Impact of Reduced Nitrogen Inputs on Soil Organic Carbon and Nutrient Dynamics in Arable Soil, Northern Thailand: Short-Term Evaluation

Based on a soil analysis of individual crops, lower nitrogen (N) inputs may affect soil fertility and the soil’s capacity for carbon sequestration. This study investigates the changes in soil nitrogen levels, the amounts of labile and recalcitrant carbon fractions, and their relationship to soil org...

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Main Authors: Suphathida Aumtong, Phatchanuch Foungyen, Kanokorn Kanchai, Thoranin Chuephudee, Chakrit Chotamonsak, Duangnapha Lapyai
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-11-01
Series:Agronomy
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/14/11/2587
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author Suphathida Aumtong
Phatchanuch Foungyen
Kanokorn Kanchai
Thoranin Chuephudee
Chakrit Chotamonsak
Duangnapha Lapyai
author_facet Suphathida Aumtong
Phatchanuch Foungyen
Kanokorn Kanchai
Thoranin Chuephudee
Chakrit Chotamonsak
Duangnapha Lapyai
author_sort Suphathida Aumtong
collection DOAJ
description Based on a soil analysis of individual crops, lower nitrogen (N) inputs may affect soil fertility and the soil’s capacity for carbon sequestration. This study investigates the changes in soil nitrogen levels, the amounts of labile and recalcitrant carbon fractions, and their relationship to soil organic carbon (SOC) over the course of a single crop season. We conducted this study on seven crops in the provinces of Chiang Mai, Lamphun, and Lampang in northern Thailand, from February 2022 to December 2023. The farmer plots, which included litchi, mango, banana, maize, cabbage, garlic, and paddy rice, underwent three nitrogen addition treatments: high-nitrogen fertilizer (FP), reduced-nitrogen fertilizer informed via soil analysis (FS), and fertilizer absence (FZ). Soil samples were collected from a depth of 0 to 30 cm following the harvest of each crop. Subsequently, we utilized these samples to distinguish between labile and recalcitrant carbon fractions and assessed the impact of reduction through a one-way ANOVA. This study indicated a reduced availability of nitrogen, with the recalcitrant carbon fractions being the fine fraction (FF) and less labile carbon (LLB_C). The labile organic carbon fraction, referred to as LB_C, exhibited no change in FP treatment, in contrast to the non-fine fraction (NFF) and permanganate-oxidizable carbon (POXC). Our concern was to reduce the quantity of synthetic nitrogen fertilizer to achieve a lower level of soil organic carbon (SOC) and decreased nitrogen availability. These findings underscore the importance of considering N management when assessing soil carbon dynamics in agricultural soils, and, in future work, we should therefore model the optimal N input for crop yield, soil fertility, and soil carbon storage.
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spelling doaj-art-62d4336f189d49019bbd6526201ca5b32025-08-20T02:07:56ZengMDPI AGAgronomy2073-43952024-11-011411258710.3390/agronomy14112587Impact of Reduced Nitrogen Inputs on Soil Organic Carbon and Nutrient Dynamics in Arable Soil, Northern Thailand: Short-Term EvaluationSuphathida Aumtong0Phatchanuch Foungyen1Kanokorn Kanchai2Thoranin Chuephudee3Chakrit Chotamonsak4Duangnapha Lapyai5Soil Science Program, Faculty of Agricultural Production, Maejo University, Chiang Mai 50290, ThailandSoil Science Program, Faculty of Agricultural Production, Maejo University, Chiang Mai 50290, ThailandSoil Science Program, Faculty of Agricultural Production, Maejo University, Chiang Mai 50290, ThailandBusiness Administration, Maejo University, Chiang Mai 50290, ThailandDepartment of Geography, Faculty of Social Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, ThailandOffice of Research Administration, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, ThailandBased on a soil analysis of individual crops, lower nitrogen (N) inputs may affect soil fertility and the soil’s capacity for carbon sequestration. This study investigates the changes in soil nitrogen levels, the amounts of labile and recalcitrant carbon fractions, and their relationship to soil organic carbon (SOC) over the course of a single crop season. We conducted this study on seven crops in the provinces of Chiang Mai, Lamphun, and Lampang in northern Thailand, from February 2022 to December 2023. The farmer plots, which included litchi, mango, banana, maize, cabbage, garlic, and paddy rice, underwent three nitrogen addition treatments: high-nitrogen fertilizer (FP), reduced-nitrogen fertilizer informed via soil analysis (FS), and fertilizer absence (FZ). Soil samples were collected from a depth of 0 to 30 cm following the harvest of each crop. Subsequently, we utilized these samples to distinguish between labile and recalcitrant carbon fractions and assessed the impact of reduction through a one-way ANOVA. This study indicated a reduced availability of nitrogen, with the recalcitrant carbon fractions being the fine fraction (FF) and less labile carbon (LLB_C). The labile organic carbon fraction, referred to as LB_C, exhibited no change in FP treatment, in contrast to the non-fine fraction (NFF) and permanganate-oxidizable carbon (POXC). Our concern was to reduce the quantity of synthetic nitrogen fertilizer to achieve a lower level of soil organic carbon (SOC) and decreased nitrogen availability. These findings underscore the importance of considering N management when assessing soil carbon dynamics in agricultural soils, and, in future work, we should therefore model the optimal N input for crop yield, soil fertility, and soil carbon storage.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/14/11/2587availability Nrecalcitrant carbonfine fractionpermanganate-oxidizable carbon
spellingShingle Suphathida Aumtong
Phatchanuch Foungyen
Kanokorn Kanchai
Thoranin Chuephudee
Chakrit Chotamonsak
Duangnapha Lapyai
Impact of Reduced Nitrogen Inputs on Soil Organic Carbon and Nutrient Dynamics in Arable Soil, Northern Thailand: Short-Term Evaluation
Agronomy
availability N
recalcitrant carbon
fine fraction
permanganate-oxidizable carbon
title Impact of Reduced Nitrogen Inputs on Soil Organic Carbon and Nutrient Dynamics in Arable Soil, Northern Thailand: Short-Term Evaluation
title_full Impact of Reduced Nitrogen Inputs on Soil Organic Carbon and Nutrient Dynamics in Arable Soil, Northern Thailand: Short-Term Evaluation
title_fullStr Impact of Reduced Nitrogen Inputs on Soil Organic Carbon and Nutrient Dynamics in Arable Soil, Northern Thailand: Short-Term Evaluation
title_full_unstemmed Impact of Reduced Nitrogen Inputs on Soil Organic Carbon and Nutrient Dynamics in Arable Soil, Northern Thailand: Short-Term Evaluation
title_short Impact of Reduced Nitrogen Inputs on Soil Organic Carbon and Nutrient Dynamics in Arable Soil, Northern Thailand: Short-Term Evaluation
title_sort impact of reduced nitrogen inputs on soil organic carbon and nutrient dynamics in arable soil northern thailand short term evaluation
topic availability N
recalcitrant carbon
fine fraction
permanganate-oxidizable carbon
url https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/14/11/2587
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