Effects of organic matter on Leymus chinensis germination, growth, and urease activity and available nitrogen in coastal saline soil

ABSTRACT

The present study was carried out to investigate the effect of three organic matters (stalk powder, microbial fertilizer, and manure) on Leymus chinensis germination, growth, and urease activity and available nitrogen (N) in coastal saline soil. The study was conducted in a completely randomized design with eight treatments: J₀V₀Y₀, J₁V₀Y₀, J₀V₁Y₀, J₀V₀Y₁, J₁V₁Y₀, J₁V₀Y₁, J₀V₁Y₁, J₁V₁Y₁. The notations were based on the quantities of each agent added to 1 kg of coastal saline soil: J₀ – no straw powder, J₁ – 0.2 kg straw powder, Y₀ – no manure, Y₁ – 0.3 kg manure, V₀ – no microbial fertilizer, V₁ – 0.2 L microbial fertilizer, each in quantic repeat. L. chinensis was sown as 50 seeds per pot. Results indicated that addition of organic agents exerted a significantly enhanced germination, increase in fresh weight and elevated soil urease activity. Soil available N levels were significantly positively correlated with soil urease activity and fresh weight, but not with germination rate. It is noteworthy that the halophyte L. chinensis showed improved characteristics when grown in coastal saline soil with addition of organic amendments.

KEYWORDS:

• Coastal saline soil
• available nitrogen
• Leymus chinensis
• germination rate
• fresh weight
• organic matters

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

The authors express their appreciation to the College of Animal Science & Technology of China Agricultural University, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine of Tianjin Agricultural University, Science and Technology Department of Tianjin Agricultural University, State College Students Innovative and Entrepreneurship Training Program “Coastal solonchak habitat under several kinds of forage grass forage value comprehensive evaluation” [201510061131] for proving some helpful subsidy.