the effects of reduced-fertilizer input regimes on soil property, bacterial diversity, nitrogen (N) cycling and their interactions. There were four treatments, including high organic + chemical fertilizer application rate and three reduced-fertilizer treatments with swine manure, maize straw or no substitution of 50% chemical N. Treatments with reduced-fertilizer input prevented soil salinization and acidification as in local conventional fertilization after being treated for nine years. In comparison to chemical fertilizer only, swine manure or maize straw substitution maintained higher nutrient availability and soil organic C contents. Fertilizer input reduction significantly increased bacterial richness and shifted bacterial community after nine years, with decisive factors of EC, Olsen P and C/N ratio of applied fertilizer. Soil chemical characteristics (EC, pH and nutrients), aggregation and C/N ratio of applied fertilizer selected certain bacterial groups, as well as N-cycling functions. Reduced-fertilizer input decreased the potential nitrification and denitrification functioning of bacterial community, but only in organic substitution treatments. The results of this study suggested that fertilizer input reduction combined with organic C input has potential in reducing non-point source pollution and increasing N-use efficiency in greenhouse vegetable production in North China.